The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-08-03
The Platte Gooda Contest.

Tile House Of Representatives. by a vote OF
los to 90, decided that John Goode, Jr., was
entitled to retain his seat in Congress, from
the Norfolk district, contested by James
Fl. Platte, ". A majority Of the committee
on elections, composed Of seven Democrats and
four Republicans, reported that James Ii.
Platte, Jr., was entitled to the seat now held
by John Goode.-two Democrats, Messrs.
Thompson, of Massachusetts,, and Houser, of
Tennessee, voting with the four Republicans
to scat Platte ana Dust Goodc.
After the committee, to whom had been re-
ferred all the evidence and the facts Of the
case, had determined the contest in favor Of
Platte, Notwithstanding the committee was
constituted o; seven party friends OF MIR.
Goode, and only four patty friends OF MIR.
Platte, the public wond like to know from
what grounds the Democratic party in Con-
gress arrived al the conclusion we have an
nounced-the most remarkable, probably,
ever known in the annals of this or any other
country. Mr.. Randolph Tucker sums up and
presents .he case, audit was upon that the Dem
ocratic majority voted. Tucker says Take
Mr. Plates poll and take from it every voter
from the navy yard who had in him the cirrus
of governmental fraud and intimidation
reject that from his poll and leave Mr.. Goodies
poll unchalanged, unassailled and undoubted.
as it is, to stand. The result iii that case would
be that Goode has a majority Of l26 at that poll
| instead of Mr.. Pratt having AL majority. In
other words, strike from the majority the Re-
publican members Of the committee find for
Mr.. Platte. 5l2, or from that found by Messrs.
Thompson and Houscr, 500, the 567 bad votes
from the navy-yard cast in Portsmouth alone,
and Mr. Goode is elected by over 60 majority. -
1t was upon the theory, that all the votes
cast at the navy yard for Platte were fraudulent
because they were Republican, and every vote
| cast for Goode was valid, because it was dem
| ocratic, the contest was decided . Mr.. Tucker
announced that the tssword and the purse'' Of
the government had been brought liz as argu-
ments to influence the votes east for Piatt, and
that the highest sense Of morality and honesty
had controlled in the interest OF GooIe! II is
only necessary to state such q monstrous pro-
position to condemn it. Upon the same theory
the vote OF every ot1ice-holder, and every en-
ployee Of the government, wherever and under
whatever circumstances cast, would be declared
| fraudulent-that the fact OF voter holding
Federal position, Or in any way serving the
government, would nyaidate his vote. pro-
vitled he voted to sustain the government in
voting for the friends of the government.
| What is more natural than for man who is
receiving his support from the government, to
uphold the source whence his resources to feed
and cietIie himself and family come THE fact
| that there were votes cast at the navy-yard for
Goode, is evidence that all were at liberty
to vote as they pleased; and because they voted
for party that was opposed to the govern
ment under Republican administration was
regarded as conclusive Of suffrage validity
and for the reason they voted for the candidate
that was in sympathy with the government,
was to be taken as evidence OF ssfraud and in
timdation -
Such an outrageous proposition was never
before entertained, and certainly not favorably
acted upon, in the history Of this country. 1t
was q prostitution Of the high priyile ges Of a
| Representative in Congress to the desperation
OF party, regardless Of right, justice and all
the sanctions that should hedge around repre-.
sentative character.
1t was in this way Mr.. Goole was permit ed
to retain his seat in Congress, to which he has
no legal right, and which, as an honest man,
he should not accept.