The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-22
WHITTEMORE'S WOES.
CONGRESS GIVES THE RADICAL
KSATE HIS DESERTS.
HIS CREDENTIALS POLITELY RETURNED
A snub for Governor Scott.
THE DEBATE OF SATURDAY
rspEc1AL TELEeRAA TO THE NEws.l

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE SEWs.J
WASHINGTON, June 81.
There was great crowd in the galleries OF
the House of Representatives to-day, the at
traction being the expected action in the case
of Whittemore, representative elect from South
Carolina. At the expiration of the morning
hour, the Speaker announced the special or
der. the consideration of the credentials of
B. F. Whittemore. These credentials were
read as follows:
THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
BIZ lis Ercellency, Robert Z. Scott, GoreT7aor ana
Commander. Chier in ana orer the State
aforesaid:
To Hon. B. F. WHITTEA0RE:
Whereas In pursuance Of an act entitled can
act providing for the next general election anu
| the manner Of conducting the same" passed on
the 26th day OF September, In the year OF our
Lord 1868, an election has been held to I'LL the
vacancy In the House Of Representatives OF the
Forty-hrst Congress from the First Congressional
District OF this State, and, upon examination OF
the returns which have been received, 1t appears
that you, the said B. F. Whittemore, have been
duly elected by majority Of votes: DO, there
fore, by virtue OF the powers in me vested, COM
mission you the said B. F. whittemore, to repre-
sent the people OF this State as member OF the
House OF Representatives OF the Forty-frst Con-
press from the First Congressional District Of
| this State.
Given under my hand and the seal OF the State,
in Columbia, this 10th day Of June IN the year
OF our Lord 1870, and In the ninety-fourth year
of the independence OF the United States Of
America.
By the Governor: ROBERT E. SCOTT.
FL. CARDozo, Secretary of State.
AS soon as the reading Of this certificate OF
Governor Scott had been concluded, General
John A. Logan, of Illinois, (the Commander-in-
chief of the Grand Army of the Republic,) Of
lered resolution that the House decline to
allow Whittemore to be sworn in, and direct
that his credentials be returned to him. Gen.
eral Logan supported his resolution in vigor-
ous speech, contending that the House had
the right to say that man Of Infamous char
acter should be excluded. Whittemore had
committed an Infamous crime, and was dis
qualified in the eyes of Congress and the
world.
Farnsworth opposed the resolution. and at
the conclusion of his speech, the resolution
was adopted-yeas l31, nays "a.
The following were the members who voted
against the resolution and in favor Of seating
whittemore Arnel, Aver, Brooks, (of Massa-
chusetts,) Butler, of Massachusetts, Cessna,
Cobb, (of North carolina,) coburn, Farms
worth, Hoar, Jenckes, Kelly, Knapp, Maynard,
Morrill,, (of Maine,) Newsham, Poland, Root,
Sawyer, Smith, Smith, tof TENNESSEE Tafie,
TAYLOR, Twichell and Whittemore.
The Debate on Saturday in White
more's Case.
We copy from the Globe the following re-
port of the debate in the House on Saturday
last. when the credentials of Whlttemore were
first laid before that body by the Speaker:
Mr.. Logan. object, sir, 10 the swearing
| In of the person claiming to have been elect
ed from that district in South Carolina, for TIE
| reasons l propose to present to the House.
| Hence propose to object to the credentials
being received by the House.
The Speaker The credentials are before the
| House.
Mr. Logan They are before the House;
and the next question Is the swearing in of the
| member. unless there are objections. do
| not wish it referred to any committee. This
| House is fully informed to consider the matter
now There are his credentials, and object
to his taking the oath Of office. for the reason
that he has disqualified himsef from being q
member of this body, which fact appears upon
! the journal of this House.
Mr.. Farnsworth. If these credentials are re-
ferred to committee this gentleman will not
be sworn in until after the committee has made
its report Then, OF course, my colleague will
have an opportunity to interpose his objec-
tions. 1t seems to me these credentials ought
to be referred to the Committee Of Elections,
so that they may examine into the matter, as
credentials have been referred In like cases.
Mr.. Logan. The reason / object to its refer
ence Is this: do not wish this question to 20
to any committee OF this House, to be pocket
ed until after Congress adjOurns. want the
question settled by this House now, whether
they will admit this man to seat here or not.
There Is, sir, no necessity for the examination
OF committee. We have the law here, and
we may examine it without the report Ola
committee What necessity can there be
for report by the Committee of Elections
There is no contest. His election Is not con-
tested, as understand, by any person claim
ing the seat. 1t is mere question whether
this mans qualifications are such as entitle
him to seat in this House, there being no
question as to whether anybody else is entitled
1t is therefore not question for the Commit
tee Of Elections. but O question for this House
to determine, whether this man shall have q
right to be seated here OF not. 1t is for that
reason, sir, that | make the objection to his
being admitted to take the oath Of Office and
TO take his seat as a member of Congress
And nm ready to sustain my position here by
precedcnts to which l think this House will
pay some attention. If the question shall now
be opened tor debate, I am ready to go on and
give my reasons to the House, and to submit
the authorities on which base the conclusions
at which have arrived. l move that this
question be postponed until Tuesday.
Mr.. FarnswOrth. | do not see how the
House can properly act on this question with
out the report ofthe committee. 1--we do so,
We act simply on the declaration of members.
So far as the present question before the
House is concerned, that OF the swearing in Of
this member, we have no official intimatlon
presented with the credentials on which action
OF the nature indicated by my colleague can
be based. True. we remem6eras members of
Congress something that transpircd some
weeks ago. But that is not enough. My OBJ
icct in moving to refer the case to the Commit
tee OF Elections is that that committee, 10