Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-26
TIE OFFICIAL CINVASS-CONTEST
ING WASHBURN,S SEAT.

Yesterday being the last day allowed by
law for making the official canvass of the
Congressional vote, the Minnesota Return
ing Board met at the Secretary Of States Of
fee to declare the result. Mr.. Donneily ap-
peared with counsel to make his protests
against the votes of certain counties; not, of
course, with the expectation that any sense
of fairness or justice would animate the can
yassing board, but that he might preserve
all his rights for the other and more
just tribunal. Louisiana, Florida, ct al,
must now take a back seat in
order to make way for Minnesota.
They went through little formality in ac-
cepting: bogus returns and endeavored, son
the face of the votes" to make their count
appear correct. The Minnesota Returning
Board has no such squeamishness. 1t de-
clares the returns to be correct whether or
no, and with no consultation whatever, the
Governor announces that they have declined
to entertain the protests. AS a
matter of form the Board listened to
the able and convincing speech of
Hon. John Nj. Gilman, one of the counsel
for Mr.. Donnelly. But it was like preach
ing to the idle wind. They had assembled
to give all the odds to Washburn, and they
adhered 20 the programme with the utmost
fidelity.
Mr.. Gilman explained in his very forcible
rgunent that he knew the board had no
judicial power to consider evidence
and determine whether votes were legal
or illegal, but they had the power to deter
mine whether certain localities are entitled
to send a return or not. This was all the
power they were required to exercise yester-
day, and judging from their decision, they
would have accepted returns from any point
from the British possessions to the Gulf of
Mexico, provided they gave majority to
Washburn.
There was reason to expect, even from a
partisan board, g different decision in re-
gard to the supplemental returns from Hen
nepin. In the Democratic County of
Stearns, where Mr.. Donnelly lost two or
three hundred votes, the county canvassing
board declined to make any supplemental
returns, taking the ground that they could
not go behind the face Of the returns. In
the Republican county of Hen
nepin the cenvassing board accept re-
turns entirely independent of the official
record, and reporting them to the State
board as supplemental return, they are
promptly received and counted, because they
swell Washburn's majority some seven hun
| dred. Any individual could have as we'll and
as legally sent in return of votes. By this
process the board make Washburn's majority
3,O13, while, as matter of fact, if the State
board had acted as 1t properly should, with
out correcting or going behind returns, it
would have stood I'll.
But taken as whole the result is not sur
prising. Mr.. Donnelly has laid the founda-
ton for successful canvass. He will now
appear before different tribunal, and as
that tribunal can not only pass upon the
questions raised yesterday, but also upon the
bribery, corruption and intimidation of the
campaign, he can present a case which will
GUST Mr.. Washburn from his purchased seat
The contest is one which merits the support
OF every honest and patriotic citizen. It is
not fight for any individual, but for the
integrity and purity of the ballot-box.
In this connection we would again renew
the request for information on the subject OF
bribery, intimidation, illegal voting, etc. A
large amount has already been placed within
reach, but more will be serviceable. The
testimony should be made crushing and over
whelming.
With all the light obtained up to this
time, the GLOBE renews the remark that Mr..
Washbur1a aoill not be azlowed to hold his
purchased seat.