National Republican., 1878-04-18


a card Of renunois tion, fiom which The follow.
ing extinct Is made: "a.
In the csmpaisns Of ls7S both special andna.
tions, methods were resdstsd to By The Democratic
evolutionary; The undersigned does not seek to
1a any part Of his responsibility for the violence
cndy as also to saSbes %s q second % my
the declaration Of many Others that the Demo-
cratic party Of this county means to rule Il srbi
ihe terrorism OF an oiigarcby over the majority Of
un hs sEs goier - % the county w, sssoSey ,s Sed
uitcrance that no matter what escesses in u des.
peration the Democratic minority Of Jefferson
County may resort to In the future, II has done
~ the past the undersigned will under no circum.
ments."
But the Republican majority In tho district
was so large that the tactics of the Democracy
were not sufficient to overcome II, and accord
ingly, of the votes actually poled on the day
Of the election, Lynch had . majority Of about
1000, and this majority was changed into q
Democratic majority Of 1900, through the
most Outrageous and unblushing frauds. The
| frauds that were committed In the counties Of
Adams, Warren, Issaquena, Washington, Goa
homa, and Sharkey, to say nothing Of the
others, made change Of between 5000 and
10000 In the vote Of district These allcga-
tions were all distinctly set forth In the notice
of contest. As soon as tho result of tho elec-
tion was known, Lynch employed an attorney
TO take charge Of tho case, to formally pre-
pare the notice Of contest which he had made
verbally during tho campaign, and send IL by
registered letter to tho home of the member
elect for personal service, which was done. But
the letter was detained by q clerk in the
Vicksburg office until the time allowed by
law for serving the notice had nearly expired,
aud then sent the wrong route. This
clerk subsequently, admitted to Lynchs
N hat hn had haa ,aaI th.
Nicksburg post-ofice as q consideration for his
services In this matter. Chalmers, knowing
that he had not been fairly elected, and being
particularly anxious TO prevent an exposition
OF the methods that were resorted to for tho
purpose OF returning him, did not hesitate 10
| take advantage Of this technicality about the
service Of the notice, and refused to recognize
the same Us legal. Mr.. Lynch instructed his
\ attorney to proceed with taking the testi-
mony the same though there had been no
| informality In the service Of notice. This he
did, but with poor success. The registrars In
Warren County refused to produce the regis
tration- books or to furnish certified list of
the registered voters Of the county or TO
allow any one else to have the books for
that purpose. They also refused to answer
any direct questions that were asked them
| relative to the manner OF conducting the reg
istration. In Jefferson County the officer be-
fore whom the witnesses were to bo examined
was threatened with personal violence If he
| allowed any witnesses to be examined before
him, and did not sit In the case. In Issaquena
| County Lynchs attorney and the officer be-
| fore whom the witnesses were being examined
were arrested, tried, convicted, and fined for
taking testimony, as was alleged without
authority of law. The accused parties took
an appeal to the Circuit Court and gave bond
for their appearance at the next term Of said
court. Tho cases, of course, were dismissed
without going through the formalities Of
trial. When the time allowed by law for the
examination Of witnesses by the contestant
had expired, testimony had been partially
taken IN but three counties. When Congress
met, in October last. the sitting member made
q motion before the Committee on Elections
| to have tho case dismissed, on the
ground that he had never been legally
served with notice Of contest. This motion
was argued before tho committee early In Feb
ruary. The committee referred the papers in
the case to subcommittee, with instructions
| to ascertain whether or not the case has suih-
cient merit to warrant an investigation. After
two months consideration, tho subcommittee
reported, and it was agreed that the case
| should be thrown out not, however, on the
ground that the sitting member had never
been legally served with notice of contest, be-
cause the testimony that had already been
taken was not sufficient to overcome the ma
jarity NY which tie sitting member was re-
turned elected, and that the present Congress
wauld expire before the necessary testimony
could be taken in substantiation Of the allie
cations set forth In the notice Of contest 1t
will be seen, therefore, that the case was dis
missed, not for the want of equity, but simply
for the want Of time.
A man is therefore allowed to retain seat
in the National House of Representatives who
is simply the official product of an organized
system Of frauds aud swindles upon the ballot
box. A man whose title to the position
which he holds Is sealed with tho innocent
blood of hundreds of his countrymcn, and
whose so-callcd election was procured at the
cost and sacrifice Of every principle of moral
ity, equity, and justice.
ALI should recollect that with the loss Of health
lOsSo enjoyment and happiness soon follows. A