The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-02-03
THE LATE SENATORIAL CONTEST.

The first act on the programme in the
late Senatorial contest was the defeat of
Sidney Clarke. For the bringing about
of this result all interests were united,
and the task was much easier than at
first imagined. At his caucus on the
evening before the firstvote 81 members
were either pledged or ''vouched for"
Going to the vote claiming this many
supporters, all were surprised when he
only showed 81 votes. This, of course,
finished him., From the time of this
showing of his strength he was regard
ed as "off the track" 1t was well
known that he would cast his fullest
strength on the first vote. Up to the time
of this first vote, it was generally be-
lieved that the fight was between Mr..
Clarke and Mr.. Caldwell, and this CT it
self gave the latter named gentleman a
number of votes, or at least drove them
into friendly relations with him, and
made hima formidable candidate.
Ero the surprise of all, Governor Craw-
ford ran up even with Mr.. Clarke on
the first vote, and it being we'll known
that Mr.. Clarke could gain no more the
friends of Crawford were jubilant and
believed him to be the Coming man."
To strengthen this belief some forty
members had pledged themselves to
vote against any man who was suspect
ed of using money to secure his election.
Notwithstanding there were several
candidates, as the fight now stood, all
protesting that their first aim was the
defeat of Mr.. Caldwell, it was believed
by Crawford's friends and many others
that he was the strongest man among
them, and that all would finally unite
upon him.
Unfortunately there were quite n
number of gentlemen i'll the ranks of
the opposition to Caldwell who had
from the first stuck to the idea that a
''new man" could and would be brought
out who would unite the opposition to
Caldwell better than Mr.. Crawford
could. The leaders of this 'new man.
movement all expressed willingness
to support Crawford if their pet scheme
failed. They committed fatal error by
pursuing this "new man" shadow too
long.
AT this stage of the game, on the
evening of the first vote, and the one
proceeding final action, a caucus was
called of all those opposed to the elect
ion of Caldwell. This caucus, consist
ing of some fifty members, it was sup
posed, would try to unite on the candi-
date that was to be voted for as against
the gentlemen from LeaYenworth."
After wrangling for some hours mes
senger appeared at the door of the eau
Gus room stating that he came with
from Sidney Clarke. Mr..
Clarke, he said, wanted to address the
and make a proposition to them
in person. The caucus had passed an
order not to admit any but members,
and refused to hear Mr.. Clarke in per-
son. a committee was then appointed
to visit him and his caucus and hear
what proposition the gentleman had to
make. He refused to make it through
this committee, and the anti Caldwell |
refused to allow Mr.. Clarke to |
dictate who the candidate should be, |
after having defeated him. 1t is but |
proper to say here that it was the firm
opinion of all that Mr.. Clarke could not |
control more than seventeen of his votes, |
rs the Atchison and other delegations |
had solemnly resolved they never would |
support Caldwell. 1t is claimed by |
somel that the caucus made a mistake |
in not receiving Mr.. Clarke. We will |
not argue that question now. Mr.. |
Clarke's proposition, as stated to the |
caucus afterwards, was that Governor |
Crawford and all the other candidates |
before it should withdraw and then
that he would withdraw and send in a
list of names from which the caucus |
could select candidate, and that he |
would go in and help elect him. OIL
course, with the elements in that eau
Gus, there was no use of talking about |
a union on such n proposition. The |
friends of Governor Crawford will see |
at once that its object was to destroy |
him as well as others. His destruction |
was one of the prime objects of the |
overture from Clarke. He was determ-
ined that no gentleman should be elect |
ed to the Senate who had been promi- |
nent in the fight against him if he could |
prevent it.
The anti Caldwell caucus adjourned |
about u o'clock at night, after agreeing |
to support the different candidates
which had been voted for the previous |
day, with the hope that any increase in
Caldwell's vote in the joint convention |
would drive them to concentrate rapid |
ly upon the strongest man opposed to
him, the candidates themselves advising |
this course. The failure 70 unite at |
that meeting was fatal. This failure |
was brought about by a lot of gentle |
men who had hopes that lightning |
would strike them if they only held on
long enough.
After the adjournment of the caucus
Mr.. Clarke's friends were reasembled
and at o'clock in the morning twenty
two of them agreed to support Caldwell.
That OF course: fixed the matter. 1t
became known the next morning early
that this union between Clarke and |
Caldwell had taken place, and the large |
of gentlemen who are always |
"on the fence" in such struggles imme-
diately became "original Caldwell men,"
This gave him majority which the
fates could not change.
We have written thus infinitely of
the affair because many of our readers
have asked us questions as to how sit
was DONE" We kept close watch of
the contest from beginning to end, and
were tolerably well posted as to the
phases it assumed each day, and what |
we have written we know to be true.
1t was charged that money was used by
Caldwell. We do not positively know
whether this is true or not. This we
do believe: that the divisions created /
by the large number of unyielding |
'1ightning" candidates, together with
the unceasing energy, pluck, nerve, and
united work of the Caldwell party |
might have gained the victory, money |
or no money.
p. S. Since writing the above we