The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-02-23

WE publish on our outside, the report
of the majority OF the Committee on
electionsfn the Federal House OF Rep
resentatives, in the matter Of the con-
tested election case of 3Iessrs. Cofroth
and koontz. Three Republicans, Messrs.
Dawes, Upson and Baxter, ami two
Democrats, Me-srs. Marshall and Rad
ford, sign this report. Itis certainly q
complete vindication Of the course 0.
the Democrats throughout this Con
gres4ional district in endeavoring u
prevent the countingof illegal and un-
authenticated returns. Whilst we ex-
onerate Gen, Koontz from all blame in
hematrer, it Is our du1y 10 call the at
tention Of thepublicto the means, NOW
exposed by Republican" Congres~ncn
themselves sought to be used by hi.
partizans 70 secure his election. The
same tricks were rcsorted TO in count
ing out 1Ir. FjndIay and the editor O..
this paper, who were candidates for tn,
/ legislature at tbesamc time that Gen.
. Cotiroth ran for Congress. Our reader
are aware what hullaballoo WIS rails
ed by our political opponents becausc
Mr., Shannon and ourself tried to pre-
vent the counting Of the illegal anC
fraudulent returns from the army re-
ferred to in this report. twill also be
remembered that an Investigating
committee" visited this place for the
alleged purpose Of exposing the con
duct Of Nr. Shannon and others, before
which John Cessna was oncof the prin-
cipaI witnesses. Well, after all the
bowling and roaring on the part of the
men who complained Of the rejection o.
those returns, ii Committee con1poseC
Of SEVEN ''REPUBLICAN'' anC
t,ro Democratic members Of Congress,
sustain the course Of Prothonotary
Shannon and take the very identica
positions occupied by ourself during
the entire controversy! For instance,
the Committee say,
-"On an inspection of the paper
/ presented before them on behalf OF Mr..
/ N0Jntz, purpOcting to he returns of sol
! diers votes, Oh which he relies, they
are satisfied that most OF those sO-cau-
/ ed returns are, under the act Of Penn
/ SylVania, Of August y, 1864, regulating
/ elections in case Of Soldiers in actua
/ military service, too dyectiye on ttca
/ tuce to pass q leqdI scrUiijtl. and were M
/ e3Litted to be counted 6Ythe c1luatlI rct,UY.
/ .jltoGes, even if they had been ali hefor,
said county return judges at the time
+ OF their meeting"
| This is exactly what }Ir. Spang and
our-clf argued before the Prothonotary
and almost word for word what the
/ Prothonotary stated to the county re-
tanjudgeS. Therefore. the course ot
the men who demanded the counting
+ Of those returns, Is condemned by thaH
own friends in Congress. Let them
hide their heads in shame, We hope
every Republican" in thi. Congress
ioual district, will read the report OF
thi9 Committeeman learn from the lcaG-
ing menof his own party in Congress,
/ how egregjously he has been duped n
regard to the much talked of matter Of
Throwing out soldiers votes" As tc
the effect this report will have upon
such men as Thad. Stevens and his fo,-
lowers in Congress, we cannot say
. We never believed that they would per,
NIT Gen. Coffroth to have 81 seat in thi>
. Congress, if they couldavoid doing 50;
and it is our opinion that in defiance ot
/ the recommendation Of the Commit,
tee on Elections they will admit hi,
competitor.
Gen. W. II. Miller has been elected
/ Senatorial delegate from the Dauphir