The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-16
THE ST LOUIS CONTESTED ELECTION.
TFrom The s.. Louis Republican, Sept. 12.l

s fla trom the ST. Louis Rspubhcan sept III t "a
The order of Judge Lakeland, commissioner of the
United States under the act of 1851 has been made, di
recng the clerk of the county court to certify copies of
the ballots for Blair and Barrett respectively tobe returned
to the commissioner evidence for the House of Repre-
sentatves. This commissioner ought to be well aware
that such copies cannot be evidence any where There is
no authority whatever for the clerk to certify such docu
ments and when certified they not any evidence of
any fact in any proceeding ri.s
This commissioner ought to know that he had no
thority in any proceeding to issue order upon party
until such party notified to appear and but
in this he has ordered Mr. Thornburg to make out
certified copies of the ballots although it in evidence
before him that the county court had entered order
prohibiting this very act
This order of Commissioner Lakeland has been entered
without notice. without hearing and without authority
Any who examines the decision of the commissioner
and the argument of the counsel of Mr. Barret will
that this order has been made without any authority of
law and in violation of every known principle Such
high handed will bring the Judiciary into con-
tempt and destroy the confidence of all men in the adj
minstrnton of Justice It is well understood by these
parties that this unauthorized order of the commissioner
will not be obeyed by the clerk and the order itself will
only serve for some further shreks among
the black republicans about the proprety of permitting
them to stand by and the clerk handle the ballots
for few days, without pen pencil in their hands,
No time has been given to Mr. Barret TO prepare his
defence the application insultingy denied,
and the proceeding hurried with indecent haste
while he engaged ut the fair to the unlav full
summation Of foregone conclusion that bruited in
the streets in advance of the decision. .t
And what do the shrekers want of the ballots They
contain other information than the pobooks except
the names of The persons poaf for The sole secret of all
the shrekng of Blair is that he fears be may challenge
of the fraudulent votes given for himself and this
he seeks to avoid by examining the ballots before he
specifies the of the fraudulent voters; and upon
pretence of examining the fraudulent votes he will scru
tnze the names of the dependent aborers and others
suspected, to brand them for prescription.
To prevent such result the county court has ordered
lp ri Ia Espr tba
not willing to let the boxes remain shut. They have
invoked Commissioner LackIands authority TO break
open the boxes and examine the ballots. We will see
whether Mr. Thornburg will obey his court or the com
missioner The plain duty of Mr.. Thornburg is to obey
the order Of his court and let some judicial tribunal de-
eide the question of law involved in the There is
occasion for MIR. Ihonburg 10 sacrifice his Office and
subject himself TO imprisonment for the sake Of obeying
Illegal order OF commissioner who has proceeded
without any of the legal ormaics to adudicate upon
case not before him.