Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-11-03

sentat1ves received into the Packard Iegis-
latuFe upon the certificate of the go-cailed
Returning Board. were defeated at the polls,
ana 10 snow there never was from the first
10 the last quorum ofthe elected members
in either branch of that Legislature.
second, That Will Steven, holding-over
Senator adhering to the Nichols Legisla-
ture, was captured and taken by duress,
against his protest, in the Packard Senate
Kept there by duress and against his protest,
he refused to participate in their action and
repudiating their authority as the Senate
just for the purpose Cfswearing in, as MEM
bers of that pretended Senate, Baker and
Kelso, who had not only been defeated at
the polls as candidates for the Senate, but
and their competitors were actually elected
and admitted so to be by the Returning
Board, and sat as members from their re-
Spective Senatorial districts in the Nichols
Senate throughout its session. and that
there was no contest and notice of a contest
over their seats; but the seating of Baker
and kelso was entirely unlawful, inexcusa-
bic and of no effect.
THE RETURNING BOARD.
In continuing his statement, Judge Spot
ford says that the actual returns or state
ments as made in duplicates by supervisors
of registration with their appointees, COM
missfoners of election. and sent-one set TO
the Clerk of the District Court of each
county, parish and to the Secretary of State
in the city, and the other to the Returning
Board, so-called-show a majority of the
votes actually cast throughout the State of
about 5000 for Nichols and Witt over
Packard and Antoine for Governor and
Lieutenant Governor In conclusion, the
statement charges the Returning Board with
changing the result of the election IN Desc
to parish by the suppression OF votes, so as
TO return the Republican representatives,
who were really beaten by large majorities,
and which was admitted in letter written
by one OF the Republican representatives so
returned, copy of which letter will here
after be submitted to the committee.
And, while he considers that the
case is and has long been suffici-
emily before the people to enable
satisfactory decision without GO
ing into so extensive an investiga-
ton as Kellogg proposes, he de
clares himself ready to go to the bot
tom, if necessary, and to meet the
Senatorial Commission with the
House Commission, and Mrs. Pinck-
stOn, with assurances of his most
distinguished consideration.
So here is a chance for the OBJ
structive committee, fit should not
have brass enough to seat Kellogg
on the priB9d .fncje case, to spin
things out to any extent that may
be necessary to prevent Spofford
from taking his seat, and so delay
the final demise of the Republican
majority in the Senate. 1t is now
very nearly twelve months since
the people gave its suffrage adverse
to the maintenance of the Republi-
can party in power. Such a decis-
ion in England or Belgium would
have settled the question against il
in a day; here it takes longer, but
the settlement will be all the heavier
when the time does come.
In the House the discussion on
the Colorado case is chiefly interest
ing to us as giving occasion to two
capital speeches, one from our own
representative, Col. John F. House
and the other from Gen. Chalmers
of Mississippi. The controversy
turns upon contemplate trick OF
the Republican party in nominating
the Radical candidate for both the
Forty-fourth and FOrty-tifth Con.
gress on the same day. No suspic.
ion was entertained that Judge Bel
fard's name would be put upon
the ticket for the F0rty-fifth as well
as the Forty-fourth Congress until
within five days before the election
and it is clearly shown that it was
unconstitutional to hold an election
for the Forty-fifth Congress in OctO.
Der at all.