Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-01-12
refused To Take The Oath.


Harrisburg, last Tuesday, during the
organization of the Senate. When
the roll Of Senators returned as elected
had been called, and Judge Pearson
was engaged in administering the oath
of Office to them. Hon. Eckley B. Coke,
of Drifton, Luzerne county, elected as
a Democrat from the Twenty-frst
Senatorial district, arose and announced
that he declined to take the oath of Of
flee, because he could not consistently
do So He read long address to his
constituents, in which he says that he
spent money for political assessments
and contributions, advertising political
meetings, organizing clubs and paying
their expenses, paying taxes, clerk
hire, naturalization, to men at the
polls for work, etc. In conclusion
Mr.. Coke says:
1t may be asked, why did | spend
this money, knowing the consequent
ces The answer is: | did not under
stand, until was well into the cam
paign, what | would be called upon to
pay for, and when | did l felt that if |
should retire | would. as there was
third ticket in the field, endanger not
only the success Of the county ticket.
which [ was very anxious to see cleo
ted, but also, perhaps, of the national
ticket; and, although in the heat and
confusion of the campaign, | was
always very particular not to contrib
ute cent for any improper purpose, |
was not able, iu the few weeks it
lasted, to consider the whole question
as have since.
l did, however, determine twice to
retire from the field, but upon reflection
| resolved to fight it out on the line of
spending what | could honestly for
the success of the whole ticket, so as
| not to endanger its defeat by my with
drawal. and to decline to take my seat
| if upon careful consideration of the
subject in the nine weeks that would
elapse between election day and the
meeting of the Senate should decide
that any part of the money was used
for "eTpenses mol expressly authorized
| by lac" Having made this full aud
frank statement of the facts, wish to
say that if | had done anything that
l considered wrong or anything which
| | would wish to hide, l could have
| resigned before the meeting of the
Senate, giving a. reason my busi-
ness engagements, or something OF
that kind, but such is not the case. l
have nothing to conceal, nothing to be
ashamed of, aud am ready, as every
honest man should be, to suffer the
consequences of my actions. l make
no claim to having been deceived or
kept in ignorance: What did, | did
with my Dyes open.
| Lieutenant Governor Stone ordered
Mr.. Coxe's statement to be placed
upon the Journal and no further action
was taken, Mr.. Coxe's decination to
be sworn being respected apparently
| by common consent The address of
Mr.. C)xe, from which the foregoing
extract is made, bears his name prin-
ted at the bottom as "late Senator
elect for the Twenty-sixth district"
The refusal of Mr. Coke to take the
oath from purely conscientious motives
has created sensation, it being the first
time in The history of the Legislature
| that any member has refused to be
sworn in. Mr.. Coke says be CONSUL
ted bis lawyers (one of them being
Franklin b. Gowen), and was advis-
ed that he could not conscientiou5ly
take the oath of Office 1t is remarked
| that if OoXe's reasons, as set forth in
his address to his constituents, are
the only reasons for his self-disbar-
ment, then the great marjority of Off
oers tSenators included) are in the
same boat. Mr. Coke is not pro-
fessional politician, and consequently
is not the p9sseSs1r Of en- elastic con-
scienpe His reference to tho manner
of his expenditure Of money created
some laughter, and there was a gen.
eral expression of sympathy for him
among the cold stagers." 1t is already
intimated that the people of his dis
trict should re-elect him unanimously,
but Mr.. Coke says be will not run.
More's the pity; for rara avis like
him is not often tpund as candidate.
Judge Pearson was asked regarding
Mr.. Coxe's refusal to take the oath,
and said the Senate could do nothing
more than declare his seat vacant and
order uew election, The Judge
would not express an opinion as to
whether Mr.. Coke could be prosccu-
ted criminally Regarding the chances
of Mr. Miner. who ran as Coxe's oppo.
nent, the Judge said that be could
have no claim whatever.