Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-13

Special Telegram to the Globe.
CHICAGO, Feb. 12.-Tbe Washington
specials to Chicago papers this morning an
nounce with great establishment that the
subcommittee on elections have decided to
report in favor of unseating Washburn and
seating Donnely. Here is the way the
Tribune correspondent bemoans the result:
The people OF Minnesota will doubtless
be greatly surprised to learn that the Demo-
cratic majority of the sub committee OF the
House committee on electors, to which was
referred the contested case of Ignatus Don
nelly against w. D. Wasbburn of the Min
neapolis district, has decided to report to
the whole comm ttee in favor of unseating
Washburn and OF seating Donnelly. on the
charge of bribery on behalf of Washburn
at the election. The people of Minnesota
aud of the country, and the fair minded
men, even in the Democratic party in Con-
gress, will be more surprised to learn that
the Democratic majority OF this sub-com-
mittee is already engaged in preparing a
drift of q report IL favor Of Donnelly, al
though there has never yet been 4 meeting
of the subcommittee proper at which the
Republican members of the committee we're
present, to consider the case, except TO hear
argument. At least the Republican mem
bers Of the subcommittee do not know that
tho case has ever been considered for action
i. - faat rsl;cb
Representative Manning, of Mississippi,
Armfeld,of North Carolina, aud BsltZhoover,
of Pennsylvania, will scarcely question that
the three goltlemen named have decided to
report in fa7or of unseating Washbarn and
Of seating Donnely. The unseating of
Washbarn and the seating of Do1nelly, in
the event of contest for the Presidency, in
the House, would deprive The State of
Minnesota of the vote OF its Republican ma
i,city. Washburn has been unwilling to be-
lieve that any such action could be taken,
and it seems SO utterly incompreEensible
and indefensible that lie can scarcely believe
it now, but it is a fact. The only question
in doubt about it is, first, whether the &C.
ton of the ub-committee will be approved
by the full committee, and second, whether,
if SO, the full committee will report to the
House until after lie Presidential election.
1t is not the intention OF the ub-committee
to make report in writing, but each mem
Der will submit his views orally to tie whole
committee. Such report might not be a
pleasant campaign document in possession
of the Republicans. Democratic member
of the subcommittee characterized the case
as very difficult ard perplexing one. and
hoped that the action of the committee
would commend itself to the lovers of good
government and fair dealing throughout the
country. II is ascertained that it is proposed
to reject 100 votes of Washburn's 3,012
majority by throwing out the entire poll of
Minneapolis.
Edtorially the Tribune comments in
q similar strain, and the Inter Ocean howls
in like delightful manner, though with
greater brevity. 1 have read nothing so
cheerful il long time as this Republican
shrek. They have suddenly become i'm
pressed with the enormity of partisan action.
The unseating of Gen. Shields, and score
more of outrages, not to mention the steal
ing of the Presidency, are conveniently
ignored by these Republican lights.
Republicans of Minnesota ought to re-
joice at the official brand placed on Wash
burn by Ibis report. The readers of the
GLOBE know that he bought his seat; and
the prediction of the GLOBE that he would
not retain it, made few days after the
election of 1873, is nov to be verified.
The removal of Washburn will be a long
step IN favor Of purer elections in Minnesota,
and it ought to be hailed with pleasure by
good men of all parties. It is not personal
or even political question, but whether the
ballot has to be Destroyed by corruption