The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1865-10-14

disposition or the planets.
----
DfsgraeefuI Trickery.
Acting Gov. Elwood Evans, of WASH
ington Territory, has lately committed a
most dRgraceful piece of official trickery.
1t ought in fact be termed official rogue
ry. 1t occurs in his proclamation of the
result of the last Territorial election, in
regard to the election of the Councilman
for the District of Walla Walla, in which
he proclaims that the Abolition candi-
date, Anderson Cox, is chosen over Frank
P. Dugan, Esq, the Democratic can
didate.
The facts, as we derive them from of
fetal and authentic sources, are as fol-
lows: The counties of Walla Walla and
Skamania were by a former Legislature
erected into a Council District, but the
last Legislature wiped out of existence
the county of Skamania, leaving Walla
Walla alone the District. The Act did
not contemplate the non-existenee of Ska
mania, however, in the ensuing Territori-
al election, for the Act of the previous
Legislature specially provided for the rep
resentation Of that tract or county down
to 1866, and this part of the former act
was not repealed no nulli6ed by the SUBJ
sequent Legislature. The returns of the
election gave Mr. Dugan in the whole
District, ffty-six majority. But the coun-
ty of Walla Walla cast a majority of FIVE
against him, and in favor of his Abolition
competor-
In order to deprive Mr.. Dugan of his
seat, to which he was regularly eleetedby
the votes of the District, and to invest
the Abolition candidate with Council hon.
ors, Gov. Evans, in his proclamation of
nlnn4ianienAHna thnzEu
entirely, and recognizes only the vote Of
the remainder of the District. IF the
Governor had followed this rule in respect
to the election of other Councilmen, or OF
Representatives, credit might be given
him for honest error, for a mistaken OF
erroneous Interpretation of the law and
his own official duty. But he did not.
For instance, in the same proclamation he
recognizes the county of Skamania and
counts its vote In the election of Farms.
worth, an Abolitionist, to the Council
over Johns, a Democrat. So does he reeog.
nize and count the vote of Skamania il
the election of Representative VanSyckle
in the election of the Joint Representative
for Clickitat and Skamania, and in the of
fetal vote of the Territory for Delegate tt
Congress.
Now, is it not remarkable that the Gov
ernor counts in the county and vote o
) Skamania in three other distinct cases
and rejects the vote andignores the coun
f ty in the single case of Dugan, to cleo
IF it were Just, lawful and prope
; to reject the vote andignore the existenc,
t of the county in the case of Dugan as
lCox, it would Rave been equally so in al
the other cases. There is no escape from
these conclusions. In either view of tn
| cases presented the action of Gov. Evan
5 appears most reprehensible or disgracefnl
Yet we do not wonder at his action. I
is the theory and has long been the prac
l tice of Abolitionists to adopt any and al
means, no matter how unconstitutional
unlawful, unjust, disgraceful or ~rascally
SO that their ends were accomplished, an
particularly in the matter of elections. |
= is notorious that Marshal Paine forge,
e the vote of Laramie, where an ~electiol
was really held, to elect Governo
. Wallace of Idaho Territory as Delegate t
] Congress. It is equally notorious that i
: elections declared in favor of the Abol
~tionists in Maryland, Kentucky, Indian;
d Missouri, and other States, the result wa
r obtained by all manner of frauds, fore
cries, outrages and excuses. But we ca
:, call 10 mind no instance in which a pal
allel is offered, for shameless discrimin;
g ton and inconsistency, to this in poin
perpetrated by Gov. Evans. No one bu
a man totally lost to honor, to the sens
! Justice, fairness and reason, would Aav
: decided as he did in the Territorial Gle
|: tons cited. Mr.. Dugan ought to pre-
: emit the case before the Council, and d
!. mand at the hands Of that body, Il
: rights which Gov. Evans attempts to d
: vest him Of. IF there be a spark of hol
|. or or Justice in that body, the membe
viii declare himthe duly elected Counci
: Imam. and at once GUST his competitor tro
!; the seat into which Gov. Evans would u
lawfully and unfairly place him.
g u...rrr- John Suifzler. aoed