The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-04-05
Senator ,StOcIty}t

Senator Stockton, says the Baltimore
Gazette who has just been turned out of
the Senate, in order that the hands of
the majority might bestrengthened, had,
few days previously, defeated the
scheme by, himself, giving the casting
vote against it. Sundry Senators who
have, for long years, led the lives of pro-
fessional politicians, and whose sensa-
tive natures have, of course, been soften
ed to more than feminine refinement
and delicacy, We're vastly shocked at the
idea of seeing man vote for himself.
So atrocious did the proceeding appear
in the eyes Of the vapid and oracular
Senator from Massachusetts, that that
worthy was almost at loss for words
in which to express his establishment
and dismay. He managed, however to
gasp out a protest, in the shape of an
announcement 'that it was against the
law Of nature for a man to vote for him
SELF Where he acquired his wonder
fully accurate knowledge of the law of
nature it is scarcely worth while to en-
quire, as we have only quoted Mr.. Sum-
ner's language to show how Mortified he
was at Mr.. Stockton's unblushing wick
edness. The latter gentleman, himself
seemed to imagine that he had, perhaps,
done something Of which he ought to
have been ashamed, and began, gravely
to explain his position and to defend
himself. He did not attempt to refute
| that unansWerable proposition which
had been deduced from the law ofnature,
but fell back upon precedent. He knew
of ease in which a Republican had
treated the law Of nature with as much
contempt as if it had been part of the
Constitution, and he cited it. He in
| 20 IN, hot ha D,ociInr,t #
| the Senate of New jersey had elected
himself to his present position. This
| frightful charge was soon repeated in
/ Trenton, and the President the Senate,
which was then in session, descended
from his perch and rose to o "question
of priviledge,n and explained the cir
cumstances under which he was elected.
! He said: sThere are eleven Republican
Senators and ten Democrats in the
New Jersey Senate, but the President OF
the Senate did not vote ssfor himself.
The Senator from monmouth, Mr.. Lit
tie (Democrat), cast his vote for 'Mr.
Scovill (Republican), who then voted
for Mr.. Little, which was in accordance
with parliamentary usage" In other
words, Mr.. Scovill did not actually vote
for himself, but he played part in a
little Pickwickian and parliamentary
farce in which his vote was just as effect
ual to secure his election as it could have
been in any other way. Mr.. Stockton,
as soon as he heard that the law of ma
ture had thus been complied with in
New Jersy, retracted in the Senate the
grave accuation he had brought against
Mr.. ScOvill. But there is a graver side
to this case. There are some other laws,
besides those of nature, which seem to
have been shamelessly violated, and
they are the laws which prohibit men
from deceiving or trucking one another
1t will be remembered that Mr.. Morrill,
in order to let sick Senator, Mr.. Wright
90 to his homo, had pledged himself
not to vote on the identical question Of
unseating Mr.. Stockton. On Wednes
day evening he notified the latter that
he revoked his promise. Mr.. Wright
was then nearly two hundred miles from
Washington, and too sick ut the time tc
undertake so long a journey without en-
dangering his life. But for the belle
that Mr.. Morrill, would religiously KEEP
faith with him, he would have remained
in Washington and would have been IL
his seat when Mr.. Stockton was put Out
of the Senate. Mr.. Stewart tried anoth
er dodge. He had committed himself
to the proposition that Mr.. Stockton
| was legally elected, out seems 10 nave
determined to do his best to forward thu
project for ousting that gentleman. Iti'
said that before the vote was taken, n
deliberately left the Senate Chamber, il
order to deprive Mr.. Stockton of a vott
and insure the triumph of men who, il
Mr.. Stewards own judgment, were act
ing wrongfully. If this statement b'
true and the New York Times says ii il
generally asserted and is ''denied by
'snone' in Washington, Mr.. Stewart ha
indeed, resorted to as pitiful and scurvs
device to evade the discharge of a duty
as can we'll be conceived. And thes,
are among the men who think III dread
full thing that any one should break thu
law of natureand vote for himself. Thes,
are the immaculate, stainless, sensitive
gentlemen who would prescribe thu
laws of honor for other people.
The leader ofthe gang of guerillas VIII
seized the steamer Belfast on the Tom
bigbee river some months ago has beef
tried in Mobilebya Military commission
az d required to pay a fine of 5000.