The Van Buren press., 1872-02-06

asked for five days longer Of Congress, tc
introduce evidence before the committee
on contested elections, pleading sick
ness and iqnorancc, for not attending
to this matter before. Mr.. Snyder OF
this State made an appeal to the House
to be gcnerous-just five days more, but
after short and spirited debate, the
House refused further time, by large
majority. Honest John" asked fol
ten minutes to explain, as follows.
Mr. Edwards-I desire only about ten
minutes
Mr.. Hoar---I will yield to the the gen.
,lcman for fifteen minutes.
Mr.. Edwards-Mr. Speaker, | desire
TO say word in regard to the argument
of the gentleman from Illinois, in rcla-
ton to the issuing Of this certificate by
the Governor Of Arkansas The law OF
our State provides that within thirty
days aftcr.th the election canvass shall be
made and certificate shall be issued to
the person who appears to have a major
ity Of votes.
Now. what are the facts in this case
1t certainly bears strong resemblance
to the case from Texas, reported from
the committee the other day. The law
Of cur State requires that the judges OF
the election shall return the votes to the
clerk of the county, and the county
clerk 10 to make out genera! abstract Of
vote and report it to the secretary Of
State. Now, SIR, in this case, as | sup
pose in many eases, the county clerks
were in the interest Of one Of the eandi-
dates for Congress, and they opened two
polls aud certified to the secretary Of
State the returns from the bogus or H.
legal polls, and refused to certify the re
turns OF the legal polls. 1t is not mat
ter Of particular interest which Of the
contestants in this case occupies the seat,
but it is q matter Of great Importance to
the beople Of the district to know who
was elected by the people.
Now, sir, as said in my answer last
spring, frauds were committed in foul-
teen counties in my district. by which
over five thousand persons were deprv-
ed of their rights to the elective fran
chisc. These counties are situated from
one to five hundred miles apart. Now,
the law requires ten days notice between
the time Of closing the testimony in one
county. and commencing it in another.
Now, sir, those distances would have
to have been Travelled on horseback, and
the investigation in the fourteen coun.
ties would have consumed the whole Of
the sixty days. 1t is for that reason
that my friend from Arkansas Mr. Sny
derl offered resolution asking for time
to make this investigation. But no ac-
ton was taken by the committee and no
report was made. Now, when the mem
Der Of the committee from Wisconsin
Mr.. Hazc!ton charges that IL should be
regarded AS an argument against me be-
cause ! asked for time, | say that it
should 90 to my credit, for the reason
that | propose to- use the time TO take
testimony to arrive at the facts in the
case.
Now, based my application Of q few
days ago upon material facts which came
to nv knowledge since the time for tax
ing testimony expired. What were those
facts One was that there were five
hundred votes returned for the contcstee
TO the office of the secretary Of the State
which were overlooked and not counted
for the contcstee. That came to my
knowledge several months afterwards,
and | 50 stated in my application for
time to take evidence. The Governor is
here, who will swear to that fact They
stuffed ballot-box upon me in the coun-
ty of Clark to the extent of five hundred
votes This fact did not come to my
knowledge until the time had expired for
the purpose of taking evidence ask
ed the privilege Of showing that fact
Now, while the gentleman from Ohio
1lr Shellabarger has stated correctly
that these acts of Congress are simply di-
rectory and not mandatory in their char
acter, | ask of the justice and the sound
discretion of this House that ! should
have time to prove these material and
important facts which have come to my
knowledge since the time for taking tes-
timony has expired. Would not n court
Of Justice do it? IL this House in its
discretion thinks that justice requires
that a party should have time to take
further evidence, it can grant the time.