New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-08
A COMMITTEE IMPOSED UPON.

BY 1ELEONAH ~ I'M AhibN-''i
WASHINGTON July IA subcommittee of tie
House Committee on the Judiciary is conducting an
Investigation which, from present appearances Will
result in placing several prominent Nebraska poliu-
clans in disagreeable position. For eight or ten
wears il has been custom in Nebraska to elect a
contingent Congressman IN addition to the regu-
lar Representative to which the State was en-
titled under the Apportionment law ol
1872 The title of this contingent
REPRESENTATIVE was based on the clam that oy an
srror in the census OF 1870, revealed oy q state
census taken two years later the state was ue-
priyed of a Representative to which II was emitted
The State census of 1872. it was asserted, showed
that the actual population in 1870 must have been
sufficiently greater than the olieIa enumeration OF
the United States census to entItle the State TO an
additional Representatives
Al the beginning of this session Colonel Majors,
who had been elected a contingent" Repre-
tentative to the XLvIIth Congress, made his ap-
pcarance in Washington and began TO press hs claim
10 his seat. The Judiciary Committee began an in
yestigation of the matter. and having arrived at
certain stage. required Colonel Majors TO produce
certified copy of the state of 1872. Colonel
Majors sent a friend Mr.. Schwenk, to Nebraska to
procure the desired papers from Mr.. Alexander the
Secretary of State and prominent candidate tor
Governor of Nebraska. 1t is understood according
10 the testimony of one witness before The Judiciary
Committee, that Schwenk was instructed, II
prac icable to induce Secretary Alexander
to draw his certificate so that 1t
would appear aflinnativelv that the census
was taken III 1872 or, failing in that to have the
date and year left blank. Secretary Alexander. 1t
is understood, has testified before the same COM
mttee that be left the bla TX. aud II Is also sad
that schwenk testified that the year LETT blank
and that the paper was III that condition when he
inclosed 1t through the mail TO Colonel Majors at
Washington. That gentleman laid 1T before The
Judiciary Committee, and il Is understood that he
Las since testified that he made alteration IN or
audluoh 10 H. IbIs certificate was accepted Dy
tie COMMITTEE IS satisfactory, and report III favor
o. colonel Majors was drawn up.
ABOUT tins time Mr. Hammond, of Georgia,
member OF the committee. who had steadily re-
ti'ted report IN favor OF Colonel Majors, found
copy OF the Nebraska census of 1S74. and IL com
l"ilhg II witt the paper submitted by Colonel Ma
!ofs under tie seal of the Nebraska Secretary OF
State, and ruTpOrtlng 10 he of the census OF
IofZ he found that the two were identical, and
thai an attemDt TO impose fictitious paper upon
iAe committee had been made by somebody in the
interest Of Colonel Majors. A closer inspection of
The paper filed by Colonel Majors showed that the
Gate 1872 IN different handwriting and ink
rom the body of the certificate.
Of course these discoveries put stop to all fur
tEer steps toward giving Colonel Majors seat III
the House, aud the present investigation was be-