National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-05-21

members of Congress, and found Frank
Jorcs, the Democratic candidate, had been
ele led from district No. /, and gave hlm
rtifcate of his election. Now, Frank
j es was given the name Of Franklt" by
parents, and as late as 1852 his father
l. ueathed, in his will, property to his son.
J ankEin Jones. But as a boy he was
c. ed Frank, and has so continued to be
c, cd to the present time. Many years
az " he commenced to write his name as
Frank Jones, and was nominated and
elected to Congress by that name, and re-
ceived his certificate a few days ago from
the Governor and Council by the name OF
Frank Jones.
General Matt Head, Of Hooksett, well
known to everybody in New Hampshire
and to great number of people outside the
State, was given by his parents the name
of Nathaniel; butas boy everybody called
him Matt, and so he has continued to be
called ever since. twenty-five years ago
he commenced to write his name as Matt
Head. He was elected by the Legislature
adjutant general of the State by that name,
and thousands of the gallant soldiers of
New Hampshire treasure that official sig
nature. He has held numerous commits
sions from the State and One from its pres
ent government Jas Matt Head. He is
president of the New Hampshire Agricul-
tural Society, and president of one bank
and director in two other banks, by the
name Matt Head. He vas nominated by
the Republicans for State Senator, and re-
ceived plurality and almost majority Of
the votes cast, by that name; and yet the
same Democratic Governor and Council
which had counted Frank Jones into Con-
gress threw out all the votes cast for Matt
Heat as blanks, because they were not
printed for Nathaniel Head, and declared
his Democratic competitor elected, who had
not received even a plurality of the votes
cast, while the constitution of the State re-
quires majority to elect.
This statement seems almost incredible,
yet it is the exact fact. They went even
further than this in their insane efforts to
get control of the New Hampshire Senate.
There were ten Senators elected-five Re-
publicans and five DemOcrats-with no
election in two districts. Two more Sena-
tors were necessary to give them major
fly; SO, after throwing out all the votes
cast for General Head and declaring his
Democratic opponent elected, they threw
out all the votes cast for the Temperance
candidate in another district, on the ground
that he was ineligible to the Office, and
then declared the Democratic candidate
elected. The same Temperance candidate
had been voted for the year previous, and
the votes cast for him had been counted by
the Governor and Council. The action of
the Governor and Council in both cases
was gross usurpation and the assumption
Of power belonging exclusively to the
legislative bodies. By it the Democratic
party hope to hold the Senate, defeat the
will of the people and cheat the Republi-
cans out of their well-earned victory. This
action is likely to defeat its purpose, as it
has aroused the Republicans to the highest
pitch of indignation. A public meeting
has been called at Manchester, the home of
the Governor, to denounce the outrage
The Republican State Committee have as
sembled and appointed committee of en-
inent legal gentlemen to consider the legal
aspects of the case, and IN the meantime
will take measures to prevent any similar
usurpstion and outrage on the part of the
Democratic Clerk of the last House of Rep
resentatives, who makes up the roll of the
members elected to the new House about
to assemble.
The functions of the Governor and Coun-
Gil were purely ministerial They were
only to examine the votes returned to find
who appeared to be elected by a majority
of the votes cast, and satisfy them by giving
8 certificate OF the fact. When they at
tempted judicial functions they were as
much usurpers as would be the clerk of
legislative body who should cast out votes
of members for a measure on the ground
of interest, or for any other cause, and
make the record to suit his purpose and
against the facts.
The Democratic party of New Hamp-
shire have made as reckless and unprin-
cipled q record as their brethren of the
White League and Ku-Klux organizations
of the South. Tammany in its worst days
never attempted such an outrage. Ifthere
is any sound conservatism or honest senti-
ment remaining in the Democratic party
outside of New Hampshire they will join
TO denounce the reckless and unprincipled
political desperadoes who trample law,
II = r.
vain attempt to hold political power after
the people have decided against them.
We have had lessons enough, and serious
enough, from the attempts of a minority
to psrpetuate themselves in power and re-
fusiDg to bow to the decisions of the peo-
pie at the ballot box, to bring condemna-
ton from every honest and thoughtful
mind against this Democratic usurpation
in New Hampshire.