National Republican., 1880-02-26
stenlinr a scnt in tho uouso.

Tho House Committee on Elections Is still
deliherating over the Donuelly. .Washburn
contest. The case has taken rather an unex-
pccted turn since the light Of day has been let
In Oh the flimsy proteXts upon which the sub
committee based its conclusions. OF the 3O13
majority which General Washburn received,
the subcommittee found it necessary to throw
out / 1,760 Of this majority in his own city of
Minneapolis, In order to make up an apparent
majority for Donnelly This was done on the
ground that these votes were numbered Now
it is discovered in the revelations of facts
which are being made daily, that several
members of the Committee on Elections, in
cluding Mr., Springer, its chairman, were
elected to Congress by numbered ballots in the
same manner that Mr.. Washburn was.
And so travelling entirely outside of tho
record of evidence before the committee, the
proposition to throw out the numbered bal
lots is bostered up by tho false assumption
that the numbering Of the ballots in the city
of Minneapolis was done for u purpOso-thc
purpose being the intimidation of tho intelli-
gent, white worlIingmen In that city who
wanted to vote for Donnelly, but were thereby
intimidatod into voting for Washburn. Why,
If this wero true, were not all the ballots in
Minneapolis numbered But US u matter of
fact, the ballots were numbered chiefly IN
those precincts where there were but very few
laborlug men,
A week before the election an adverse dc.
cision by local court had been rendered
against the law requiring the numbering of
all ballots in cities of Minnesota having over
10000 inhabitants. The judges of election in
Minneapolis had an informal, unofficial meet
ing the evening before the election aud dis.
cussed the question Of numbering ballots and
the decision of the court, aud under the ad-
vice Of the city attorney would have agreed
not to number the ballots, though they differed
as to whether they ought to follow the law
or the decision Of the court II IL had not been
for the position taken by Mr., Bassctt, n life
long friend of DOnnolly's, who was Il
judge of election in precinct which gave
General Washburn over 400 majority of
numbered ballots, aud in which there were
very few laboring men. Mr.. Bassett an
nounced that he would not consider the action
of such a meeting binding and that he would
proceed according to law and number the
ballots The meeting dispersed, aud the next
day 1t was found that the judges of election
in some precincts were numbering and in
others were not doing so, and all over the
city were proceeding according to their indi'
vldual opinions. The main body of the mum.
bered ballots is found in the precincts whore
aboring men do not reside to any eXtcnt, and
in the precincts where they do prepOnderate
tho majorities for General Washburn We're
equally strong, US the vote by precincts shows.
Another point dwelt on in the argument
before the committee Is that there must have
been something wrong in the city of Mime
apols, where General Washburn lives, that
his majority should he so large rs 3, 400, Look.
ing at tho vote Of Minneapolis for several
years past wa llnd that In 1875 Ii cast 3,652
votes for Pilsbury, of Minneapolis, for Gov
ernor, against 1,O4l for Buel, Democrat. In
1877 pillsbury received 3,2l5 votes for Gov.
crnor against 500 cast for Banning, of ST.,
Paul, Greenbacli. Democrat. In 1878 Wash.
burns majority was 3,lGS over Donnplly, the
vote being Wa5hbum 5033i Dounelly, 1,555
The average Republican majority tho same
year in this city on the State ticket was 2,722.
Last fall Pillsbury got vote of
25l4. to 50l cast Tor Rice, Demo