The Republican journal., 1882-06-01
At Their Old Tricks.

from such exhibitions OF folly as had disguised
the country in the past. His hopes have not
been realized. Democratic craftsmanship is
not the real article, but Il very thin veneer,
which soon wears off, exposing the cross grain,
knots, gnarlS. sap, dry rot, and shakes of the
material upon which it is placed. The Demo-
Gratis of the House are now in the attitude of
obstructing the public business. delaying the
appropriation bills, imperiling important legis-
lation-and upon what grounds: The Elections
Committee have reported to the House the
South Carolina contested election of Mac
key VS.. Dibble. They found, after full inve>ti-
CATION, in which both sides were heard and Il
| large amount of testimony taken, that the former
is entitled to the seat now held by the latter on
prima facie ease. and 50 reported. The Repub-
lcan majority offered the Democratic minority
all the time they wished for full discussion of
the report. But the minority refuse to consider
the at all, and have reSorted to tillibustcr-
ing to prevent its consideration. Their action
is clearly uniustifiablc in whatever light if may
be regarded, and although this is not surpris
| ing n it is inconsistent with their former pro-
fessions and practices.
| Every one must admit that the earl " consider
alton of, and speedy action upon, contested
cases is of the first importance. If the contest
ant is entitled and the sitting member not cnt-
tied to the seat. the rightful possessor should
not be kept dancing attendance upon Congress
until the close of the term for which he was
elected. And if the sitting member is rghful
ly in the seat. his title thereto should be confirm
ed. This has been urged by Democrats as we'll
as Republicans. The Elections Committee of
this House has acted upon these principles and
decided the cases before it as promptly as their
nature permits. A number have been reported
to the House and disposed of. But this case
| the Democratic minority dee lare shall not be
considered at all. They fear, poss IDLY. the expos
ure Of the tissue ballot frauds by which the Dem
ocrats have obtained illegal maiorities in Repub-
lican districts in South Carolina but they had far
| better have faced them than taken their present
sta'd A good many realize this, now that il j.
| 900 late. and the party has fully committed il
self to the leadership of sam Randall. Mr.. Ran
dali is a man alike remarkable for his obtuse-
ness and seltishne>S. Having figured as leader
| in the tilbu>tering against the force bill, and
| thereby secured enough Southern votes to make
|
came in, he no doubt thinks that lillibustering
now TO retain Il South Caronian in seat to
which he was not elected. will give him Il like
claim upon the South. and the Speakcr>hip if
! the Democrats should control the next House.
| He has reckoned without his host. His obtll>e-
ness is revealed by the fact thai he evidently does
not realize the position in which he has placed
his party, but his >ctshneS> is such that he cares
little hoW the party is affected if he can only adj
vance his own interests As ''Sum>tt" Cox re-
marked the other day. This whole performance
is for the benefit of Randall. Hewitt and the
clique which sold out Tiden in 1876. when he
might have been declared President | guess
our fellows will begin to see il before long
1t may be asked why the Democrats have
singled out this South Carolina ease for the en-
| erci>c Of their ob>tructioniSt tactics. l. il be-
cause it involves amy special issue. OF becau>e
there i Il fair pretcXt that injustice may be done
by the Republican minority: Not 1T all. They
are simply bol>tcrn= up the most palpablc
| frauds upon suffrage ever committed. The
New York Herald which has been con~picu-
ously unfriendly to southern Republicans, says
"Thrrc is no doubt in the minds Of fair men
that Mr.. Nlackcy. a Republican, Was elected TO
| the current Congress in November. 1850. from
the Second South Carolina District, which in
| cludes the city of Charleston, and was counted
| out in favor Of Mr.. O'Connor, a Democrat. who
died before taking his seat. Upright Democratic
residents of Charleston freely admit the fact.
| After Mr.. OC0nnor's death Mr.. Dibble was
elected by similar means. and given Il certificate
| key was elected at the regular election the sub
scqucnt election of Mr.. Dibblc IN no way af-
fleets the formers claim to the seat. knowing
as they do that Mr.. Mackcy was elected. nearly
| every Democrat in the House in utter disregard
Of their oathS to support the laws and the Con-
stituion, votes to retain man in Il seat to which
he was not elected. thus trampng under foot
the Constitution. and >ubycrting the very foun-
| datiOn Of popular government. And they do
this, says the Boston journal. ITO encourage
| the Bourbon leaders in the South in keeping that
section solid" for the Democracy by the total
subverson of fair and free elections. Every
Democrat in the present House has allied him
self TO those Bourbon leaders in South Carolina.
Florida Mississippi Alabama, and Louisiana
eminent which is of the people"
Ii will be good news to many hereabouts that
the Geneva Award bill has passed both Houses.
and has only to receive the signature of the Pres
identto become law. 1t involves Il distribution
| of between nine and ten million dollars a large
portion of which will come TO New England, and
| of which Maine will have Il liberal share. The
| thanks of the interested Maine ship-oWncrS are
due to Representative Reed, primarily, bat the
activity and good judgment shown by Mes>rs.
Hale and Frye in getting the measure through
the Senate also merit recognition. The bill
| authorizes claimants to sue in the United States
| Court of Claims, under certain rules and rcgtl-
| lations. and also provides that if any money re-
| mains after these suits have been settled it shall
remain special fund to await further action of
| Congress. The money now goes TO the losers
| by the eXculpated cruisers. who claim about
$1,20O,0oO, and to the shipowners who paid
large sums to the insurance companies for war
| risks and who ask indemnity.
| Congressman Ladds speech in behalf of the
| Geneva Award bill was published in the Record
Of May DIST. Mr.. Ladd said in the course of
| his remarks
In my own district. where half Il million of
this money, if properly divided. belongs, and
| where many Il brave sailor remains unpaid for
| labor upon the ocean, one hundred ships would
have been built within the last four Years if
justice had been done In the district of my
| colleague (Nlr. Murch) still more.
Mr.. Ladd is TO be commended for advocating
the bill, and for desiring that justice should be
dore, but his talk of building one hundred ships
in the 4th district in four years is absurd to say
| the least Justice TO claimants under the Ala
bama treaty will not advance shipbuilding
Justice to the shipping now atloat is what is
| needed, and what others of the Maine delegation
are trying to secure.
Number of the Army Sketches. printed this
week, depicts the incidents Just before the sur
| render of Lee. The following sketch. to appear
1 IL