Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-01-25
[From the Pittsburgh Daily Gasstte.l j
a Democratic Outrage.

A Democratic Outrage.
Scarcely has Democracy settled itself in
the State Senate, before its clamor for re-
form, and its claim of being constitu-
tional loving, liberty, law abiding party"
are rapidly ignored, and the violation Of
Constitutional provision committed. That
this should have been done. will not surprise
any person, and our citizens may lock for
ward to fragrant abuses of the law, Just so
long as Democracy holds the power in the
State. Senate.
Mr. Dechert, the Democratic nominee of
the First District, was declared, at the re-
cent election, duly elected to gil the vacancy
occasioned by the death of Mr.. Watt. On
the llth of January, Mr.. Connel presented
a petition, contesting the seat of Decbert,
and claiming two hundred and sixty six of
a majority for Lyndall, the Republican NOM
inee. On the same day he made motion
to 'lraw the Committee on the 18th (Thurs-
day. Mr. Davis, Dem. moved a post
ponement for the present, which was agreed
TO by party vote-the Democrats voting
aye. On the 18th of January Mr.. Connel
moved consideration Of his resolution of
the llth. for Drawing the Committee IN the
Dechert contested case. and again Mr.. Davis
opposed the motion, and postponement was
again agreed to By Il strict Democratic vote.
On the 18th Mr.. Buckalew. Dem. offered
a resolution referring the petition to Com
mittee of FIVE Senators, with instructions to
report on Monday, the 10th. Mr.. Davis
(Dem. moved TO incrt ase the number of
the Committee to seven. This resolution
was passed by party vote, and Commit
tee consisting of five Democrats and two
Republicans was appointed. On Saturday,
the 18th, this Committee met and report
was prepared for Monday declaring that the
petition was not sufficient in its avefments to
put the sitting member (Dechert) on his
answer.
Thus this inimitable farce has been played,
and thus at the very outset, the Democratic
members of the Senate have evinced de-
termination to override all law. The Ian
guage of the Act Is 50 plain that no one can
fail tn understand it. A contested election
petition must he presented within ten days
after the organization Of the Legislature
next succeeding the election, and the Com
m;tee must be drawn within FIVE DAYS after
the presentation OF the petition. This is
the law, aud 1t Is proper to state IN this con
neciion The manner in which that Commit
tee must be drawn. The names of all the
Senators present, except the Speaker, are
written on separate pieces of paper, care
fully rolled up, put in bC X, and placed on
the Speaker table. The Clerk of the
Senate draws them out one by one, and as
each Senators 5 name is called, If either of
the conteStlng parties make any objection,
that Senator whose name Is thus objected
to, Is discharged from serving on the Com
nlittee. These objections are matter of
right, until thirteen names remain uncalied,
and then no further objections can be made.
Tie thirteen remaining names are then
called, and from the list names are alter
natey struck off, until reduced to the num-
t...,-
the Committee in that special election case,
and tEeir report is final 1t will thus be
seen how jealousy the law guards the Sc
lection of such Committee, in order that
the dominant party may have no unfair ad
vantage
Instead of this, however, in the Dechert
case, Committee of seven is appointed Gy
the Speaker, and so appointed that FIVE of
the members are not only Democrats,
but known to be favorable to the fraud pur-
posed and intended. As an evidence OF this
the Speaker appoints on that Committee
MeSsrs. Buckalew and Davis. Buckaew
made the motion for such Committee, and in
doing so used expressions that independent
everything else, showed plainly that he in-
tended to espouSe the cause OF Dechert
Davis, another Democrat on that Commit
tee, made the motion TO postpone drawing
the usual Committee. and in this way dis
closed the fact that he was opposed to any
investigation Why Wallace after all his
blathei in his address as Speaker, should
appoint these two men when they had al
ready shown themselves prejudiced, can only
be accounted for on the ground that he too
is a willing party to this outrage. Where
the law votes him out, he has taken the
power all in his own hands, without even
the decency to appoint men that had not
committed themselves on the question.
Another point to be taken into considcra
ton as showing the grosShess of the fraud
that has been practiced, is this The re-
port of a regular committee in contested
election case. is final This Committee ap-
pointed by Wallace agreed to report on Mon
day. Two questions here present them
selves. First-is their report to be final ?
If this is insisted on by the Democratic ma
jority in the Senate or ruled to be so by the
Speaker, then will Wallace have given it a
power totally unknown to the law We can
not think that even Democratic outrage will
go thus far, but suppose that the report will
be presented to be acted on by the Senate.
Should this occur, the plain intent of the
law will be violated. The Act of 1889 does
not allow the name of the Speaker to be
placed in the box, nor is the member hold
ing the contested seat allowed to be on the
Committee OF Investigation. Yet under the
fraud practlsed by the Democracy in Dech-
ert'ss case. should the report of the Com
mittee be made TO the Senate for their ac
ton, not only will Dechert vote to retain
his seat, but Wallace, the Speaker, who is
expressly ruled out under the Act Of 1889
will vote also. A single glance at this fact
shows to what extent this Democratic
Speaker will carry the fraud of Demo-
cratic Senate
When Wallace made his address as
Speaker, he warned the Senate that he in
tended to act in partizan spirit, and this
shameless violation of dccency and law
shows conclusively that he intends to carry
his words into effect. Had the Democratic
party not been afraid of the result the usual
Committee would have Been drawn. But
that party was afraid to meet the issue, and
bS this one act proves that it is totally un
worthy of any respect and that hereafter
as heretofore it intends, whenever the
opportunity i, offered, to trample on the
law
The course of the Democratic majority in
the State Senate in refusing to permit dag
investigation into the alleged frauds in the