Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-02-07

Washington, in obedience 10 the fol-
lowing summons which was served
upon him on Wednesday morning by
Special Messenger from the Ser
geant-at-Arms
By authority of the House of Repre-
sentdttces Of the Congress of the
United States Of america.
To JOHN G. THOMPSON, ESQ, Sergeant
alarms, or his Special Messen ger :
You are hereby commanded to
summon RUTLEDGE LEA, of .Keosau-
qua, Van Buren, County, Iowa, to be
and appear before the "Select Com
mittee" on the Powers, Privileges and
Duties of the House in counting the
Electoral votes, House of Representa-
tives of the United States, of which
the Hon. j. Proctor Knott is chair
man, in their chamber in the city of
Washington, forthwith, then and
there to testify touching matters of
inquiry committed to said Commit
tee; and he is not to depart without
leave of said Committee. Herein fail
not, and make return of this sum-
mons.
Witness my hand and seal of the
House of Representatives of the
United States. at the city of Wash
ington this Goth day of January,
SAMUEL j. RANDALL, Speaker.
GEO. M. ADAMS, Clerk.
The question has been asked us
what the object of the Committee was
i'll summoning Mr.. Lea before it? II
may be that the committee is no,
aware of the fact that Mr.. Lea re.
signed his office as Elector and tho
vacancy occasioned by his resignation
was duly and lawfully filled by ihe
Electoral College, at Des Moines, on
the day designated by law.
The following letter from Governor
klrkWOod to Mr.. Lea will explain
itself upon this subject:
STATE OF Iowa,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
DIES MONIES, Dec, 9Th, '7G.\
Hon. Rutledge Lea, Kcosauqua
IOUG
DEAR SIR Your letter of the 4tl
inst, declining to serve as an Electol
for this State for the reason that such
service by you might probably give
rise to questions as TO the legality OF
your action, and that you desired
there should not be any possible
doubt that the voters of Iowa should
be fairly represented, has been re.
ceivcd by me and laid before the
other electors. Permit me to thanl
you for your action in this matter anf
TO express to you the opinion tina
such action has been emincntly wise
inst and patriotic, and such as will in
the FIJI IRE entitle you to the conf
dence and good will of our people.
Very Respectfully,
S. j. KlRkwooD.
Capt. Crosby, the Elector from tin,
9th District, and editor of the Center
will Citizen, in speaking of this ques
ton, the week after the College hat
performed its duties, said:
"Thc Electoral College for the Stat,
OF Iowa met in Des Moincs on Tues
day, the 9Th, for the purpose OF or
gallization. Mr.. Rutlcdgc Lea, of til,
First District, being absent, the re
naming Electors present proceeded
Q fill his vacancy by the election Of
II. w. Dodd, of Lee county. The
absence Of Mr.. Lea was voluntary OF
his part and highly creditablc to his
patriotism as also unquestioned proc,
OF his loyalty to the republican party
AT the time of his election Mr.. LIE,
was U. S. Commissioner, but re-
signed shortly after the election, bu
as the law forbids any one holding Q
Federal Office from acting as Presi.
dental Elector, to remove all doubt
and shadow of cause for cavil, Mr.
Lea decided to absent himself from
the Board and allow his place to be
filled as provided by law"
Our opinion is that j. Procto,
Knott, the Chairman of the Commit.
tee, will find no crOokedness in thi!
case, and that if other witnesses being
examined before his committee have
been summoned to the city of Wash
ington on so slight & pretext as this
case will prove. the chances for tn,
democratic party are slim indeed
"Straws show which way the wine
blows."-Keosauqua Republican.