The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-03-01
The Vote OF Oregon.
Feb. q

ton OF the Democratic side was made to-
day by CongressmaE jerks, and the case
as presented by him is 90 lnvulnerable
that all who heard it would say he must
get a Judgment from the Commission if
any believed that eight of the fifteen had
not made up their Judgment in advance,
Mr.. jerks read first the law Of Oregon,
requiring the Governor to sign the certit-
cate OF electors duly appointed, and re-
quiring the Secretary of State to counter
sign and deliver copy of the certificate
to the electors appointed Then he read
the certificate signed by the Governor,
countersigned by the Secretary of State
and bearing the great seal of the State,
certifying the appointment Of Cartright.
Odell and Cronin. Then he dwelt on the
facts that this certificate complied with
every requirement of the States laws and
also with the United States statutes. and
that no other certificate had been offered
which did so comply. 1t was evident that
some members of the Commission realized
the force of the argument. Morton and
Garfield, az always, paid no attention, the
former reading letters and the latter read
ing newspapers. Bradley, however. SEEM
ed bmdened with u troublesome con-
science He sat crouched down in his
chair, took 4 note occasionally, bu. for the
most part sat tapping his forehead with
his left hand in perpleXed sort OF way.
Judge Strong paid close attention. Hoar
turned his back on the speaker and toyed
with q bit of string. Frelinghuysen shift
ed about uneasily and all the,eight Re-
publicans seemed wondering what the
country would say when, having decided
in the Florida case that 2 certificate hard
ly as regular was the ultimatum, it should
in this case decide that it is not. 1T is
the position Of Florida over again. said 4
gentleman passing out, with the position
of the parties exactly reversed, but of
what use L? he added This Commission
has less conscience than had Pontius Pr
late There was much interest to see how
jerks would get around the position taken
by him in the Louisiana case. He got
around it by reiterating it and sticking to
it. after showing beyond all per adven
ture, that the Democrats had better
prima tacie case than the Republicans had
in Florida, and that if the Commission
held to its own decision it must say that it
is not competent to 60 behind the Cover
nor'S certificate, since it is attested by the
only other returning officer in the State,
the Secretary of State He wen! on to say
that as in Florida, in Louisiana. he wonld
ask the Commission to go behind the GER
tticate to the very fact. Thereupon, in
the most mastery manner, he proceeded
to show that the tact was that Watts was
never appointed, was clearly Ineligible,
and that not having been appointed he
could not resign. and that there could not
and was not any vacancy No abstract
can convey any idea OF the strength Of his
legal argument in these points. and on
other points, that under the laws of Ore
gon Cronin clearly was appointed. His
argument was simply invulnerable
fHF EVENING SESSION
BY all odds the most law YER like argu-
ment of the whole session was made in
the evening session by Judge floadley
The Democrats, incredulant and disgust
ed, had, in their anger advised no action
in the Oregon case, but it is not overdraw-
ing the situation to say that the most des-
pondent permits a hope that the argument
of Hoadley will accomplish its work The
Senate Chamber gave better play to the
speakers than the miserably circumscribed
ley, standing behind pyramid Of law
books, opened the case at 80 O'Clock,
there was a large audience in the gal
leries, and large crowd on the floor.
The presiding Justice sat in the centre of
the Clerks desk, Just below the Vice
Presidents The Justices ranged in a
Jagged semi-circle from the long desk on
either hand far into the desks of the Sena-
tors, Garfield forming left flank and Thur
man the right of Hoadley.
There was token of encouragement to
begin on; in closing his address for the
objections to the Tilden certificate, Hip
pie Mitchell, the bigamist Senator, said
with indecent disregard OF the amenities
of the place and in direct conflict with the
testimony of Pelton and Hewitt, that he
would show that Cronin's election was the
result of n fraud which had its beginning
by the tireside OF one Of the candidates on
Gramercy Park, New York Here. Justice
Strong rising said. with severity There.
Mir Mitchell, don't care to hear any
more OF that The bigamist sank back
abashed. inspired by this crumb of COM
tort Iioadley surpassed himself. pressing
the merits of his case. and with a COM
pactnes9 and force which no one had sus-
pected il susceptible OF. From 1850 until
nearly 10 O'Clock he held the Court and
the crowd in real interest, beginning with
the statutes Of Oregon, he illustrated their
effect and bearing, proving out OF the ut
terance and decisions OF every bench III
thirtv-six States that Gov Grover dared
not 10 otherwise than refuse Watts the
certificate to which his office-holding rem
dering him doubly ineligible and incom-
petent by the Oregon Constitution and the
Constitution of the United States. The
most strenuous Iildenite has never claim
ed more than the throwing of one vote in
Oregon by Watts's ineligibility. but Judge
Hoadley, on an array OF legal precedents
embracing every possible shade OF office
holding and otficegettlng, from Governor
10 Constable. proved, and in one or two
instances by the decision which Strong
Christiancy, Hoar and Edmunds had Civ
en- Judgment, that vacancy could not be
filled by an Ineligible man, and that the
next highest in vote must be adiudged
elected. He brought Stanley Matthews
TO his feet in citing with exquisite irony
the Hamilton county case. in which the
County Clerks certificate was accepted by
a tribunal Of two, of whom Matthews was
one. to get the Legislature out Of dead
lock. Matthews. who sat opposite, rose to
explain that the case had no bearing
Hoadley, turning from the Court. raised
his voice and said to him, Don't seek to
pervert that, for of all the services of your
long and honorable lite, for which the peo-
pie of Ohio bless you. that was the chief"
it was quite a scene. and Matthews turned
away embarrassed with pleasure, his gun
spiked Justice Clifford, supposing that
Hoadley's warmth indicated his disinclna-
ton to be interrupted. demonstrated mild
ly with the Sandy Viking Oh. no, said
Hoadley, l don't mind any interruption
from one whom | am proud to call my
cherished friend. From this the argument
flowed along uninterruptedly, the Repub-
lican segment of the half-crcle interject-
ing posers here and there. which Hoadley
answered with unimpared confidence spik-
ing the guns for further service at every
trip His argument was but half over.
when the tame of it reaching the House,
which was in session, the members came
pouring oyer in mob, deluging the Sen
1 4 1