Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-26
The Contest begun.

, nv PAOoCut oCbdlS OpCu5 Win NCl
few contested election cases on hand
in fact, there are none at ALL in any
proper sense of the term. Bell, of New
, Hampshire, may be denied his seat fol-
this extra session, and Mr.. kellogg, OF
Louisiana, is not altogether secure in
his position. Then, too, Senator In
gals, of Kansas, is accused of bribery
in his election, which, if proved
would justify bis expulsion. The ac-
cusatlon comes from the faction in the
Legislature Of that State which op-
posed his election. 1t may be case
of persecution and it may not. A few
years ago one Senator from Kansas,
Caldwell, was unseated for bribery, and
another, Pomeroy, was defeated on
that ground. But there is, is yet, no
real evidence in the case before the
! public
In the House there will be at least
twelve contested cases, with a probs-
bility of still more. The Democratic
majority is so very small that every ex-
cuse which can be made, however
fllmsy, for putting in Democrat who
barely missed election will be improv-
ed
This part of the work of the new
House began yesterday. The question
was which should be admitted from the
Second District of Florida Hull, the
Democrat, or Bisbie, the Republican.
The latter served in the last House
almost up to the close of the final ses-
slou, when he was ousted in favor of
FInly by vote which was defiant to
the testimony and contrary to law.
But the case this last time was palmer
and the outrage more agyravating.
Hull was defeated upon the face of the
returns, notwithstanding he and his
pals committed gross outrages in try
ing to swell his vote. Several Of the
pals are now in the Penitentiary for
their crimes in that connection, and
Hull himself is under Indictment. He
will be tried 10 May next. They VIC
lated the very principle and plan
which they insisted upon in the con-
tested election case which came before,
the last House from Colorado. But
Democracy is synonym for inconsist-
ency.
ln explanation of this precipitate
and palpably indefensibe action of the
House, it may be said that partisan
necessity demanded it. There are only
two districts 10 the State. If one was
Republican, the other Democratic, the |
State would have no voice in the elec-'
tin Of the next President, provided
the election should be thrown into the
House, a highly improbable contin-
gency, still possibility too important
to be ignored. The first and really
test-vote on this Hull-Bisbie case was
very close. l40 to 1877 1t is quite
possible that at the regular session
California, which is now unrepresent-
ed, will have four Republican mem
bers. In that case Bisbie, not Hull,
would have been seated. Perhaps the
real object of the Democrats in forcing
au extra session was to drive and !
clinch this Florida nail. At any rate
that has been done, and the Democrats
have thus shown a most infamous |
readiness to reward crimes at the bal
lot-box, provided only they are COM
mltted in the manner and interest of
Democracy.-C Chicago Journal.
------. = O---
Mr.. SHELLEY's EscAPE.-Of Mr..
Shelley, nephew of the poet, Nr.
Convey tells an interesting story:
This gentleman, while searching for
adventures iu Africa got among tribe
whom he found suffering poverty for
want of little knowledge about cattle
breeding, agriculture and other things
which he was competent to give. He
remained with them for awhile, taught
them what they most needed, and as
matters began to improve the Africans
desired to worship him as a god de-
scended among them. Mr.. Shelley's
only trouble was that they SO loaded
him with their favors and environed
him with their devotion that he could
not get away. The one thing they
would not hear Of was his leaving 1t
having become necessary that he should
return to England, he was forced to
have recourse to stratagem. He pro-
posed to 60 on an expedition with a
mounted company, and carrying these
with him to a point not far from an
English colony, he got up silently in
the night and rode off furiously, max
ing good his escape.
The Southern papers are still sore
about General Bragg's speech against
Southern claims. The Norfolk Vtrg,-
MAN calls upon the Southerners in
Congress to assert and maintain their
rights. ltsays:
The fact that any man calling him
self Democrat could have the effrou-
terry to thus wantonly insult the South
ern Democrats who at that varv time