Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1880-03-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, d. O., Feb. 10, 1880.

" t,9tii4Solo4St ~. NJ, IUb. ~, l1Oo.
Congress stubs along at moderate
pace with a pretty strong indication
that it won't tire out as soon as has
been predicted. During the last few days
matters of little more interesting
and sectional character have been com
ing to the front, and, all things consid
cred, life at the Capital is growing less
monotous, from a political standpoint
at least. An event very rare in any
'Congress--the expulsion Of member
threatens to shortly occur. Mr..
Acklen, of Louisiana, stands accused
OF a serious breach Of honor among
members, in presenting to tho House
what he represented to be the report
Of a committee, and asking to have it
received and printed. These things
are always excepted on the word of
member, and when it was discovered
that the paper presented was not a
committee report and that Mr.. Acklen
had nc authority whatever to so rep
resent it, there was great Indignation.
An investigation was ordered and the
result reported places Mr.. Acklen ia a
very bad situation. He is a Democrat,
but nearly every Democratic member
believes he should be expelled, while
on the Republican side he has several
active friends who favor milder treat
ment. Mr.. Acklen's career has been a
little checkered since his election to
Congress, and he has been accused of
some unmanly things both here and at
home, in consequence Of which some
newspapers have dubbed him the
Louisiana Goat" yet he has generally
managed to Whitewash himself. tits
not known whether he had any corrupt
motive in the matter now pending, and
ali investigation into that feature Of
the case is being made by the Judicia-
ry Committee. II any bad movement
is found, he will certainly be expelled.
The contested election cases that
have occupied tho most attention so
far are Curtin VS.. Washburn in Min |
nesota Both are practically decided.
The radical press is making a terrible
howl over the finding of the sub com
mlttec in the latter case, because they
say Wasburn's majority was 5000
But when the report of the full com
nittee is made, think it will convince
all fair-mindcd men that it is not parti,
san and that the sitting member secnr-
ed all his apparent majority by means
which give him no legal or Just
clam TO the seat. The record contains
evidence Of the grossest frauds pespe.
trated in Washhurn's interest. An
example Of the kind of testimony be
fore the committee is this Washburn
came into Minneapolis from the coun-
try with majority against him. lie
is confesscdly unpopular in the city,
anil yet he overcome this adverse ma,
jority and ran up majority for him
self Of $500 in precincts Of the city
where the regular Republican majority
never exceeds $780, This was done by
resort to the statute that each voters
ballot and name on the registry should
be nubered. 50 that it might be known
how each man voted. This law facil-
tates bribery and had been declared
unconstitutional by the Court, and
judges Of Elections had declared the
evening before the election day that
they would abide by that decision.
Governor Washburn. the contestants
brother, and the latter's book.keeper,
Hall, arc said to be convicted of briba-
~, and it will be held at w. D. Wash