The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1858-11-17

the recent political campaign was conducted in
opponents of the administration were confident
Of being victorious in great measure, and the
democracy We're aware that severe contest
was at hand, but neither victors nor vanqush-
ed hoped for or feared such a revolution. Il
was expected the opposition would elect two
members 10 congress from Philadelphia out OF
the five % be chosen. This would have been an
opposition gain Of one; as in the past congress
they had only one out of the FIVE. Instead Of
two, they elected four by large majorties, and
the other, elected by the democrats, was re-
turned by a very meagrt majority, and that too
under circumstances which render it almost
certain that even this ones election was gross
/ ly fraudulent, and will be contested In the
| house of representatives. The solitary demo
! GRAFT returned is Thomas B. Florence, who has
been member for some years, and distinguish
ed alike as an able editor and a skillful politi-
clan. The Philadelphia navy yard is in his
district, and he makes it play conspicuous
pant in all political contests. 1t is his trump
card and none know better how to make it tell,
for through it alone he maintains his seat in the
council of the nation. Early in August last, IN
anticipation of a severe contest, the admins
tratlon ordered two of the new sloops- Of war to
BE- built at the Philadel pbia navy yard. This
was done expressly to furnish work for voters.
This mode Of packing congressional district
with bogus voters is not altogether new, even
here in Louisiana, as the records of the first
district will show. But in this case the navy
yard was packed SO full of workmen that the
regular employees had hardly room to work.
After large body Of men had been got upon
the pay roll by Florence, another new batch OF
ninety were presented, whom the commander
ofthe yard refused to receive, there being no
way Of employing them. Florence te]egraphed
1 forthwith to Washington, and in due time or
ders came from the secretary of the navyl 10 the
commodore of the yard to comply with the
wishes of Florence, and the rejected ninety to-
gether with great many more were at once
put on the pay roll. 1t has been ascertained
there were no less than twenty-slx hundred
m on the pay roll OF the navy yard the week
before the election Now, there being no use
whatever for this mass Of independent voters, .
there are paid off and discharged until another
election comes round, when, if alive, they will
again be crowded into the yard, placed on the
pay roll, have "genuine ticket thrust into
their hands, and then be despatched to the
ballot box to sustain q he glorious democracy
| (i e. their employers) and ''saye the countryH'
Its likewise stated that there were other frauds
al one or two additional precincts. So much
for the Philadelphia intrigue. The election all
over the State was sngularly disastrous TO the
Buchanan democracy Out oftwenty five mem
beers of congress, twenty are opposition, three
anti Buchanan democrats, and only two sup
porters Of the administration and its policy
AT the same election a Judge of the supreme
court was chosen. Both candidates resided In
Philadelphia and the democratic nominee a
near relative of ex-governor Porter, and from a
family that has long exercised over different
parts of the State almost despoic control. The
opposition candidate was elected by majority
OF Is, 900 votes. In Lehigh and Bucks coun-
ties there has been for than thirty years past a
standing democratic majority Of $500; yet the
opposition candidate, young man, almost I'M
known was elected, notwithstanding the demo
cratic candidate repudiated Lecomp tonism and
signed pledge to vote for revision ofthe ia
riff whenever it might come before congress-
No one was more astounded at the result than
the opposition candidate himself. The defeat
ot the administration was literally oVerwhelnl-
ing, and must be viewed as severe rebuke tc
the disposition which the federal officers have
So eagerly displayed to interfere in State cleo
TONS May the lesson teach them wisdom.
i i -J-~r-@~S(~-~ >~S~>-~-~
i TRUE.--Judge Porter, of Pennsylvania, ii
resigning his seat on the bench, a short time
ago, took occasion to express the following sen,
tsment: .. ...
H.. sIwas' and am now thoroughly convinced
pV Tedu!U9 anu ielltGIOi tiltt NilCiiC' CT
can be elected by reason OF his sentiments on
any question of politics, that moment the rea
power of the judicial Office will disappear"
The business of this sentiment must be al
once apparent to every man. The moment the
Judiciary is made political question: mere
matter of ''Ioaves and fshes''--it loses all re-
spectabilty and sanclity. We might with equa
propriety have political juries and at the ballo
box decide all suits in accordance with the pollt
zeal tenets of the plaintiffs and defendants.--
Political courts are as appropriate as polltlca
Judges But the change wrought in the opn
Jpn Of Judge Porter came altogether too late t(
5refect credit upon his sagacty. He did no
4 discover the evils arising from political judge
!; until after he had accepted the nomination TO-
: reelection conferred on him by the democracy
); and been defeated BY over 90, GOO votes. Whel
the Judge becoming indignant, resigned.
The Cleveland Herald says it is understood
that the grant Of lands made. by congress tt