The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-11-27
The Senate Contest.

Ino Senate contest.
The death of Senator Morton and the ap-
pointment of Mr.. Voorhees, to the vacancy
thus made gives the Democrats thirty-four
of the seventy-six seats in that body. There
are now thirty-eight Republican Senators,
and one Senator, Judge Davis of Illinois,
who was elected by coalition. Three seats
are contested, two from Louisiana, one from
South Carolina. Should the Democratic
claimants secure their disputed seats they
can, with the aid of Judge Davis, tie the
Senate, and in the absence Of Senator Shar-
on, who is rarely IN his seat, control the body.
1t has been generally conceded that the
Democrats will get possession of the Senate
in 1879; but they do not care to wait for
the time when power shall pass to them
in regular and proper way. They have ap-
parently entered into bargain with Patter-
son of South Carolina and Conover Of Flor
ida, elected as Republicans. These recreant
Senators have promised to vote with the
Democrats for the admission of Butler and
Eustis, Democratic candidates from South
Carolina and Louisiana. These men seated,
the Democrats can with the aid of their
votes in the continued absence of Sharon,
and without the help of their new allies who
are understood to be pledged to Kellogg,
admit Spofford, the other Democratic pre-
tender from Louisiana, and thus gain control
of the Senate. But in order to carry this
scheme into effect it is necessary that the
Of Pr,f1 4 &c hall bo fob
before the case of Kellogg. So the Demo-
Gratis have been striving to take the disputed
seats out of the control of the Senate commit
tee which has given them careful considera-
tion, and, without examining the evidence or
giving judicial hearing, force vote at once
The case of Kellogg was first taken up by the
committee, has been thoroughly examined by
them, and in right and courtesy is first enti
tied to the consideration of the Senate. But
that does not suit the conspirators. They
want power, and are prepared to purchase it
by bribery and trickery. 1t would be unfair
to charge all the Democratic Senators with
knowingly engaging in fraudulent transac-
ton. The fact seems 10 be that the more
scrupulous ones abstain from negotiation
with the wavering Republicans and shut their
eyes very tightly while mule. trader Barnum,
coffee pot Wallace and other men tainted by
political jobbery take charge of Patterson and
Conover, offering to save the one from the
penitentiary and to secure the reelection OF
the other. 1t is difficult to see how the South
Carolina and Florida Senators can hon
estly bring themselves to support the
claims of Butler, for Butler has no right
to the seat, as will be seen by re-
view of the circumstances attending his
pretended election. The South Carolina
board of canvassers gave certificates to 116
members of the House, of whom 81, being
Democrats, met in a building outside the
State House, the other SO meeting in the
usual place. The SO proceeded to seat con-
cratic House increasing itself in the same
way to 6S. There was but one Senate, which
met with the Republican House. On De-
cember 12 Corbin was elected Senator by the
Senate and the Republican House. Seven
days later the Democratic House held joint
convention with minority of the Senators,
who left the Senate.after participating in the
election of Corbin, and chose Butler Senator.
This title, SO utterly weak and contemplate,
| is the only title which Butler holds. Kel-
logg's title is perfect in law and equity, and
cannot be denied by those who believe that
Louisiana went Republican last November.
Democrats of course will not admit this, but
no Republican can with any consistency re-
fuse to admit it. The case of Eustis is some
thing different. He has no moral right to
his seat, but as the Senate has decided against
Pinchback, his competitor, he may be ad-
mitted or new election insisted upon.
Should the. Democratic scheme succeed the
entire legislative branch of the government
will pass to the control of the Democratic
party. But triumph won by fraud and
trickery cannot be lasting. Those who avail
themselves of the treachery of men like Pat
terson and Conover are as guilty as the of