Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-17
GRANT IN PENNSYLVANIA.

The outrageous conduct of the Grant
wing, or the irregular Republican party,
in the election of Gray, from Philadelphia
district to the State Senate, was so extreme
as to excite the Indignation of many Re-
publicans who had supported Gray. The
Philadelphia Telegraph, a Republican or
gan, says, immediate action must be taken
if the Republican party in this city is not to
become stencil in the nostrils of every de-
cent man and woman" Now let Us see
how the supporters Of Grant have acted in
the matter. Col. Mcclure contested the
right of Mr.. Gray to the seat, but the
Grant men in the Pennsylvania Senate
were opposed to allowing him the right Of
contest on the ground that the law provided
that petitions to contest a seat must be filed
within ten days after the organization of
the Legislature. This view would cut off
Col. Mcclure because he claims that he
was elected, and not Gray, at a special
election held some weeks after the meet
ing and organization Of the Legisla-
ture. Gray was elected by fraud,
aud now it is sought to retain him in the
Senate by fraud. An impression prevails
in Washington and Philadelphia that the
resignation of Col. Forney grew out Of this
Mcclure Gray contest, he being friendly to
Col. Mcclure and Grant being DESTROYS of
keeping in Mr.. Gray. The utterances of
the Philadelphia Press, Col. Forney's paper,
viii therefore attract more than ordinary
attention. In its issue of the 18th inst.
that paper says:
yesterday majority and minority re-
ports were made in the Senate at Harris
burg uDOn the question of the reception of
the petition of Col. Mcclure, contesting the
seat of the Hon. Henry W. Gray. The
Republican majority, availing themselves
of the lame technicalities of the law, I'M
wisely reported against the reception of
the petition. This is as grievOus mis-
take on the part of the Republican mem
bers as it was for Mr.. Briggs, counsel for
Mr.. Gray, to file the plea to the jurisdiction
and deny the power and right of the Sem
ate to make any inquiry into the frauds al
legged by the petition. The report, how
ever, was defeated by strictly party vote
late last night, and the first business to-day
will be TO consider a resolution of Mr.. Bill
lingfelt allowing ten days in which to draw
a committee. This, we trust, will pass.
judicial and legislative authorities abound
with precedents and decisions clearly COW
ering this case, and to plead the obviously
accidental letter of the law to defeat its
plain spirit and purpose, appears as a con-
fessiOn that the complaint of the petitioners
cannot be answered. 1t is alleged in the
petition that the Republican Reform candi-
date for Senator was elected by some 5000
majority We cannot pretend to judge of
the correctness of the grave allegations, but
there is not an honest Republican in Phija-
delphia who does not demand prompt and
thorough inquiry, and a just judgment on
the merits of the case. If Col. Gray was
honestly elected he should join heartily in
his own vindication; if he was not elected
he should be promptly displaced.
ale who invokes Republicanism, or any
power created by Republicanism, to screen
frauds, or to Illustrate investigation by any
means. however indirect, is not the sincere
friend of the party. He does not under
stand that in its integrity is its greatest bull
wark Of safety. As if to make this lesson
so plain that none can misunderstood it,
the Republican majority in the Senate ter
minated while the bubbles interposed to
defeat Investigation were being argued be-
fore a Senate committee. The memorable
message came, and political power turned
to ashes in a moment. The Senate is now
a tie, and if any violent schemes have been
entertained to deny a hearing, or to make
hearing a mOclzery of both law and Justice,
the power to do so is ended.
"Public sentiment in Philadelphia is now
profoundly moved by the belief that the
ballot-boX has ceased to declare the popular
will, and the people are watching with jeal-
GUS eyes all attempts on the part of the
Senate to bubble, delay, or in any manner
evade the plain duty prescribed by law-to
do equal and exact justice to all parties in
this contest. The proper committee should
have been drawn on Friday last, and by
to-day the answer of the sitting member
could have been ready. All palties-Sen-
ators and claimants-should not overlook
the fact that the people are carefully scruti-
nizing the proceedings, and it will be well
understood who seek and who oppose in
vestigation; and neither Col. Gray nor Col.
Mcclure can afford to sit in the Senate at
this juDcture without clearly showing his
right to do So"
This is a very significant article, and
shows that Forney is breaking with the cor
rupt Grant wing of the Republican party
But by far the most significant article that
has appeared in the Press since the resigna-
ton of Col. Forney, is the following para
graph, which contains the only editorial
reference the paper has made to that event:
''The editor of the Press makes obeisance
10 his newspaper brethren of all parties for
their kindly greeting ON bis resignation Of
office and his full return to his workshop.
There are various theories as to. the cause
of Ihis voluntary, glad retirement from the
painful position of a placeman; but none are
so true as the recognition Of the fact that
he comes back TO his editorial chair with an
earnest purpose to serve the public and to