The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-06-24

ReDUDlic1xH xI6SSlUAkll 8lAOUs
As was predicted the Republican ma
iority in the present Congress is ready
to 90 to any length to add to its numer-
ical strength. 1t has already convicted
itself of the grossest inconsistency in its
determination of the two contested cleo
ton cases of Bisbee VS.. Finley, from
Florida, and Lynch vs.. Chalmers, from
Mississippi. In order to give the seat
of Finley, Democrat, to Bisbee, Repub-
lean, the majority Of the Committee on
Elections held, 1. That the testimony
of the ballots in the boxes is of no value
and the certificate of the Clerk of the
Court to the character OF the ballots
cannot be received, because there is no
law of Florida which provides for the
preservation of the ballots, or any GER
tifcate concerning them by the Clerk of
the Court; 2. That no return can be
counted unless it is signed and certified by
the Inspectors; 8. That when the ballots
in the box outnumber the votes the whole
poll must be thrown out. Now if these
rulings were correct in the Florida case
they should have applied to the Mississip-
pi case. Butwhen the Committee came to
consider the latter they deliberately repu-
dated their action in the former. They
found that they could not give the seat
of Chalmers, Democrat. to Lynch, Re-
publican, without reversing their rul-
ings. in the Bisbee-Finley case, which
they proceeded to do without the slight
est hesitation or apparent scruple. They
gave TAP votes to Lynch of which there
was not particle of proof except that
the Clerk of Issaquena County certified
that it is recorded in his Office that so
many votes were cast for Lynch in that
county. Under the laws of Mississippi
the Chancery Clerk has no authority to
certify. In the Florida case the Com
mittee threw out the votes certified by
the Clerk of the Court for Finley, Dem
ocrat; in the Mississippi case they count
ed the votes certified by the Chancery
Clerk for Lynch, Republican. In the
Florida case the Committee threw out
the returns for Finley. Democrat, not
signed and certified by the Inspectors,
though they had been certified by the
Election Commissioners; in the Missis-
sippi case they counted 480 votes for
Lynch, Republican, which were reject
ed by the Commissioners as not proper
ly signed and certified by the Inspect
ors, and without the necessary proof
alinnde. In the Florida case the Com
mittee threw out an entire poll at which
Finley, Democrat, had a majority, on
the ground that the number of bal
lots was greater than the number of
voters; in the Mississippi case they
counted for Lynch, Republican, poll
at which there were So more ballots
than voters, where there were but II
Democratic votes cast, where the ballot
box was left during a recess in the
hands of colored men, and where Lynch
had majority of PA. The Committee
thus managed to figure up majority of
3S5 for Lynch, after first counting all
the marked" ballots over the rejec-
ton of which by the Election Commits
sioners there has been SO terrible an
cutlery in the virtuous Republican and
Independent press. It is as plain ae
the rules of arithmetic can make it that
if the Florida case was decided on cor
rect principles, Lynch was defeated by
1.051 majority according to the Com
mittee's own showing. On the other
hand if the reasoning Of the Committee
in the Mississippi case.is to be taken as
correct. then Finley was elected over
Bisbee in Florida according to their
own logic. The Republican majority
in the House has thus convicted itself
by the record of swindling the Demo-
Gratis out of Congressman from Flor
ida or Mississippi. But then the Re
publican majority can do such things
and get the aDplause of the hi0h-tonad
political "reformers'' whose eyes are 50
jaundiced with hatred of " Bourbonism''
that the truth must scar their eye-balls
before they are able to perceive it.
Hdrrisburgh pa. Patriot.