The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-04-01
Foster and COvode.


of Fay ette, Westmoreland and Indiana,
met at Groensburg after the last October
election for the purpose of counting the
official vote and transmitting the proper re-
turn to Harrisburg, tsoo of the judges, one
from Fayette and the other from Westmore-
land county. signed certifcats declaring
that Henry ID. Foster had received a majority
of torty-one votes over John Covode. The
other return judge. representing Indiana
county, refused to sign the return. alleging 6
that frauds had been committed in the
Youngstown election district in Westmore-
land county and in the Dunbar election
district in Fayette county, which, if correct
ed. would change the result. This was an
exhibition Of ignorance and impertinance,
which he was induced to display at the in
stigation of Covode himself, as a seeming
Justification of John w. Geary s subsequent
indefensible conduct when he issued his pro-
clamation, and which we have no doubt was
perfectly understood between Geary and the
Alligator" .a- -aa 's
a return Judge is purely a ministerial
oHicer entrusted with the performance of
certain well defined duties, which in this
instance simply required that they should
produce at Greensburg the official vote Of
their respective. counties. The return judge
from Indiana county usurped dangerous
power and one wholly unknown to the law
when he undertook to set up his own judg-
meut against the validity of the return from
lis own or any other county in the district.
They at least parted truth on their face,
and if any fraud had been pe1petrated in the
election the law provides a full and ample
remedy for its discovery in contest before
Committee Of the House Of Representa-
tives,
John w Gsary has mind eminently
capacious of the low arts of the demagogue,
and although it was his plain duty to recog-
Mise the act of tlro out Of the three return
judges as conclusive in the promises, and to
have proclaimed Gen. Foster elected. yet he
evaded the responsibility and submitted the
whole question to Congress. He afterwards
undertook in an extra official manner to
intimate to the Clerk of the House, through
letter digni6ed and made more solemn by
having the broad seal of the Common wealth
attached to it. that in his (Geary's) opinion
Covode had been legally elected. This was
piece Of unmitigated impudence, such as
no other Governor has ever before attempt
ed. He even went farther, and forwarded
TO the Clerk certain er pdrte afidavts man
ufactured in the interest of Covode and
sworn to by Peter S. Johns and other un.
derstrappers Of honest John in Fayette coun-
ty. The case in the aspect in which We
have stated it was referred to the COMMITTEES
on Elections, consisting of seren radicals ane
trO democrats, that pink Of demago8ue;
john Cessna being one of the seven hOnes
members of the Committee. On last Thurs
day Judge Woodward offered a resolution
referring to the Committee the report of thu
return judges, and instructing the COMMITTEES
to include this return in their investigation
of the case. The object Of this was to give
the Committee fair and full opportunity
to decide on the p1ima .facie right to the
seat As that was the only question sub
mitted 10 the Committee for its investiga
ton, 1t would seem to be right and propei
that the paper referred to should be submit
ted to it. And yet it will perhaps surprise
honest republicans when they learn that
their radical friends in Congress, by vote
Of 100 to Al, abs olusely refused to let it b.
done. II the certificate of Gen. Foster
election, signed by tlco of the three return
judges, does not make out clear priraa tdci
case in his favor, we ask in The name of al
law and justice what other evidence could d,
sol What remote chance of justice ceull
Gen. Foster have with the door thus closet
against the only evidence which, from TIN
very nature of the case, can sustain hi
claim? Simply none at all, for the Com
mittee, by some trickery or fraud, has deci
dod by vote of. fUe to four, two of the radi
Cal members voting with the democrats, t.
give the seat to Covode and thus force Gen
Foster to contest it. This report is not con
elusive Of the question until it is adopted by
the House. Although that has not yet beer
done it no doubt will be done, for no demo
crat for the past six years was ever known
to successfully contest his right to scat il
Congress, nor has any democrat whose sea
was contested been able to retain it. Som
years ago Gen. a. II. Cofroth, of Somerset
claimed his seat in Congress. just as Gen
Foste: does now, upon the strength ola Ger
tifcate in his favor signed by majority 1
the return judges, and the seat was awarde'
to him. His competitor. Koontz, couteste
it and was finally admitted. If this outrag
is finally consummated, and if Gen. Foste
is deprived of his seat, to which we bsliey
he was honestly and legally elected, he mus
not shrink from claiming his right by vigor
ously contesting it. He owes this much t
himself as well as to the people Of the dis
trict who supported him. 1t is duo to then
that the falsehoods and calumnies utteret