Litchfield enquirer., 1869-03-11
THE FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DIS.
 TRICT.

The renomination of William Fl. Bar. mum by the Democrats of the Fourth Con. gressional District draws the lines and sets the parties fully in the field. MT. Barnum is the present member from that district wks elected two years ago, over P. T. Bar. nun. by majority of nearly thousand The circumstances of that canvass and election were such that upon a numerously gigzed remonstrance from citizens of the district against Mfr. Barnum's taking his seat, the Congressional Committee of Elec. lions set about an investigation which has been in progress nearly two years, and has uneArthed an amount of cheating on both sides that was utterly disgraceful to the districk They have never made any re- port, for the reason, we presume, that in tho course of the investigation they found LIT. F. I. Barnum as deep in the mud as William H was in the mire.
 The canvass in that district two years ago was disgrace and shame to both Bar nuns, both parties, and the state. Such open buying and selling of votes was nev. CT before known in Connecticut. The election was simply question of money, and either because he had the most. or spent the most, or used what he did spend with most shrewdness, William Fl. Barnum was elected. Enough has been proved be- fore the investigating committee of Con- gress to unseat him, but as much and more might have been proved upon his oppo- nent. and so they let him stay. It would have been our way to have reported the facts, kicked out one, and kept out the other, and given the two parties of the fourth Congressional District of Connecti cut to understand that seats in Congress were not up in the market to be knocked down to the highest bidder. But our ways arc not politicians ways, and so William Fl. Barnum kept the seat he had bought and paid for, while facts damaging to both Baxnums and disgraceful to their constitu- ents slept Tn the records of the committee.
 And now William H. Barnum is again a candidate. What has he done to entitle him to renomination? A clever fellow, no doubt, but what earthly fitness has he for seat in the National Legislature? Who knows him? Beyond his ability to buy votes. what is there of him, in him, to him, that would attract Congressional nomination? Set the two candidates over against one another-Sidney B. Beardsley and William H. Barnum, and laying aside all considerations other than those of fit. @40SS @@A1 Sa@pdCAtys WAO WOuAO D0 LILO CuOlCc of reasonable, fair-minded men? And that, after all, is the question-who is best fit- ted by education. ability and training, for the business of legislation? The voters of the Fourth District are to decide this ques- ton. and we shall be satisfied to have them decide it on their own merits.
 Meantime if we may be allowed to make Q single suggestion to MT. Barnum, he will uarf1on us f0r remindinO him thst ha ocn not with impunity play the game of two years ago. Possibly he knows that the on- ly thing that saved him from being un- seated in this Congress was the fact that money was used as freely on the other side as on his, and it was'a "dog eat dog, '' fight. Mir. P. T. Barnum is not candi- date this year. It will be more hazardous business for William H. to buy votes this year than when he ran against P. T. A Republican glass house" saved his win dows for this Congress. Let William bear in mind the fact that this year they build of different material.