Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-06-08
wAsHINeroE LETTER.


fFnsu our Regular oerrapezdpfa
WASHINGTON. d. O.. May 20, iSe2
Between the election contest in the
lower house OF Congress- and the atten-
ton attracted by the revolt against the
Cameron rule In Pennsylvania politics
have been unusually lively and interesting
during the last few days. Senator Mitch
ell is q good deal of lion Just now, and
the indications are that both Don Came
ron and President Arthur will eventually
regret having treated him 50 uncom-
promisingiy. Governor Curtin said in
conversation few days ago that the In
dependent movement is assuming pro-
portions Cameron never dreamed Of. The
moral influence of such men as Mitchell
and Marshall is pot to be lightly estima--
ted. This is no local fight. but contest
/. for the dominiti0n- OF the Stalwart fac
tion, which controls The machinery of
the party in Pennsylvania as it just
now happens to control the National or
ganization through Federal patronage,
and Camerons course is likely to provide
a surpsise fur the Arthur administration
as unlocked for az il will be DISASTROUS to
Stalwartism. II the Democrats act wise
" and nominate straight, clean ticket,
Stalwart power will take tumble from
which il can never recover; Arthur and
Cameron will go down together, and the
306 will put away their little medals.
1t is gratifying 10 know that the Demo
Gratis in the House have found their
backbone and that stand has been
made against the outrage contemplated
by the Republicans in carrying out their
programme for uDseating Southern fnem-
bers. In the Mackey case especially,
where forgery and all sorts of skuldugery
has been resorted to in carrying on the
contest, there is ample justification for
resortiug to every means known to par
liamentary law to defeat the wicked par.
tisan scheme. At this writing the Demo-
crats express q determination. to stand
firm. Gen. Rosecrans, of California, the
chairman of the Democratic Congression-
al campaign committee, in speaking of the
contest, said: "If the Republicans intend
to seat Mackey. with all the forgeries and
wrong doing, they must do 1t over our
stubborn resistance" Mr.. Randall is
master of all the tactics that can be
brought to bear ON the Democratic side,
but Speaker Kiefer is very hot-headed
and has an exaggerated idea of the power
and prerogatives of the chair, and the
struggle, II continued, may be marked by
some exciting and lively scenes. Whether
the Republicans will regard 1t as good
policy to made the appropriation bills and
other measures Of necessity wait for any
protracted period in the attempt to seat q
man who has no legal claim is what
doubted. although such are the threats
which are current.
There has been talk in some quarters
about the necessity OF creating tribunal
to take the settlement of contested
cases out of the hands OF Congress. Ger.
tain non-partisan journals have advo-
Gated such a plan, and there is much
solid truth in the reasons assigned for it.
.sCongressmen simply vote the party
ticket,in deciding contest without regard
10 right or wrong. This is done In SO
cynical manner that it seems as IL mem
bers Of Congress had lost all feeling OF
the moral obliquity OF it, and as if the
strongest appeals to higher motives OF
action were and would remain unavail-
ing. It Is very evident that under such
circumstances Congress is not the proper
authority to decide contested election
cases, and in order to secure justice and
to arrest the infection of such demoraliz-
ing practices, it will be necessary to look
for some judicial tribunal outside to
which such cases can be submitted with
!, the assurance that evidence will receive
its due weight, and that the man justly
entitled to the seat will have it, no mat
ter whether his party is in q majority in
Congress or not This is all very well,
but the question is where are we to find
the tribunal lifted above and beyound the
political influences that control Congress.
tt has been pretty clearly demonstrated
that the Federal Judiciary does not come
10 to that standard, and one of the
strongest arguments for Democrats
against Judge Davis Supreme Court bill
was the fact that President Arthur,an in.
tense partisan, would likely appoint all
those new Judges from men Of his own
ilk. We had q lesson the people will not
be slow to forget in the tribunal created
20 settle the contested election between
HAYES and Tilden, when the Judges taking
gowns and al from the Supreme bench,
twisted the same point both ways-one
way in Florida and another way in Ore
eon-to suit party ends. PHoNo.
Il