The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-01-07
A FOreible Reminder Of Radical Misrule in
Missouri,
Isl. Louis Republican, December 30. J

Isl Louis Republican, December 20.
The case Of Switzler VS.. Rodman has
come to an end at last, By Judgment of
the Cole County Circuit Court against
ROdman for 81 900 damages in favor of
Switzler The suit involves the history Of
an era of misrule in Missouri. now happilv
past and almost forgotten but in Justice
10 Colonel Switzler and the cause which
he so faithfully, and at so much cost to
himself, represented in this harrassinr con
test, it will be proper to restate its lead
ing points. Switzler was elected 20 Con
gress in 1866 in the old Ninth District. by
a popular majority of nearly ] 900 over ID
y Dyer, the Republican candidate. In
the registration before the election the
registrars, all Republican partisans, had
done their task of DISTINGUISHING the peo-
pie with all the infamous fidelity which
characterized the business in that day. and
thousands Of persons who ought TO have
voted, under the law, were denied the
privilege. But in spite of all this. Over
was beaten and Switzler elected BY the
vote as officially returned. Overs friends
with, we believe, the approval of Dyer
himself appealed from the people who
cast the votes, 10 the Secretary of State.
ROdman, who counted them and the
Secretary of State not only listened 20
their appeal, but did what they requested
him to do In violation of his oath Of
office and of the plain letter and spirit of
the law In the case, he usurped judicial
functions, went behind the official returns,
and on the exparte statements Of Dyer
friends decided that the votes of certain
townships in Monroe and other counties
were illegal, threw them out, counted
Dyer elected, and gave him certificate Of
election. This secret and One-sided in
QUESTION, held in the Secretary Of State s
office, was the only semblance of q judicial
examination that the case underwent-and
even that was a lawless act on the part of
the Secretary Of State. since his duty in
the matter was the plain and simple one
of counting the votes he had no right to
adIudicate them Against the fragrant
wrong Of the Secretary of State decision
Switzler appealed 70 the House of Repre-
sentatives at Washington BY contrasting
Dyer claim TO the seat. But it was only
an appeal from one Rodman to body Of
Rodmans. The right of constituencies,
the authority Of law, and the sanctity of
elections had not a feathers weight in
governing its decision it was enough for
the House To know that Switzler was
democrat Or Conservative,
and Dyer a Radical A sense of the
wrong 1t was resolved to do caused il 10
postpone the decision till near the close of
the Congress; but 1t came at last, and il
was against Switzler and in favor of Over.
Here the matter might have ended, since
Switzler knew that the wrong which Rod
man had done aud the House affirmed was
absolutely irremediable and irreparabe
But there was principle of law as wei
a. OF justice involved, and for a vindieatior
OF this he brought an action for damage,
against Rodman In the Cole County Cir
cult Court ROdmans demurrer TO nj,
petition was sustained in this Court, but
Switzler promptly appealed to the Suprem,
Court, and that court reversed the lower
court decision, and sent the case back Il
be tried on its merits II was tried, and
judgement has just been rendered in favor
Oh switzler for 1000 damages, the Who'll,
amount claimed SwitZler therefore win.
Ilcated and ROdman condemned by tn,
Jaws ana courts of Missouri, whose decis
ION, ~ auainon implies that Dyer was
us9r ping misrepresentation in Congress
anu tlat oWltIler was the Representative
TTealiy CHOSEN ny the people Of the Ninth
District to the FOrty-hrst Congress Apt
yet what barren vindication Il is affe,
all Rodman is found to be inso,ve,rt : h. h.
refuses topay the 81 900 damages adiudoed
against him. Not only does the wyooSo oJ
and, vindicated Switzler fail to get his ss ,SI
IN the past FortJ first Congress, and faii
also to get the damages awarded him ia,
the wrong which ROdman did him, but h,
has to put his hand in his pocket and pay