New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-10
TIE CONTESTED ELECTION CASES.


1t is very evident that an effort Is making on
the part of the more INSCRIPTIONS Democrats
in Congress- to arouse the partisan feelings of
their associates TO the point where they will be
ready to resort to extreme measures to defeat
action upon the contested election cases still
pending in which the reports are favorable to
Republican contestants. There was strong
desire manifest on the part of some OF them TO
flibuster in the Lynch Chalmers case; Mr..
Chalmers himself, with a full knowledge of the
means by which his friends had secured to his
State and country his valuable services III Con-
gress for an indefinite period, was not avcrse to
the adoption of parliamentary tactics TO retain
him in the public service. But there was here
and there Democratic member who thought
that even for so noble and glorious purpose
AS the retention of Chalmers it was little
risky to a1rOnt the general sense OF decency
and prOpriety by leaving the House without
quorum, n quorum renamed In the House,
and Chalmers went where majority OF lus
constituents had voted he should stay, back to
the "Shoestring District" The existence of
| sufficient conscience on the Democratic side TO
bring about such an unusual result has given
rise to a feeling of serious alarm. Prominent
| Democrats are saying that II 1t has come to
this. that there are Democrats III Congress i'll
good and regular standing who are willing to
sec the strength of the party diminished
through mere scrupes of honesty and justice,
then it is time for a sort of reawakening.
They are now engaged in firing anew the
Democratic heart
In the pending cases the endeavOr is to so
| excite'in the minds of Democrats the fears of
| A.. 4,
| the direful consequences to result therefrOm,
that the few Democratic members of Congress
who have a remnant of conscience left will
prcciptately abandon their scruples and con-
sent to any course of action which will defeat
the due course of justice There is no talk of
doing Justice, no suggestion OF listening judi
cially to the facts III any case and deciding
| thereon whether the sitting member rightfully
| holds his seat by the votes of a majority of his
constituents, but only whether, if fraudu-
lently seated Democrat is displaced. the Re
publicans will not use the additional strength
so given them to carry out schemes TO fOrtify
themselves and give themselves new footh0lds
for power. The cry goes up among ,he leaders
| that to displace a Democrat in Congress,
whether legally elected or not, only gives the
Republicans an opportunity to carry through
partisan measure like the admission Of Dakota,
the effect Of which would be to increase the
weight of Republican ascendancy in the coun-
| try. The alarm is sounded, not that injustice
is to be done not that the will Of constituencies
| is to be reversed and minority candidates are to
be seated in violation Of law, but that If a fair
hearing is Afforded and Just judgment rendered
in the contested cases still pending the result
4 trfh 0 mil of he
cans in the House that they will have the
| power TO admit Dakota as a State and so pro-
mote their chances for carrying the next Presi-
dental election. it is upon this appeal to par
tisanship and not to the sense OF truth and JUS
tice that they propose to enter upon the con-
sderation of the pending contested election
| cases.
Now in all these cases, notably in those
coming from South Carolina, there is but ono
question that can fairly and honestly be con-