New-York tribune., 1873-03-20
WASHINGTON.
THE CALDWELL DEBATE.

sprFCg BY SENATOR CONKLING-IM-
~ AaovTANCR OF THE QUESTIONS INVOLVED
.v~y LINES oBLITERATED-THE POINT Al
ESSUk' rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
--.v,NGTov. March 19.-Senat0r Conkling's great
- today on the Caldwell case, though an able
p. was not quite up to his usual standard. II
enc marks Of careful preparation. and con-
- some strong and almost unanswerabe argu-
-., Int il abounded in adjectives and high
ding periods and its delivery was if possible
-, ponderous and pOmpous than the ordinary
p...hes Of even the Senator himself. Ii differed
- the two other great speeches which have beer
lied forth by the present debate. those of Messrs
so.t and Schurz. in that il lacked warmth and the
,,rer 70 inspire sympathetic feeling in his audi
re
20 ouestion lately before the Senate has received
,b careful and conscientious thought and study as
~ one now under consideration. 1t does not IN
ave the guilt OF innocence OF Senator Caldwell
A., the night TO declare q seat in that body vacant
"a sn election void which wasO obtained by bribery
y this question no party lines divide men III the
s,,ste The ablest lawyers on either slde Of the
-l,rober differ as much with each other as with
"a Of their political opponents. Messrs. Morton
p Thurman. Schurz and buckingham, both Of the
s,--ills and salisbury, the Democrat who has the
= Of his old party BOurbonism, and
y. Republican whose record as a Rad
81 has been most consistent, are ranged
~. hv side in support Of this proposition.
-sis Messrs. Conkling and Bayard, Carpenter and
e.,,l+op. and others whose political paths are as
-slv divergent as the two poles. stOutly uphold
M M,erative OF it The whole discussion so far as it
.onfped 70 the point now at issue, turns upon the
.srreta.iou Of the clause Of the Constitution Civ
80 the senate the right 10 judge of the election
= its members. Messrs. ConkiDg and Carpenter
- those who follow them, contend that the in
~ under this clause can only embrace such ques
s,sas Was there a State for the applicant TO rep
- Was the body which chose him the Legis-
~ Was the election held at the place, at the
.,s and In the manner prescribed by the law
Gre the votes honestly counted, and did the cleo
,,,srercise their VIII IN the matters They deny
81. the Senate can inquire whether any elector
=. hribed. because that would be inqulrlng into
.motives Of electors in casting their votes, which
.-,tbsr the Constitution nor any law gives II the
pver 70 do.
Those who support the resolution hold that the
sr 70 ucuire into the election Of Senator is not
iited rs those on the other side assert. They say
st bribery if it is proved, forms part Of the res
,-.yof the election. II a candidate for Senatorial
iros should march file of soldiers into the State
r.ptol for the purpose of intimidating the Legisa-
rre or any member of it. If he should knock down
,,sormore members when they rose 20 vote, II he
a5ra drug them OF in any other way. as by bribery
--svent them from exercising their free will the
,e,tion that took place under those circumstances
rrcH be void. even though IL should not be proved
est the mlawful act changed the result This, IN
,tsv words is the question at issue before the
e1sie. and the one which ought first TO be decided
T7rry one viii at once see that the vote which
tssdes this question viii be one of the greatest
i-pprtance. Nj Conkling was on the door when
d Senate adjourned.