Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-03-24
Desperate Partisan Proceeding.

The senate committee on privileges and
elections has just agreed to report in favor
of unseating Senator Kellogg of Louisiana
who ought to be as secure in his seat as any
other senator. His case was fully consid'
cred long ago, the committee reported upon
IT, and the senate voted that he was entitled
to his seat. That is conclusive argument
against opening the case. The motive for
disturbing that settlement is that the senate
may possibly become Republican next year,
and the only excuse for it is that the senate
when the settlement was made was Republic
can, while it is now Democratic, and there
fore claims the power by majority vote to
remove him. But he can only be lawfully
and consttutionally removed by expulsion,
which requires two-thirds vote. Senator
Hoar is member of the committee on cleo
tons, and the reporters say that he aston
ished his Democratic colleagues by an out
burst of indignant eloquence. The Wash
ington correspondent of the New York Trib-
une thus describes the scene
Senator Hoar had meanwhile manifested signs
Of excitement, and at this point his wrath ex-
ploded with the deliberation peculiar to his most
emphatic moods lie Is said to have made a brief
speech which caused the Democrats 10 sit fairly
aehast lie said that the proposed act was one
of the gravest outrages ever proposed in civil
lied country, and that 1t was Of a piece with the
other great Democratic crimes, the firing on Fort
Sumter, the cipher conspiracy, and the attempt
to steal the state Of Maine 1t was disclosure OF
the lengths to which the Democratic party are will
ing to go to get into absolute power, and 1t doubt
less formed part Of the conspiracy which they
had already entered into to steal the next presi-
dency.
A number of Democratic senators have
expressed their disapprobation of this reck-
less scheme but the party lash will doubt
less eventually whip them in. The house
committee on elections has taken courage
from the senate committee and has decided
to refer the case of McCabe against Orth
from Indiana, and to place McCabe where
he would have been if he had regularly be-
gun the contest. McCabe has never pre-
sented any evidence to the committee to
show that this extension of time ought to
be granted; and it seems probable that but
Tor the party necessities OF the Democrats
and for the general influences which have
been brought to bear upon him, he would
never have attempted to make contest.
Indications also point to the unseating of
Washburne much earlier than was antici-
pated. Thus do the necessities Of the case
prepare the way for new Democratic iniqui-
ties. The inevitable consequences of such
outrages are truthfully predicted by the
Springfield Republican!
Shrewd Republicans could ask no better issue
for long and bitter debate than the one Ben Hill
proposes to give them by making report in favor
Of unseating Kellogg, as the senate committee on
elections voted yesterday. The act is without ex-
euse or justification, revolutionary and subversive
Of the sound principle on which every legislative
body is organized, and all courts rest that an is
sue once adjudicated by proper tribunal shall
not be reopened.