New-York tribune., 1875-02-15
THE PINCHBACK CONTEST.

IMPORTANCE OF THE QUESTION OF ADMITTING MR..
PINCHBACK TO THE sENATE-THE POLICY OF THE
ADMINISTRATION TOWARD LOUISIANA DEFEND
ENT UPON THE sENATE's ACTION IN THIS-A
PREVIOUS RECORD OF THAT BODY ON THE IE
GALITY OF Mr.. PISCHBACK's ELECTION.
iBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator Morton intends
to call up the Pinchback case in the Senate to-
morrow, and will attempt to have q vote taken be-
fore adjournment. He says he believes that not
more than two OF three Republicans will record
themselves against giving Mr.. Plnchback his seat
on the ptma face case made by his credentials.
Other Senators say that this cannot be disposed
of in one days session. and that the result will be
very doubtful The vote of tho Senate on the
question of Mr.. Pnchback's admission will
be q much more Important event now
than it could have been had it taken place at any
previous time since he first received the votes of the
kellogg Legislature. There is little prospect that
Congress will take any definite action on the gen
eral Louisiana question before March 4, and the
President has publicly asserted his purpose III the
absence of such action to be guided by the
vote of the Senate upon Mr.. Plnchbacks
case. If he is admitted to seat on
his credentials signed by Mr.. Kellogg, Gen.
Grant viii interpret the act as an approval OF his
whole Louisiana policy and he will continue TO suS-
tain Mr. Kellogg he has heretofore. IL the Senate
refuses to seat Pinchback. ne will consider that as
vote Of want of confidence, and nobody knows what
he will do then. A few weeks ago he said he should
withdraw the troops from Louisiana and let Mr.
Kellogg take care of himself Recently some Of his
Louisiana friends have persuaded him to reconsider
that determination.
Mr. Zacharie Major Burke, and several others,
represanting the Conservatives of Louisiana, ar
rived here yesterday, and will use every means IN
their power to prevent Mr.. Pinchbacks admission
to the Senate They protest against any settlement
Of the general Louisiana question on side Issue
like this and say that to do it will be to do great IN
Justice to the people of the state by dodglng the
real point at issue. AS long as the two cases were
considered separately and the seating of Pinchback
temporarily ON his credentials lett open the
question of the legality of the Kellogg Government
the Senates action on the former was of small
importance. Then even Mr. Morton was Indifferent,
and had the case referred back to his Committee
when he heard of some irregularities in connection
with the election although If it had been reported
that Mr. Pinchback had bought every vote that was
cast for him. it would not have hurt his prmd Jacte
case according to the theory which Mr. Morton now
puts forward 1t would only prove the necessity OF
Investigation to determine his right to retain his
seat.
II ia also argued that for the Senate to admit
Pinchback now would be to stultify the action OF
the last two years. On Jan. 16, 1Sf3 after most
thorough and searching investigations four Republ-
can members of the Senate Committee on Prlyl-
leges and Elections, Messrs. Carpenter, Logan Al
corn. and Anthony signed report which closed with
the following resolution:
Resolred, That neither John Ray nor W. h. hcMillan
"a entitled to seat IN the Senate, neither having oeen
elected by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana
The Senate, although it did not pass the bill
which accompanied this report, providing for new
election did III reality follow the advice of the Com
mttee by seating neither. The Legislature which
elected John Ray was the same body winch chose
Mr.. Pinchback, and the Senate has had no new light
on the validity of that Legislature since that report
was made In fact, the election OF 1872 has not since
been investigated at all. The only conclusion that
can be reached, therefore, is that those who be-
heyed that John Ray was not entitled to seat In
the Senate must hold the same opinion In regard to
Mr. Pinchback - ---sN@'l