The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-01-06
The Dakota County Contested Election.

A more disgracefnl and unjust act of
partizanship-of disregard for the rights of
others, and one exhibiting greater contempt
of both law and precedent, has never been
enacted ia the Minnesota Legislature,
than that consummated by the Black Re-
publicans of the House, on Thursday last
in displacing from their seats, as men,
bers of the House, Messrs. BARTON,
WArDrRE, and NEWELL, legally and hon.
estly elected members from Dakota coun-
ty. The cause of the displacement of
those gentlemen was their anticipated
opposition to the schemes of pfunder and
perjury, now being Matched in the Black
Republican caucuses, and which, it be-
ing feared, would not be successfully
carried through, owing to weak backed
Republicans, it became necessary to dis.
place Democratic members, and give their
honestly obtained positions to men whose
course in obtaining them, preciudes all idea
of their being afflicted with conscientious
qaalms in carrying out the programme of
the majority, no matter how disgraceful it
maybe.
We ask our readers to peruse again, the
debate published ia this paper yesterday, on
this subject, and base their opinions, if they
choose, solely upon the facts and arguments
presented in the speeches of such Republi-
cars as SANBeRN, GREENE, and Speaker
CoGaswELL. The latter, especially, showed
that the Republicans in unjustly trampling
upon the rights of the sitting members, and
DISTINGUISHING the voters of Dakota county,
did so in open violation of every we'll settled
legal principle, bearing upon contested
elections. He charged the Republicans
with using the witnessnes to suppress, in
stead of elicting facts; and stated there
was not in the evidence sufficient reliable
matter to GUST dog from the House. Mr..
CoGGswELL further said, " if there is any
fraud in this transaction, it is in the propo-
sition to GUST these members on testimony
having no force whatever. 1t was fraud
lying at our own door. We are judges of
the election of members, but he did not
propose that this House should be judges
as Democrats or Republicans, but from the
evidence before US. He was opposed to
making this party question; and if Dem
ocrats had been guilty Of acting as parti-
sans, there was no reason for the majority
of this House to commit the same wrongs"
Mr.. BARTON, one of the elected members,
showed that the Committee on Elections
had wilfully deceived him as to the time be
should have in which to bring his witnesses
before it. They then refused to allow him
the period specified, and shut down upon
his case, without giving him an opportunity
of defence.
Mr.. GREENE, Chairman of the Judiciary
Committee, said there was no testimony to
show that there had been illegal voting,
and the sitting members were entitled to
their seats.
Mr.. SANBoRN also objected to the action
of the House, on the ground that it was not
sustained by the evidence presented.
But, under the dctation of SECoMBE-a
man whose antecedents convict him of par
ticipation in the grossest election frauds
the programme of the Republican Caucus
was carried out, and three as legally and
honestly elected members as any in the
House, were compelled to vacate their seats.
This gross outrage, and the wholesale
perjury involved in the abrogation Of the
Printing Contract, is the result of one month
Of Black Republican legislation-of a ire
FORM" economical" and "honest," Legisla-
ture too.
A PATENT pocket umbrella Is among the
latest inventions that have been patented.