The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-01-07

OFFICE.
HARRISBURG, Jan. The Senate was
called to order at u o'clock by Lieutenant
Governor Stone and opened with prayer by
Rev. w. A. West, of Harrisburg. The
Deputy Secretary the Commonwealth then
presented the returns of Senators elected,
which, on motion of Mr.. Cooper were
opened and read The roll was then called
and forty.nine Senators responded. Presi
ient Judge William Pearson, of the four
teeuth. judicial district, then administered
the oath Of Office. The most remarkable
incident in the organization of the Senate
was the refusal Of Senator.elect Eckley
Coke, Of Luzerne, to take the oath of Office
because he could not consistently do 80.
He read loug address to bis constituents
in which he says that he spent money for
political assessments and contributions; sd
vertising political meeting+ organizing
clubs, and paying their expenses, paying
axes, clerk hire, naturalization, to men at
the polls for work, etc. la conclusion, Mr..
Coke says: 1t may be asked, why did
spend this money, knowing the consequent
ces. The answer is, did not understand
until was well into the campaign what
would be called upon to pay for, and then
felt that if should retire would, as
| there was third ticket in the field, endan
ger not only the success of the county ticket
which was very anxious to see elected, but
also, perhaps, of the national ticket, and al.
though in the heat aud confusion Of the cam
paigu | was very particular not to coniri-
butte cent for any improper purpose, was
not abe in the few weeks it lasted to con-
slider the whole question as have since.
did, however. determine twice to retire from
the field, but upon reflection resolved to
tight 1t out on the line of spending what
could honestly for the success of the Whole
ticket, 80 as not to endsnger its defeat by my
withdrawal, and to decline to take my seat
if, upon careful consideration of the subject
in the nine weeks that would elapse until
election day and the meeting of the Senate
| should decide that any part of the money
lied by law. Having made this full and
frank statement of the facts, wish to say
that it | had done anything that consid-
cred wrong, or anything which 1 would wish
to hide, l could have resigned before the
meeting of the Senate, giving as reason
| my business engagements, or something OF
that kind; but such is not the case. have
nothing to conceal, nothing to be ashamed
of, and am ready as every honest man should
be to suffer the consequences of my actions
| make no claim to having been deceived
and kept in ignorance. What did l did
with my eyes open. Rsgretting that eau
not, as had originally hoped, be of some
service, however slight, to Luzerne and
Lackawanna counties in the Senate,
l am yours, very respectfully,
ECKLEY B. COKE,
Late Senator elect from the Twenty first
district
The House was called to order at twelve
o'clock noon by Resident Clerk VIM. p.
Smull. and was opened with prayer by Rev.
Mr.. Beck, Chaplain Of the House af 1879
Mr.. Pomeroy announced that, by an agree
ment between Mr. Smull, Resident Clerk.
and Mr.. HUM, Reading Clerk of the House
OF 1879, and in order to avoid any dispute
as TO which of the two should be entitled to
precedence, MrSmull would act as temporary
Chief Clerk. The Deputy Secretary of the
Commonwealth presented the returns of the
election of members, which Oh motion of Mr.
Graha m, were opened and were read by Mr..
Hubn. A call Of the roll showed that all
the members-elect were present except
Messrs. Boyd and Whalley who were dead,
nd Derrickson, of Crawford county. The
oath OF office was then administer ed by
Judge Pearson - Chronicl e-Herald.