The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-06-02
THE GREAT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
- FRA UDS.
The Committee That Is to Investigate Them.


frauds in Louisiana and Florida s, in many
respects, the most important that was ever
appointed in the House of Represen tatives,
brief notices of it's members will not be uI
interesting.
Clarkson Mott Potter. the Chairman, rep
resented the Westchester dietrict in Con-
gress forssix years previously to his present
term. He waa born in Schenectady in Il 625,
apd d grsd at Union College, of which
his father was one of the Professors, and
his grandfather, Eliphalet Mott, D. D., was
the President. DR.. Mott was a distinguish
ed clergy man of the Presby yterian Church,
and famous as pulpit orator. Professor
Potter was an Episcopalian, and after
Diocese of Pennsylvania. The Rev. DR..
Aionz) Potter, the Bishop of the Eastern
Diocese of New York, is the uncle of the
member of Congress-, and DR.. Potter, the
rector of Grace Church in New York, is his
brother. Mr.. Clarkson N. Potter, though
ding in Westchester, is q prominent
lawyer in New York. He argued the case
before the Supreme Court at Washington,
in which certain provisions of the legal
tender act were pronounced unconstitutiOn
al, and reargued it at subsequent term
when Judges Strong aud Bradley had been
added to the bench for the purpose of re-
yereipg the pIeyious decision. Mr.. Potter
inson for the nomination for Governor in
the Democratic State Convention of 1876,
and received more than one-third of the
votes. He is q gentleman of fine presence
and great respectabiity, is good lawyer
and vigorous debater; and it is believed
that he will not shrink from q fearless dis
charge of the high duties now imposed
upon him.
William R. Morrison of Illinois is the
second on the list of the Democratic men,
bers He is native of Illinois, is 50 years
old, was literally educated, and is layer
leader in the Illinois Legislature, and
Speaker of the lower Houee, and was
Colonel of a re gimept in the war of the re-
bellion. When Mr.. Kerr was chosen
Speaker of the last House he appointed
Mr.. Morrison chairman of the Committee
of Ways and Means. He was also chair
man of the Special Committee which vis-
tied New Orleans year ago last winter to
Investigate the election frauds in Louisi
ana. He is therefore eomewnat familiar
with one branch of the subject that will
come before the present committee.
The next Democrat on the Committee is
Eppa Hunton Of Virginia. He was born in
that State in 1923, and is lawyer of solid
attainments. He was a member of the
convention that carried Virginia out of the
Union, and Brigadier- General in the Con-
federate eervice, fighting at Gettysburg
and on other ssnguinary fields. Captured
at Sailors Creek, he was prisoner for
of the war. He has been four years in
Congress previous to the present term,
aud was q mem ber of the Electoral Com
mission. He is regarded an able, judicious,
candid man.
William s. Stepger, member of the COM
mittee from Pennsylvania, is descendant
of the old German stock of the Keystone
State, aud one of the younger members of
the House. He stands among the leaders
of the bar at Chamber sburg, and has here
tofore served one term 10 Congress.
John A. Mcmahon of Ohio ia the Demo
cratic Representative from the DAyton dis
trict. He is 445 yeBrs Old, graduated with
high honors at St. Xavier's College in Gin
cinnati, studied law with Clement L. VAL
landigham, ard subsequently became the
partner of that famous Democratic politi-
clan. Mr. Mcmahon was a delegate at
large from the State of Ohio to the Dem
ocratic National Convention of 1872 which
unanimously nominated DR.. Horace Gree
ley as the Democratic candidate for Pres
ideut.
The next Democrat on the committee is
Thomas r. Cobb of Indiana. He ia a law
yer, resides at Vincenpes, bas been eight
years in the State Senate, and a candidate
delegate to the St. Louis Convention of
1876, where he labored zealously for his
friend, Thomas A. Hendricks. This is his
frat term in Congress.
The last of the seven Democrats is Jo-
seph G.. S. Black burn of Kentucky. He is
40 years old and 8 lawyer. He served in
the Confederate army throughout the war,
and was in the last House. He does not
believe in the validity of the Hayes title.
On that dark Friday night when the elec-
toral count was completed, he denounced
the Fraud in burning words of Indignation.
in Woahinn off fhoI
Ohio election last October, he said "The
Bible tells US that Beshazzar read his doom
in words of fire. There was man here
he who rests uneasy in the White House
who has read his doom. Ohio had con-
demned the usurper in the White House,"
Gen. Bepjamin F. Butler heads the four
Republicans on the committee. Having
been born in 1918, he is its oldest member.
He is so we'll known to the whole nation
that no sketch of his life is needed. The
matters which he is to inquire into will
afford a rare opportunity for the display of
that rewdness, tact, energy, professional