Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-01-12
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
FROM HARRIsBURG.

HARRISBURG, Jan. 5-Hon Eli Slifer,
Secretary of the Commonwealth, received a
letter from Governor Curtin dated at Mat
anzas, Cuba, December %, 1865, In which
he speaks of certain letters which he 1.-THE
Governor) has forwarded, and which he
supposed the Secretary of the Common
wealth had certainly received These letters
Mr.. Slifer never received. But in his pres
ent letter the Governor gives the substance
OF his announcement in missing letters,
which is of considerable Importance to the
public.
He says that during the first week Of his
experience In Cuba the heat set very hard
upon him, and seemed to increase the viru-
lence Of his disease, but that of late the eli
mate has acted like a charm upon him. His
physician has advised him to remain for
some time longer, and he is therefore deter
mined to take the full benefit of his original
intention, as announced in his message,
which he wrote just previous to his depar
ture, and prolong his stay until the middle
or latter part Of February, when he thinks
he may return with safety.
THE CONTESTED ELECTION CASE.
Mr.. David McConaughy, who, on We'd
nesday, contested the seat of y NJ Duncan,
the sitting Senator from the Nineteenth
District, embracing the counties of Adams
and Franklin, will not rely SO much upon the
additional soldiers votes that came in after
Duncan had received his certificate as upon
bis allegation that number of votes of de-
serters were received for Duncan Indeed,
it is virtually conceded that the thirty-oue
votes purporting to have been cast at Vic
tOria, Texas, on last election day, are fraud
uient, and Mr.. McConaughy abandons
them
The Union candidate for District Attor-
ney in Franklin county, whose election would
have been certainty if these votes were
genuine, has declined contest in court, and
has conceded his opponent S election on the
certificate of the return judges. These re-
turns, which were postmarked Philadelphia,
and duplicates Of which reached the Secre-
tary of the Commonwealth S office. Nov.
Goth, 1865, have not been placed on file here
as official papers, and certificates of the re-
turns which have been issued only make
mention of the votes as 'purporting to have
been cast. tits said that the friends of
Duncan have the most yoluminous evidence
in relation to these returns, embracing the
affidavit of the Captain of one of the COM
panies in which this vote purports to have
been cast, together with the testimony of
the judges Of the election whose names are
signed to the returns, TO the effect that they
never signed the papers.
Col Mcclure advances a very curious
theory in regard to the soldiers vote, which
he does not believe is genuine He asserts
that it was concocted by the enemies Of Me-
Conaughy for the purpose Of throwing odi-
um and discredit upon the effort that would
be made to oust Duncan upon general allie
cations offraud In other words, while he
does not defend the returns, he will not be-
lieve that Republicans were concerned in
getting them up. This question will, doubt
less, never be elucidated, for the reason that
there is nothing about the returns as sent
to the Secretary of the Commonwealth and
the Prothonotaries of Franklin and Adams
counties, to indicate who sent them, and it
is little doubtful if anybody will step for
ward and assume the responsibility.
The whole contest may, therefore, hinge
upon the alleged voting of deserters There
are only twenty-five of a majority to over
come on Duncan s certificate, and this, it is
said, can be wiped out, though the testi-
mony, in that case, will amount to many
Lages offoolscap. 1t is announced on pretty
good authority, that the Committee drawn
to try this case will submit to the Attorney
General for his decision the question wheth-
er the act of Congress, which prohibits de-
serters from the army of the United States
the privileges OF voting, can debar a voter
from the exercise of his franchise in the e.
lection of State officers. If this is done,
then the fate Of Mr.. McConaughy will be to
a great extent dependent upon the nature
of the Attorney General 5 decision.