The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-12
THE CASE OF SENATOR SPENCER.
No Question OF Dignity, Honor or Cor
ruption-,impiy One of Law.

No Question OF Dignity, Honor or Cor
ruption-,impiy One of Law.
WASHINGTON Jan. 0. 1874
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
l notice, with much pain, the following in the
HERALD OF the 7th:-
NEXT IN ORprR-The Senatorial Investigations In tho
cases OF senators Patterson OF south Carolina and pen
Ger OF Aai BON cases bear sorry aspect 80 far
know nothing OF Mr.. Patterson's case Of my
own knowledge but am thoroughly posted on Mr..
Spencer's. NO man was ever more faifly elected
than Mr.. Spencer. He received majority in both
houses OF all the legally elected members OF the
Legislature, the republicans having such majority
and voting Tor no other candidate. Alter the
compromise effected by Attorney General Williams
there we're seated in both branches, House and
Senate, a majority OF legally elected members,
who voted for Mr.. Spencer, which had the effect of
endorsing their action while In separate body in
the Court House at Montgomery. The same body
which elected MIR. Spencer elected Public Printer.
and upon contest Tor the latter place the Supreme
Court OF the Stale OF Alabama decided that election
legal, and held that the Court House Republican
Legislature was properly organized and constt-
tuted and duly authorized TO elect Public
laws and perform all other acts or duties incident
to Legislative Assembly. the Whole case hes IN
q nutshell. The democratic outgoing State gov
eminent eager TO secure democratic Leg stature.
cOnsplred to deprive legally elected members OF
taer anu gave seven py GET
Can counties where the Grant electoral
and republican county tickets were largely
In prepOnderance-being what are known
az negro c0lored counties. 1t was their lnten-
ton to count in" the whole democratic State
ticket; but Us immense gains we've Unexpectedly
made by tine republicans IN North Alabama, Cover
nor Lewis the republican candidacy majority
was too large to manipulate in that manner.
When the elected candidates were sworn in and
became p0ssessOls Of The State archives and rec
nrfio IA M OF
Secretary OF state had given certificates IN de-
Hance Of the returns made by the election officers,
on file In his office, and thereupOn ne ned the state
to avoid Indictment and conviction In the Courts,
and Is now refugee. The outgoing democratic
Governor, X b. Lindsay. was honorable enough to
denOunce the whole conspiracy; aud several other
upright democrats-ex-G Governor Shorter among
the number-pronounce the attempt to thus de-
fraud the people Of their just rights as monStrous
and indeiensible.
A nest Of conspirators, some Of whom profess to
broil Mr.. spencer in the defacati0n OF the late Col
!ector Widmer, at Montgomery, oy asserting tnat
ne had borrowed money Of Widmer ana given s
the Montgomery ADVERTISER aud MdM which journal
published the SANDER has been sued for libel. MI.
Spencer never borrowed had or received penny
IRON Widmer; never gave him a note or bill. nor
ever had transaction with him In his lie. Wid-
mer was an oia time enemy OF Spencer and .
friend and henchman OF ex-senator Warner.
Tne attitude of Spencer and Widmerfas paftisans,
was hostile, and, apart from all other considers
tons and knowledge OF the facts 1t Is out Oh reason
10 suppose that Widmer would have loaned
money, to Spencer-who is pecuniariiy IN In
dependent circumstances-Or that Spencer, being
inimicai to Widmcr, and not needing money from
anybody, would nave borrowed from Mr.. Widmer.
The whole analr in It's bearings upon Mr.. Spencer,
is q shameful, malicious ia)se hood. There ii no
question OF honesty or integrity involved In Mr.
Spencers case, no charges bribery or corruption.
nor OF improper influences. The question to be
decided by the Committee on Privileges and Elec-
lions Is one OF law only, and rests upon the simple
proposition of whether the 'Court House" body
was legally constituted Legislature, empowered
to elect Senator or otherwise The contestant
Dr. Francis Sykes, alleges that the 'Capito" pody.
which claims to have elected him, was the legal
Legislature, or that neither body could elect. Inc
Supreme Court OF the State has decided adversely
to the facts and law relied on by DR.. Sykes, and all
outside talk OF dignity, honor, corruption, fraud
&C. - is Simply buncOmbe and bosh. J. p. N.