The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-22
MIR. PEELLE,s ADDRESS.
The Methods by Which He Was Deprived of
His Seattle Tariff Issue.

The Methods by Which He Was Deprived of
His Seat-The Tariff Issue.
| Mr. Peelle, being introduced by Mr. Wilson,
in brief, but weIl-worded speech, spoke as fol
lows:
Ladies and Gentlemen: ! am profoundly CRATE
full TO the people of this district and to the peo
| pie of this county in particular, for the gener
Gus support which was given me at the last
! election; and sinceI have again been honored
with the nomination for Congress, / assume the
burden of the political issues involved and open
my, campaign. The more than generous recep-
] ton which you give me tonight. I accept
as no slight evidence of your appreciation of my
career in Congress- and feeling that those who
gave me their support two years ago approve
my course, confidently come to you in this
campaign to right the wrong which the House of
Representatives at its last session inflicted
upon the district by unseating the representative
of your choice.
THE CONTESTED ELECTION.
That was honestly, fairly and legally elected
two years ago your representative in the
Forty y-eighth Congress, is now, il it was not
then, conceded even by my political opponents;
yet, III the face of this well known and conceded
fact, and in violation of all law and precedent,
was unseated by Democratic House, against
your will, constitutionally expressed at the bal
lot. My opponent, Mr. English. was given the
scat to which he was not entitled, and neither
he nor any one else who makes the race
in this district against me, dares
defend the House in stealing my seat
or the recipient of the stolen goods. The right
Of the people of this district, under the Consttu-
ton, to choose their own Representative was
usurped by a Democratic House, and man
elected whom you, by your suffrages, had de-
cided should remain at home. The contest by
Mr.. English was narrowed. down to Marion
county, and it was conceded by him, as the re-
turns showed, that was elected by eighty seven
majority in the district, and that in Marion
county my majority over English was GAO. The
question as to the quality ofpaper upon which the
Republican tickets wore printed, as well as the
alleged poor house and Jail vote, intimidation,
etc., did not figure in the case when it reached
the House, so that the management of the cam
paign, on behalf of the Republicans, was to that
extent vindicated even by the Democratic
House.
There was but one single point in the case
that was considered as furnishing even pre-
tense for the action of those who voted to un-
seat me, and that was the so-called recount of
the ballots by Austin 81. Brown, of Indianapolis,
Ind
give his address for the benefit of all
Democrats in distress who prefer to seek
an election in the House rather than before the
people. He is ne plus ultra witness for Dem
ocratic House in close case, and especially
when paid for his services, as he swore he was in
this instance. Now, let US see how that soIcaed
recount Of the ballots cast for Congress was
made by Mr. Brown. And, first let it be borne
in mind that there are eighty election precincts
in Marion county, and that at each precinct there
were as the law requires, five persons constitut-
ing an election board, there being not less than
two Democrats on each board, and in some
instances three; or, in other words, there were
four hundred voters of the county acting as in
spectors judges clerks at the various precincts
Of which about one hundred and seventy were
Democrats, all being witnesses to the returns
from their respective precincts which returns
were again verified by the board of canvassers,
consisting of all the Democratic and Republican
inspectors in the county, and no objections were
made to the returns as certified by the board of
canyassers to the clerk Of the Circuit Court
At this same election there were two per-
sons voted for for sheriff of Marion county
and the returns gave Mr., Hess, the Republican
candidate majority Of twelve votes.
| Mr., Lemon, the defeated Democratic candi-
!! date, claiming to have received majority Of