New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-04

pma facie right to seats the majority chan ged front
| again. abandoned one of their own members who
urging the precedent established the day before
| and sent the to the Elections Committee
Afterward, they seated claimant from the Shreve-
| port La District whose credentials were fraudu-
lent on their face having evidently been fabricated
for the occasion before returns had been received
base them upon. Mr.. Butler abandoned his resolu-
ton seating Mr.. Pinchbacl1 ms soon as it came up
this morning, and himself moved to lay il upon the
table. He probably did not dare to put ms party to
the test of a direct vote upon it. The Democrats
were anxious for Yea and Nay vote, but did not
get it.
The West Virginia cases involved complicated
questions of State laws and the Interpretation of
the State Constitution. There were two elections
held one in August under the Constitution
and one in October, under the old law. OF the three
members, one, Mr.. Hereford, was voted for and
chosen Mt both elections. For the other two seats
there are four cOntestants-the two candidates who
had majorities at the August election and the two
who were chosen in October--and all four have GER
tihcates The question before the House was upon
the primd face claim only The drift of the debate
was decidedly in favor of the August claimants,
when Mr.. Lamar of Mississippi in a short speech of
great clearness and force of argument, convinced
the House that the question ought not to be decided
without an investigation by the Elections Commit
tee, and the cases referred, fully half of the
Republicans deserving Mr.. Cessna, who had charge
of them and refusing TO sustain his demand for the
previous question.
TO end the days proceedings the last of the
Louisiana was disposed of in manner as dis
creditable to the good Of the House as its pre-
decessors. This was the Shreveport district case.
The district has always been strongly Democratic,
and in 1872 elected Mr.. Davidson the Fusion
ticket. Gov. Warmoth gave him a certificate, and
Mr.. Pinchback gave a certificate to his competitor.
Mr.. Peters who was Only counted in by the Lynch
Board. Mr.. Peters died last Summer. Mr.. Davidson
came on to Washington. and to-day Mr.. Cox pre-
scented his credentials and moved that he be sworn
in, on the ground that his certificate was regular
and there was no one else claiming the seat. The
Kellogg men were not caught mapping, however
They had held special election Nov. p, and had
their man, Smith by name, ready to produce In the
House to-day. Mr. Sypher rushed to Mr.. Buffers seat
and put some papers in his hand, which Mr.. Butler
sent to tie desk and which proved to be credentials
signed by Gov. Kellogg, and dated in New-Orleans,
Nov 90 giving the exact vote for Mr.. Smith and his
competitor. The Shreveport district is 800 miles
long, and is region of swamps, bayous, and
forests almost destitute Of railroad and telegraph
lines and Of mail facilities. Ii has usually required
fortnight TO get full returns from all parts of the
district Shreveport is three days journey from
New Orleans, and from New-Orleans TO Washing
ton is usually from sixty to seyenty. i've hours.
1t appears suspicious say that returns of the cleo
ton held on Nov were received and transmitted
to New-Orleans aud there canvassed on Nov. 20,
so as Js reach Washington by to-day. Mr.. Smiths
Certificate was apparently fraudulent, of a piece
with the whole tissue of rascality with which the
Louisiana usurping Government is wrapped and
held together. Mr.. Cox exposed this cheat, but it
was Of no avail. One hundred and sixty -four Re-
publicans Endorsed it by voting Mr. Smith the seat.
Among the few Republicans who had the independ-
ence to be right on the question were Messrs Haw-,
lev of Connecticut, Woodford of New-York, Phelps
of ew-Jersey, aud VIM. H. Smith of North Caro-
lina and with them were the two Liberals, Messrs.
Banning and BrOmberg.