Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-03-26
WEDNESDAY, MARCH %. 1879
HULL vs.. BISBEE.

man ever did imagine the Demo-
cratic leaders in Congress to be ca
pable of doing anything that was,
in any respect, fair and honest, they
have had their eyes opened by the
action of that body in the Hull
Bisbee contested election case. The
'Brigadiers'' have full sway, and
the result of that is, that a more
fragrant example of injustice has
never been found since this Govern
ment was first established. The
facts of the contest are as follows:
In the Second Congressional Dis
trict of Florida, there are seventeen
counties. In all these, except two,
it is acknowledged by both parties
that a fairer election never was
held. These two are Bre-
ward and Madison. In the
former, 100 is the number of voters,
but in the last election SO were
returned to the State Returning
Board 116 were legally cast and
194 were fraudulently added by the
county canvassers. These canvas
sers were indicted for this conduct
and these facts came out at their
trial. They now languish in
" durancc vile " in the Florida pen
itentiary, where it is hoped they
may see the error Of their ways
and decide to leave to others the
committing Of the fraud which is
necessary to the perpetuity Of the
Democrat party.
In Madison County, the facts are
different. In the fourth precinct
no return of the votes was made
by the inspectors and for this rea-
son the vote Of the whole county
was thrown out; Mr.. Hull received
129 of these votes and Mr.. Bisbee
1S6. These two counties thrown
out elected Hull by a majority Of
II. He admits that the first wa:
thrown out rightfully, but denies
that the latter was. The
State Returning Board, in
view of the alleged fact that
the vote of the two counties could
not be considered, declared Hui
elected and the Governor gave hin
his certificate of election.
Mr.. Bisbee then appeared before
the Supreme Court of the State
and prayed fer an order command
ing that the returns should be re-
canvassed. This court, after a full
hearing granted his petition, di.
recting that it should be done, and
that Bisbee be declared elected. In
celebrating upon their decision il
transpired that the Governor should
be compelled to give his certificate
to Bisbee; but his two Republican
colleagues disagreed with him and
held that no coercion should be
used.
TIE two contestants then went
on to Washington and laid their
papers before Clerk Adams. This
gentleman placed Hull's name on
the list, and on the 10Th inst. the
matter came up before the House.
Once there it was virtually decided.
The Democrats refused all PROPOSE
tions to refer it to its proper com
mittee, and Hull was by a strict
party vote-140 to 136-sworn in.
There is no such thing as Demo
cratic consistency, nor do they
seem to desire it. Otherwise they
would consider themselves in some
thing of a predicament. Governor
Drew, whose certificate Hull held,
fills his present position by virtue OF
a recanyass of the returns, ordered
by the same court that the Demo-
Gratis now hold has no jurisdiction
have the authority to decide it, Gov.
Drew holds his seat in the Guber-
Material chair Illegally if they did,
then Hull is fraudulently sent to