National Republican., 1877-10-25
45TH CONGRESS.
Special session.
SENITE.
WEDNESDAY. Oct. 81, 1867.
The Scnate was not In session to-day,
SENITE.
HOUSE or REPREsEyriTITEs.

ne ScUutt Wus Hu III NCfslNH
HOUSE or REPREsENT.iTTTE
Mr.. HARRISON was recognized nS entitled to the
n0or ul the Colorado question,
Mr.. GARFIELD said that early this morning Mr..
IIAnRIs, Of VirgmiI, called upon him and said II
would be gratifying To many members who were
To he absent II the debate on Colorado was post
poncd until tomorrow. He had replied that he was
not authorized to make amy promises, but he now
called the attention of the gentleman TO this
request.
tlcman who desired To speGkon the resolution and
he thought 1t would expedite the public business
II the debate went on 50, that vote could be
MIR. HARRISON said the gentlemen aroupd him
seemed to be ayer.c to putting on the debate. aud
he felt sure the other side desired 10 go on. lie
then proceeded to argue in inyor Of the yediiy Of
humOr the game Of keno as played IN Chicago, and
said II the old game of heads win, tails you
In SmeM Ee Sa 'he & SAME SH S zane ,hat was
Of Colorado. lie argued that the House was not
proper place to weigh the testimony, and that
lion. lie therefore believed the whole subject
should go to committee for careful investigation.
Mr.. GARFIELD insisted that prina Jdei, right
| tl seat was one that should moi he disregarded
| unless there was something to indicate that there
was some important irrcsularliy In the certificate
or whatever nanI "a I ,he ph"" h IL, %rf rd rgnt NINE Ine
the validity Of the day on which the election was
held lie maintained that the election for the ull
term was held In strict accordance with law, and
| that the election 10 I'LL the vacancy IN the Forty.
fourth Congrs' was also legal as there was no
statute designating the day on which such
Gf the enabling act. hc said, fixed definitely
the time for holding the election for a
member OF the t"i,yhi,h m Congress NO ~, shor, or,
was passed and Colorado was free to act US she
tit III relation TO the short term. The words FIRST
term meant the first null term. All but four
months of the term had expired when the election
| was held. The election he asserted, was held law.
fully; the certificate recicd that was 50 held and
with this oil objection TO the priGid fIris case van.
i>hed. In reply to the Argument that no proclnma'
ton Of an election Of II member for the Forty.hfth
Congress was issued he said that there had been
peatcd decisions that an election was valid with
out proclamation IL such election was other
wise, generally brought to the notice Of the
lice IL proved by the fact that 1000 votes were
cast, so more than were polled for the representa-
tive in the Forty fourth Congress He admitted
tiOns of the law and some grouud for doubt hut
this ambiguity wns discussed by the ablest lawyer
In Colorado before the election aud 1t was agreed
both terms at the October election. lie Insisted
that the established American policy was to recoe,
had been official informalIty or neglect
Mr., BUCKNER said the only question wa
whether II man holding a certificate Of election
signed by tho Governor when the election was held
on Il day not authorized by law had priRd tdci'
right to a seat in the House That was the ques
tlUu 10 Whltn lnc lluust sHo'llN tonnHt ltstli it
reviewed the statutes on this subject and contended
that It was plain that the election was not held on
the day fixed by law, and that such election wa
therefore illegal aud the certificate void and mo-
entitled tn recognition,
Mr.. HOUSE said Mr.. Belford presented his ere
denials and claimed to have been elected on III,
sd OF October, and Mr.. Patterson presented hi
credentials claiming to have been elected on thu
, eth Of November. Mr.. Deliord did not claim Il
, | have been elected IN November aud Mr.. Patterson
did not claim 10 have been elected In October
The question before the House was, therefore
which was tho legal day for holding an election
To scat Mr. BelfOTd was TO declare the Sd OF 0Ctobe
the legal date, and 10 seat Mr. Patterson was Il
declare the 7th Of November the legal day Thi
was not an ordinary priBld ydcie case, but on,
rather for judicial investigation and adjudication
In Justice TO both parties he believed the Gus,
should go TO the committee.
Mr., LAPHAM said that Colorado, as state wa
entitled 10 representation on the floor OF tho House
He read from the minority report In the case o