Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-23

The contest now going on in the
House Of Representatives over the seat
of Mr.. Dibble, member elect from the
Second Congressional District Of South
Carolina, whose seat is being contested
by Mackey, is in pursuance Of the reso-
luton recently adopted by the Demo
cratic caucus to filibuster and prevent
the consummation of the Republican
scheme to unseat Mr.. Dibble as long as
possible. This determination is right
and just 1t will be remembered that
this contest was originally instituted by
Mackey against the late Mr.. 0'Connor.
and, upon the death of the latter, a new
election was ordered. at which Mr.. Dib-
bic, the present sitting member, was
chosen, practically without opposition,
Mackey having refused to enter the can
vass on the ground that he
was already legally elected. Mr..
Dibble has offered to prove that the
affidavits submitted by Msckey have
been materially altered by him, and that
much of the documentary evidence has
been deliberately forged, sworn proof of
this having been made in a case recently
tried before a Federal Court in South
Carolina. The majority of the commit
tee refused to even consider Mr.. Dibble's
offer to prove these facts, and, treating
the forged and altered testimony as valid,
made it the basis of report in favor Of
seating the contestant, who was a conspic-
uous member Of the robber gang which
plundered the Palmetto State in the days
of carpetbagism.
Under the circumstances the Demo
Gratis are fully justified in their resolu-
ton to oppose by every means in their
power the proposed Republican outrage.
It is well said that filibustering and
other tactics of delay are always to be
reprehended when hastily resorted to
without the most extreme provocation,
but they are nevertheless forces which
law and custom have given a minority in
order to protect itself from the exercise
against it of mere unreasoning party
power by a majority. 1t is now to OPP
pose the exercise of such power by the
Republican majority in the House that
the Democracy have determined to re-
sort to tactics Of delay, and it is to be
hoped they will stand by their determine
ton to the bitter end.
1t is but to be expected that this course
of the Democratic members of Congress
will call forth anathemas and warnings
from the Republican press and Republi-
can sympathizers. Already certain cor
respondents of stalwart papers in Wash
ington are declaring that if the Democrats
fllibuster and delay public business in
this matter they viii make a great mis-
take, and that this is a blunder they
cannot afford. All such gentlemen,
however, forget how the Republicans in
the last Congress deliberately filibustered
and delayed most important legislation
merely for partisan and fractions pur-
poses, and their conduct did not then
call forth such terrible disspprobstion
from the country, while it was especially
commended by those now anxious zealots
for therapid transaction of Congressional
business.
We agree fully with the Baltimore
Gazette, when it says that the sooner
the Democratic party gives all such
critics to understand that it does not
want peace on any such terms, the bet
ter it will be for it. The question as to
when contested cases shall be brought up
is wholly within the hands of the Repub-
lican managers who "run" Congress. 1t
is they who have decreed that this gross
wrong to South Carolina shall be done,
no matter what the facts or arguments.
If they choose to make the attempt while
important measures are pending which
its consideration will delay, they are the
men responsible for the injury done to
such measures, not the Democrats, who
neither ask nor desire that such con-
test shall be precipitated at this time
Men of sense and fairness will
see and understand this, and it
is not worth while for the Democrats to
try to conciliate the foolish and unfair
among their critics and opponents, while
it is time that they were showing their
supporters that they intend to fight with
vigor and determination for their own
and their party's rights. No case ever
existed worse than this is made by the
committees refusal to receive proofs
that the false evidence on which its re-
port is based was forged and altered,
and the Democracy would be weak and
cowardly not to fight the attempt to the
last. 1t is to be hoped they will filibus-
ter, then, if they can. till the crack Of
doom rather than permit the theft of
Mr.. Dibble's seat to be accomplished. 1t
is thing not to be submitted to while a
single expedient of resistance is untried
| A committee appointed by the Legis.