Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-03-28

| and bear cheerful testimony that since he
has been one of our associates | have seen
nothing in his bearing to criticise. ! only
regret antecedent facts which cannot be ig-
nored. He made deplorable misstep IN
the manner of gaining his entrance, which
not only affects him, but also the Senate
and his State. He comes from n young
State which, from its birth, has been the
arena of rude border conflicts. Partisan
strife there has been fierce, and, | fear,
somewhat INSCRIPTIONS. 1t is enough TO
say that Mr.. Caldwell does not appear to
| have been conscious of any wrong in the
| lavish use of money to secure his election
Being man of wealth, it appears to have
been understood by a good many of the
people of Kansas that it was very proper
and nice thing for him to do, to pay liber-
ally for their support. But | cannot be-
| lieye that the majority of the people OF that
| growing and gallant State are 50 democrat
! lied as to be willing to treat the election OF
| 1871 as good and valid and to lie unques-
toned forever. Mr.. Caldwell, it Is likely,
has made grave mistake If he supposes his
standard of politics and morality prevail
everywhere, for | think | am safe IN saying
it will be repudiated by Kansas, and it
never was, and never will be, accepted IN
the United States Senate. If this election Is
to be taken as an index of the general state
of the political health of kdnsas-and do
not believe it is-then it is time the sharp,
extreme medicine of the Constitution was
administered: and certainly it is time that
Kansas should have an opportunity to put
herself right before the world by new SEN
atorial election, without spot or blemish,
and where, at least, it will not be followed
by an attempted justification Of fifteen
thousand dollar bride.
Most business men have heard of forestall-
ing the market, which means intercepting
whatever may be on its way there. This
operation, of course, if successful, enhances
the price of whatever happens to be in the
market. The public are fieeced, being
obliged to take at any cost whatever they
can get but did any one ever hear that
such conspiraeies in trade were called hon
orable? lfnot honorable so far a. corner
in grain or cattle is concerned, how can
corner be justified in candidates for the
United States Senate? The value of can
didate might thus be temporarily raised,
but it would be likely to fall with crash
when the corner was over. Mercantile
honor bushes at such transactions, and can
that of the Senate be supposed to be less
fastidious?
4 word or two more and shall have done.
To assert that the Senate cannot declare an
election invalid wherever the forms of an
election have been preserved, or where some
person has received majority Of all the
votes cast, a quorum being present, though
the election is spotted all over with corrup-
ton, Is TO deny all power Of relief, and re
duces the Senate from the rank of judges OF
elections to that of mere recording clerks.
To assert that the Senate cannot Judge OF
any qualifications save those particularly
mentioned in the Constitutional age and
citizenship-woud force the admission and
retention Of lunatics and idiots. We admit
members by 4 majority vote upon mere
priDld |dcie evidence, and when we come
more maturely TO consider this evidence.
upon finding it inadequate, can We not ex-
clude the member by the same majority that
gave him admission? When. upon more
serious examination of the case, a disquali-
fication Is found which would have been,
had it been known and acted upon, bar
to the original admission. cannot such
member be let 90 in any other way than by
expulsion and twO-thirds vote? This
would seem to me like sticking in the bark,
and on this theory the admission of MEM
bers on primd facie evidence becomes a snare
and delusion.
In a case ike the present, where the dis
qualification would, regret 10 believe, seem
to Justify expulsion, and which | shall feel
compelled 10 vote for, if the case shall not
be disposed Of in the milder form proposed
by the committee, | have no insuperabe
difficulty in asserting the power to unseat,
or to declare that the party has not been
duly and legally elected Nor do believe
this power would ever be abused by the |
Senate or By any party in the Senate, or ex-
erted except when clearly and indisputably /.
demanded If the Senate of the United 4
States has not this power, then it i the most /
helpless of all legislative bodies in the |
world, and it should never again look be I
yond certificates Of election, never again in
stitute Investigations, lest it should find .
something which it might Just as well not +
have found
The plain question for our decision i, can .
a Senator be duly and legally elected where 1
money has been corruptly used to buy up .
and extinguish legitimate opposition? For 1
myself, | shall feel bound TO answer no.
Detroit has an abortion murder. aggraya-