Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1882-06-02

Business in the House of Representa-
tives was at a stand still during the past
week, in consequence of deadlock upon
the question Of unseating Mr.. Dibble, a
Democrat from South Carolina, and seat
ing Mr.. Mackey, Republican, which had
been recommended by the Elections Com
mittee. The Democrats, under the leader
ship of Mr.. Randall of Pennsylvania, have
flllbustered to prevent the consideration
of the committees report. The reasons
upon which the Democrats justify their
action, is that an affidavit and other tes-
timony was before the committee going
to show that Mackey had materially al
tered the evidence upon which the report
of the committee was founded, and that,
in disregard of this evidence tending to
establish the fraudulent practice of Mack
ey, the committee, animated by partisan
bias, recommended the unseating of Dib-
Bile and the seating of Mackey.
The Baltimore Sun of Monday accur-
ately states the position Of the Democrats
in an editorial as follows:
further facts the republicans upon action
with such facts as they have. 1t will be
remembered that the contest was original
ly between Mr.. M. P. O'Connor and Mr..
Mackey> Mr.. O'Connor having died, Mr.
Dibble was elected to succeed him, there
by becoming heir to his predecessors con-
test. The nature of the evidence upon
which Mr.. Dibble relies. and to which the
committee on elections, it is claimed, re-
fused to give due weight, was shown in
the House on Wednesday last. Mr.. Hewitt
read an affidavit made by one Mr.. c.
Smith, United States supervisor of cleo
tions, to the effect that he had been en-
ployed by Mackey to write out the testi
mony taken in his behalf; that in the
stenographer's report "there were inter
lineations, errors, erasures, and portions
of the original sheets substituted, and
sometimes left out entirely that sometimes
nearly whole page was struck out by
drawing line across it; that the inter
lineations were IN the hand of Mr.. Mackey;
that sometimes whole pages Of this testi
mony in the handwriting of Col. Mackey
would be inserted, of which there was no
original in the handwriting of the steno-
grapher, and that the notary pub ic placed
his seal and signature to the testimony
without making any comparison with the
originals" the originals in many cases
having been destroyed by Mr.. Mackey.
The testimony was expressed by the de-
ponent to the clerk of the House of Repre-
|sentatives, and upon it the committee on
elections based its report. Similar defects
are affirmed in the same affidavit to exist
in the testimony Of Zimmerman and
Huguenin, filed for the committees use
The recent trials in South Carolina
brought out other evidence tending to
prove fraudulent Interpolation, as the
papers in evidence before the committee,
purporting to be the supervisors returns
of one H. w. Hendricks, republican super
visor for Hope Englinehouse precinct,
have been disclained and repudiated by
him. Other Witnesses swore to the same
effect. These facts were brought out after
the committee on elections made there re-
port. but Mr.. Dibble's motion to reopen
The case was overruled by The committee
by a vote of three 10 two. 1t is perhaps
more important that justice should be done
than that the contest between Messrs
Dibble and Mackey should be decided i'm
mediately. Where there is so much OF
suspicion of CROOKED" testimony further
investigation would seem to be in order.
But from the disclosures in the proceed
ings of the House of Representatives
Saturday it would appear that after
caucusing on the subject The republicans
have determined that there shall be no
further investigation into the facts of the
South Carolina case. and shat .r. M.chey
is to be seated il the gag" law can accom-
plish it. On Saturday, Mr.. Rec | reported
from the committee on rules proposed
''cloture." by amending paragraph s of
rule 16, so that not more than one motion
to adjourn can be entertained by the
Speaker until the main question before
the House be disposed of or considered for
at least ore hour. Under objection from
the democratic size the amendment went
over until Monday. 1t is understood that
Speaker Keifer is prepared to stand by be
republicans in their determination to
adopt effective means against further
fillibustering on the South Carolina case
whist the democrats, under the skilliul
leadership of ex-Speaker Randall. the best
parliamentarian in the body. will make a
vigorous fight against what they claim is
proposed gross invasion of their rights