Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-03
Contested Seats In the House of Re-
personalities.

The Washington correspondent of the
Baltimore Sun says: There will be
seventeen contested election cases in the
House of Representatives, Of which no
less than fifteen come from the South.
Of these all but two are contests of
straightout Republicans against Demo
crats. The first exception, which is after
all distinction without difference, is
from the Fifth district of Virginia, where
Stovall, Readjuster, contests the seat of
Cabell, Democratic; the other is from the
Eight Alabama district, where Lowe,
Greenbacker, contests the seat of
Wheeler. Democrat Mr.. Lowe, who
was member of the last Congress, was,
however, generally rated as Democrat
On political divisions. The two contests
outside of the South are from the Sixth
Iowa and the First Maine districts. A
Greenbacker is contesting from Iowa
and Democrat from Maine. From all
the accounts it is believed that the facts
in favor of the contest from these two
districts are very strong, but as the mem
bers returned elected are both Republi-
cans, it will be very safe to assume that
they will not be disturbed. Mr.. Reed,
who is returned as elected from the First
Main district, is a candidate for Speaker,
but there is not much probability that he
will be elected to that position. His
majority, or alleged majority, over the
contestant is only one hundred and
seventeen. So far as the contests from
the South are concerned, the belief is
that several of them will be successful.
The Republican majority is so slim, at
the best, that the temptation to increase
it by seating Republican contestants will
doubtless be too strong to be resisted
There are two contests from Virginia,
four from Alabama, four from South
Carolina, two from Mississippi, one from
Florida, one from Louisiana, and one
from Missouri. The contest from the
Second district of South Carolina is
somewhat peculiar. The contest is
brought by Mackey, Republican, against
0'Connor, Democrat. Since the regular
Congressional election in November of
1880, O'Connor died. A special election
was then held and another Democrat
elected, the Republicans, it is said, de.
clining to take any part in the special
election on the ground that Mackey was
rightfully chosen at the regular election.
OF the contestants from the South four
or five are colored men, and it is not
therefore improbable that in the near
future colored men may again have seats
in Congress. Lynch, colored who con-
tests from the Sixth Mississippi district,
which is Familiarity known as the "Shoe-
string" district, it is thought by po-
iticians, of both sides will almost GER
tainly secure the seat, as most probably
his case is stronger than any of the others.
As to the majority of the contests it is
quite proper to say that they are brought
for selfish and partisan purposes. The
contestants, If successful, ale sure to re-
ceive a handsome gratuity from the
House, and the bringing of the contests
will afford the opportunity for the revi-
val of the discussion of the Southern ou.-
rage business, with view to influence
the Congressional elections of next fall
1t is rumored around in Republican cir
cles that opposition will be made
to the swearing in of at least one Demo.
cratic member from South Carolina, if not
more, and possibly to one of the Mis-
sissippi members. Although all the
members whose names are on the Clerks
roll participate in the election of Speaker,
they are not sworn in until after that
officer is elected, when he administers
the oath to them. If the Republicans
are able to prevent the swearing in of any
of the Democratic members from the
South, they will, of course, start from
the beginning with so much more ma
ioritY."