Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-04-16
From the Baltimore Sun,

Election.
Third Congressional Diarid.-We have received a
public document containing the papers in the contested
election case of the third congressional district VIM
Pnkney Whyte, contestant against j. Morrison Harris
contestee The matter is presented at length, occupying
volume OF three hundred and twenty large octave pa
ges 1t comprises the letter of 1tr Whyte, announcing
his intention to contest the election the reply of Mr.
Harris and other preliminary papers. Then follows the
testimony which includes the statements and particular
examination of hundred and forty-four witnesses
conducted before Justices Hugh j. Morrison Daniel E.
Myers and John McAlister The examination seems to
have been conducted invariably by Mr.. Whyte in
person, and on the part of Mr.. Harrss by Mr. r. j.
Cuttings, his counsel.
We have looked through considerable portion of the
testimony with view of making some selections for
publication, but we might take page at random, any
where, and it would afford revolving exhibit of the
nature of the whole. The volume is in fact record
of the most shameless and audacious violations of law
public ORDER the rights of suffrage and the decences of
society that any official document presents in the United
States 1t betrays systematic and persistent fraud at
the several polls thus laid bare to public inspection and
if we are to infer from the in which the system
was carried out In practice in the lower wards the
sort OF thing In the upper must confess that the
gregate majority of the sitting members for Baltimore
Is really the best evidence extant of the extreme modera
ton of the American party at the Congressional cleo
ton. For instead Of 1000 for Mr.. Davis and 5000
for Mr. Harrss it would only have been at the cost of
little more effort to have doubled the ority in each
case.
The evidence establishes beyond controversy the excu-
sion at will of naturazed citizens from the polls the
determination to do this the atrocous in which
it done; the deliberate connivance of the regular
police; the outrage and violence committed against indi
viduals; the daring frauds by which the ballot boxes
were crowded with illegal votes the perverson of the
ballot by striped tickets, and, in short history OF
wrongs SO great as to Justify the unqualified assertion,
that the civil and political rights of the people ut
tery subverted by organized ruanism throughout the
whole mockery of the election of the 4th of November
A considerable portion of the testimony is that of
well known citizens men of undoubted character, some
acting officially and some of the most striking facts
elected from members of the American party, also act
ing officially The tone of the whole vouminous record
is the same from beginning to end and the reiterated
sertions of the witnesses, together with the overwhem
ing testimony is direct to the fact that it was not "pos
sibIe for the people of the District at that election,
freely and fairly to express their choice for representa-
tive to Congress-" The record is sad commentary
upon boasted civilization and political liberties for
the conclusion is irresistible, that despotsm could
more efectualy disfranchse people, and in manner
more humiating than the democratic party of Ralti-
more were dsranchsed by mob law at the last Congress
sOnal election