Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-05-27
NEWSPAPER OPINION.


From the American Volunteer, Carlisle.
Ever since the forty.sixth Congress
met, the country in general and Penn
sylvania in particular have been regaled
with perpetual discussion by the po-
litical newspapers OF the contested
election case OF Curtin against Yocum.
The case is from the twentieth congress
sionsl district of this State, a district
which prior to the fall of rs was as
strongly Democratic as our own il, yet
to the surprise Of everybody, in the
district and out, Yocum, the Green.
back Republican candidate was return.
ed as elected over ex-GoY. Curtin, the
regular Democratic nominee. This was
such an unexpected, unnatural and un.
reasonable result that the modes of
securing it were Investigated, and abun-
dant cause for contest shown up, and
Curtin accordingly carried the contest
to The House OF Representative, where
1t hung fire in the committee on elec
tions until last January, when il was
reported to the House for the first. but
was not reached until the 7th inst,
when Mr.. BeltZhoover, the able young
Representative of our own district
opened the debate upon the report
He reviewed the case in thorough and
analytic manner, and produced unan-
sweFable arguments in favor Of the con-
testant, but when on Tuesday the vote
was reached, Yocum was seated by
vote of ll3 TO -. This was accomplish.
ed by the vote OF Republicans and
Greenbackers, with the following Dem.
ocrats: Messrs. Aiken, Berry, Bouck,
Bright, Caldwell, Chalmers, FELTON,,
Henkle, Hostetler. Mills. New, % Reilly,
Richardson, of South Carolina, Rich.
mond, Singleton, OF Mississippi. Ste.
phens, Stevenson, Tillman and Wright
This is certainly not gratifying news to
the Democrats who have been Demo.
crats ever since before the war, and
who vividly remember with what alac.
rity the Republicans in Congress un.
seated Democratic members, no matter
by what majority put there, and their
Republican competitors seated, no mat
ter how himsy and contemplate their
reasons for a contest. Were the Demo
crats at all disposed TO mete out 10 the
Republicans the same arbitrary treat,
ment that in the past they have re.
ceiyed, the House would be Democratic
by a two-thirds vote, for every Demo.
crst who would come before Congress
with the ghost Of case, would be rail
roaded into his Republican competitors
seat to help swell the majority.
From the IIarrisburg Patriot
The Centre DEnocRAr. hebdomadal
for which we entertain feelings OF the
profoundest regard. takes Us to task in
the following cruel style:
I'VE are sorry to observe our friends Of
the Harrisburg Patriot have far less indig-
nation to expend upon the twenty demo-
crats in Congress who basely betrayed
Governor Curtin and the democratic party,
than 1t has for the inconsiderate denuncla-
tion Of the Confederate Brigadiers' by the
Philadelphia Tunes. The Patriot con-
cedes the justness Of Governor Curiin's case
and admits that he should have been seat
ed. There can therefore be no valid excuse
for the treAchery Of those reputed demo-
crAts who voted against him, but notwiih-
standing this, We are deeply grieved TO
note that these unfaithful men are treated
by that journal with the most considerate
tenderness, while ii is unrescrvcd, at the
same time, in its condemnation Of the mis-
taken zeal Of the Tmes.'
w are sorry that our friends Of the
DENocRAT are so hard to please. While
the Curtin Y Yocum contest was pending
the Patriot did its full duty as fair and
candid journal in advocating the claims
Of Gov. Curtin to the seat. In order to
come TO an honest conclusion that Gov.
Curtin was Justly entitled to the seat a
careful examination OF the voluminous
testimony in the case was necessary. The
Patriot devoted much time and patience
TO an investigation OF the matter and
finally was glad to be convinced thst
Gov. Curtin's case rested on solid
foundation. But the Patriot has for
many years denounced the practice OF
the republican party in determining
contested elections by the application
of the party whip to the tribunals try.
ing them and it does not propose to
sacrifice its consistency by denouncing
representatives OF its own party for act.
ing independently when sitting as
judges in an election contest. We do
not care TO assist in introducing republi.
can methods into democratic practice
in the settlement Of contested elections.
On the other hand we regard il as a
source of congratulation THAT the record
OF the democratic majority in Congress
on the subject Of election contests is
entirely free from that taint of partisan.
ship which caused the republican party
to become a stencil in the nostrils of the
people. We neither defend or con
denim the action Of the democrats who
voted against the report Of the majority
Of the committee OF elections in the
Curtin. Yocum case We think they
erred in judgment, but it would be un.
fair and indecent 10 charge them with
having erred willfully or corruptly. The
case turned on the construction of Ger.
tain provisions of the constitution and
laws OF this state relating to the regis
tration Of voters. The majority of the
committee on elections contenJed that
the law requiring the registration of the
voter and the making of certain proof
Of the right to vote in case Of non-regis.