The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-04-28
THE BRADWELL- McNALLY CASE.

THE BRADWELL-M cNALLY CASE.
The Republicans in the Illinois legisIa.
ture, on Friday OF last week, finding them
selves unable to brIn! the "recalcitrant'
Rock second time up to the rack, and be.
ing threatened with descrtion by two or
three other members, backed down on the
Bradwell. McNally contest and consented
to its indefinite postponement
The result was triumph to the demo
Gratis as righteous as it was glorious. There
was no truth or justice in the claim OF
Bradwel to the seat IN the house held by
McNally, and the only motive OF the persis'
tent effort to install him in that seat was to
give the Republicans working majority
IN the house which the people at the polls
had denied them.
The case in a nutshell was this At the
election in November last McNally and
Bradwell were, among others, candidates
for the house from the Third Senatorial
District, Chicago. The district is in the
centre of the city and includes the Palmer
House There are In it 10 polling places,
in each of which the Republicans had two
judges and the Democrats one, besides
which each polling place was watched dur
ing the day by from 10 to Is e. 5. deputy
marshals, appointed by Long Jones, Chair.
man of the Republican State Committee.
Every ballot was received by republican
officials and recorded and county by Repub-
licdn judges. AT the close OF the count II
was found that McNally had received 80
more votes than Bradwell, and the Repub-
lican judges thereupon issued certificate
OF election to McNally in due form.
In the same district, at the same election,
Mr.. Abrams was candidate for represen
talve and was in like manner with
McNally declared to be elected. Some
days after the election Bradwell notified
A brains that he should contest his election,
and sort of court was organized to re.
count the ballots After the recount had
proceeded several days, Mr.. Abrams being
present, and no irregularities In his vote
beng found, Bradwell changed his pro.
gramme and informed McNally that the
recount was proceeding against him.
McNally paid no attention to the notice,
and the recount was finished by Bradwell
and his court" alone. And thereupon GER
tain afiidavits were made that Bradwell
had teen elected over McNally by 40 mo,
jority, but the affidavlts were neither at.
tested by the seal of notary or otherwIse
formal or legal.
But upon these afildavi,s the contest was
carried to the House at Springfield, There
the democrats SAID: "These sffidavits are
irregular and illegal; besIdes, the count in
Chicago was made neither in the presence
of Abrams or McNally, nor could be, the
wy the inquiry was conducted. Let US
therefore recount these ballots. If there
is one more ballot for Bradwel than
McNally. we pledge ourselves to unite
with you in giving Bradwell the seat
But the Republicans SAID "No; the contest
must be decided by the aflidavlts alone"
They knew, tor Bradwell and his court"
had doubtless told them, that recount OF
the ballots would give the sect to McNally.
Very WELL" then SAID the democrats; "it
you VIII not count the ballots we will com.
pei you TO seat your fraudulent member by
your own votes. We will not be party to
the crime of counting III an unclected re,
publican. We will not be part of the
quorum that will do so dishonest an act
Whenever this question comes up, and you
attempt to seat your man on these eX parte
aflldavlts, we will be absent from the
house" And to that determination the
democrats stuck, and the outcome was, as
VIC haye said, as glorious as 1t was right
locus.