The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-03-30
[From the Cincinnati EnquiFer.]
Donnelly VS.. Washburn.

Mr WIN. ID. Washburn, Republican, be-
ing the sitting member. Shculd the
election Of the next President be thrown
into the House, when each State would
have one, vote, that vote to be determin-
ed by q majority of iss'delegation in the
House. Mr.. Dunnell, Republican, and
Mr. Washburne, Republican, or Mr.
Poehler, Democrat, and Mr.. Dcnnelly,
Democrat, are to cast that vote. Re-
publicans' In newspapers and in Com
gress and elsewhere are charging that
the Democrats, by contesting. the seat of.
MIR. Washburn, are endeayoring to
secure the vote Of Minnesota In order
to have 1t in readiness for such an ener-
aency. They charge Democrats with
the intent to steal minnesota vote in
the House. The charge comes with H.
grace from the men who stole the pres
ent Presidency but what are the facts ?
What have the Republicans done in
Minnesota to secure the vote of that
State In the Hou-e Of Representatives
How did Mr.. Washburn, sitting member,
obtain his seat? This question should
be answered by the facts before deter
mining which party has been attempt
ing to steal Minnesots.
The Committee Of Elections Of the
House have had this question under
careful advisement. They 6nd that bri-
berry was committed on behalf of the sit
ting member, Mr.. Washburn, by his
by members Of his District
Committee, and by personal, political
and business sgents that this bribery
was not confined to any portion Of the
district, OF. to any one town OF county.
but that 1t extended throughout region
of country nearly four hundred miles
long and and one hundred miles wide !;
and they further fid that 10 many cases
the bribery has been traced home di-
recily 10 Mr.. Wasbburn himself. They
point TO sworn testimony sustaining these
findings. In, one unorgsnized county,
without election precincts, or ballot box.
es, or registration lists, or judges, OF
polls, aud With fewer than ten settlers,
Washburn had q handsome vote. In
one alleged precinct, of this county, in
which there we're only four actual set
tiers, Washburn received one hundred
and nine votes and Donnelly one, tue
Washburn,, voters generally receiving
from 81 .65 to 81. 20 each, for tkeir votes,
refusing 10 vote unless they we're paid.
These payments are sbuhdanlly proved,
and were made in; .Washbarn's Office by
his business manager. At Crookston,
Polk County, the testimony. shows that
only eighty-fve legal votes were cast
while 285 votes we're returned as cast.
The. evidence, isy explicit in each case.
Two hundred and ninety-one were prov
! ed to have been bribed, voted for Wash
hurn, while bribes are, proved to have
been offered 10 30A others who claim to
have voted for Donnelly.
|, 10 ST., Paul and Minneapolis thous
ands OF dollars we're spent Tor purposes
Of corruption. The showing is shock
Iiug, in view of the fact that bribery is
&C. difficult Of detection. Upon this
point alone Mr.. Washburn is not enti.
lied to seat 10 the House; for bribery
yitiates the election, even though ma
'oi, p.,, ~ -. sS n.as daes No, ra., har. Tn
,;m;ds,;on snd coerc;on wore rsdnced ~
A. : .'.,a, nv ~ NJ Wsahh,r, snS Il. y
,r;eods TSe 'smnlovsrs os iahor &
M;nn..nol;. nn;,ad ~ rs;.s mnnev,, Il
"espss s.. @ nn,a. ~, W".hSur w. % =, -
IVY - ..o;na,. .S 'ses ~ w;s,i.ssu ~ cue f.dn =
ssss1 essSssip .sss.YS ipHTaced number ofi TIE
back OF each ballot to correspond with
the number of, the votes on the polI-list
Early in 1878 the Legislature Of Min.
nesota, had, enacted that 10 cities in the
State bearing the names OF St Paul and
Minneapolis the ballots should be num-
bsred. Al the fret election following
lthe spring election. action was brought
| to test the constitutionality OF the law in
the District Court Of Ramsey County, iu
which ST.. Paul Is. situate. The Cour,
pronounced the law unconstitutional
and this dscision was after ward affirmed
hy the Supreme Court. The Supreme
Court saw: .,t,..
aThe s,atn,orv nrov ;a;,,n NTH reo.,d
to the numherino OF tickets above Gnot.
ed clearlf interferes with and viola,. .s
TIM svotir,s. constitutional nriv;leoe ri
saorArv s II ia therefore. an nnconstitn.