Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-01-25


need have been no fear of the closest exam
ination into the facts, and there would not
have been. Honest men do not shrink from
investigation; participators IN fraud DO.
The seventeen Democrats In the State Sen
ate, including Mr. Robert p Dechert, kaeU
that, no matter who might have been drawn
upon the contested election committee, the
evidence that the Republicans were prepared
to furnish was damning and complete. II
would have exposed them ALL and particu
larry Mr. Dechert, to the utter contempt
and irreversible condemnation of the peo-
pie. Hence they stood UP as one man to
fraud ever committed in Pennsylvania not
excepting Wallace Coffeepot naturalization
fraud.
We say they knew this, and their action
betrays their guilty knowledge. II they did
not know it, why did they refuse 10 allow a
committee to be drawn? The reasons given
III the report of Buckalew' s Committee are
too trivial for any but children or criminals.
If Mr.. Lyndall's petition did not, as Mr..
Buckalew S report says, allege fraudulent
votes enough to unseat Mr.. Decaert, even
if all proven, they should have welcomed
the drawing OF committee to be enabled
to demonstrate that fact in q legal way, and
so to wash their hands of all participation
in the alleged fraud ? Men do not shrink
from an ordeal that is sure to acqut them.
No, no. Mr. BuckaIew that is mere pre-
text You knew better Mr.. Dechert knew
better; Mr.. Wallace knew better; and
every Democrat in the Senate not only knew
better, but knew that if the investigation
WAS once begun, 1t would irresistibly sweep
Dir. Dechert out Of his seat.
They know what IOc know, and every one
in the First District knows, that the Regis
try law was openly set at defiance at the late
election in the First District, and. it is said
by advice from prominent Democratic law
yers, that the colored voters were forcibiy
kept from the polls; that the votes cast for
Mr.. Lyndall in many of the Democratic pre-
cincts were not returned. aud that many
more votes were counted for Mr. Dechert
than were cast for him, and that fair count
of the legal votes would have elected Mr..
Lyndall by over 1000 majority. La Alder
man McMullen precinct, for instance, the
vote returned was II for Lyudall and 647
for Dechest, whilst Il fair count of the legal
vote cast would have shown 60 for Lyndall
and only l4I for Eecheit. And so on
throughout the whole district. The proof
of all this was in the hands of the Repub-
lican contestant, and by shutting the door
in the face of the investigation authorized
by law, the seventeen Democrats IN the
Senate have shown that they knew all this,
aud that they have been driven, in order to
maintain their party ascendaucy in the Sen
ate, to deny to Mr.. Lyndall right guar
anteed to him by the Constitution, and that
they have done this because they knew the
proof was forthcoming.
Aud What are we 10 think of Mr.. Cheva-
lier Bayard Buckalew2 This man has been
held up to US i man without fear and without
reproach, 4 man above the petty tricks OF
demagogues and the low arts Of the mere
politician. Yet here We find him, not only
voting to sustain man in his seat elected
by fraud, and to keep him there by de-
frauding the contestant ef his constitutional
rights, but put forward as the leader in the
fraudulent movement. He lends his name
at whatever it may be worth, now, lit can
not be worth much hereafter,) to sanction
the lowest art of the politician, the pettiest
tricA of the demagogue, to cheat q man
out of his seat, who was honestly chosen,
and to keep man in who was returned
through open, unblushiUg fraud. From the
proud position of a high toned, constitu-
tional lawyer, he desccnds to play the part
Of pititul shyster. Alas, Buckalewl
And what, also, of Dechert? He, also,
has been held up as a model of decency,
talent and respectabilty-as a Philadel
phia gentleman, incorruptible and in
pl
he has shown himself as mean as the mean
est There is an old precept of the Com
mon Law-Mr. Dechert knows it very well
that no man shall be allowed to take ad-
vantage OF his own wrong. 1t is a whole
some precept, and honest men are not a
shamed 10 abide by it. Yet he has been
protting by his own wrong throughout this
whole contest. BY his own vote he has pre-
vented the drawing of a Committee in this
case; by his own vote he got Buckalew
whitevashiDg committee appointed by his
own vote he procured the adoption of the
report OF that committee, which cuts off his
competitor from his legal and Constitutional
right to a contest, his own oath, and the law
of 1899, and the Constitution to the contra
ry Notwithstanding. BY his own vote he
holds his seat although he knows he was
not elected to it and since the days Of Val
eltine Best, who elected himself Speaker by
his own vote, no man has occupied so I'M
enviable position. 1t was said, at the time,
that the act OF Best in electing himself Spea-
kcr, was the meanest thing ever done at
Harrisburg; it remained for De- hert to over
top the meanness by seating himself, by bis
own vote; ID place TO which he was not
chosen.
THIS, our readers will say. is Revolution
Yes, it is Revolution. The Democracy, to
retain their i'll gotten power set the law and
the Constitution aside, and that is Revou-
ton. Very good They have made their
choice aud must abide the consequences.
We appeal to the people against their revo-
lutionary course. They, at least, have re-
gard for the Constitution and laws, and they
will not, we know, see them set aside or
trarnpled on, without resistance They will
vindicate the right, when the time comes
and the Democracy viii learn that although
cheating pTospers for time, it is sure to
come to grief at the last
At a recent examination of one Of the
schools in Washington, the question was put
to class of small boys why is the Con-
Daatfa,t ,.y,. 70 .o1lol ,bc,, h,.o a LII