New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-12

state 10 DC represented III tnt iioust h'ri"h',
denied, whilst, during all that time, the two
Senators from Colorado occupied their places
in the Senate. This was presumed to he an
exhibition of pure partisan malienity, and as
such received the contempt of the country 1t
is intimated that like procedure is to take
place ut the coming session, and That Mr.. Bel
ford. who bears certificate from the Cover
nor of his State, in due form of law, certifying
TO his election, is to be excluded from
the roll, and from participation IN the
election of speaker, until the qnes-
ton of his right to be enrolled shall
be examined by n committee. Mr.. Beltords
prima facie title is as good and unquestiona0le
as that of any member on the floor. He holds
by precisely such certificate rs the members
from the State of New-York and the clerk
has no more right to exclude one than the
other. His State was fully represented in the
last Congress, and is entitled to be represented
in this. The certificate which he bears is
"credential in every sense of the word. IL
is regular i'll every respect. IL recltes the iacts
required by law To be recited. 1t is executed
by the person required by the law of the state
to execute it. 1t is properly attested, rs required
by law. 1t was issued within the time required
by law. 1t ceItifes to a well-knOwn political
fact, that Mr.. Belford was elected to the
XLVth Congress over Thos. NJ. Patterson, his
majority being S54 votes, in vote of 26,O22.
Mr.. Patterson, who was candidate at the
election on the first Tuesday Of October, and
who p0led 1854 votes chooses now to set
up plea that that election WIS not legal
election, and that, at an election held on the
9TH of November, at which, subsequently to
his defeat in October, he announced himself
candidate, and when but 1000 votes were
poled as against 10000 votes pOlled in Octo-
Der, he was legally elected lie brings with
him certain abstracts of returns TO prove the
fact that he received that many votes ut That
time. And these contemplate papers, Iii TINS
contemplate case, the clerk of the House OF
REPRESENTATIVES accepts sufficiently to make
them the occasion of delaying for seven months
the discharge of q plain duty TO enroll the per-
son bearing the "credential' specified IN the
law prescribing his powers.
1t is possible that the clerk of the House
may. at the last moment, decide to enroll Mr..
Bedford, and call his name on the vote for
Speaker. 1t is to be hoped for his credit, and
for the honor of the Democratic party, that
this may be done. II matters little to them
whether they have one vote more OF less for
their candidate; but it matters great deal 10
tire cause of public morals, and to the good
faith which all officials should exercise in the
discharge of duty, that no pretext should be
nterposed between Mr.. Belford's rights and
the full ackr owledgment of them. II an at
tenpt be made to exclude the fairly-elected
representative from Colorado from participa-
ton in the organization of the House. it will
be the duty of the minority 10 resist the
wrong by every device i'll their power. If they
cannot prevent it, they can at least see that 1t
shall go into history properly marked and rep
rotated