Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-09-26

certificate Of election on January
18th. At the same time Mr.. Gala
han presented protest which has
been dignifed by the Democrats as
a contest, and the whole matter was
referred to the Committee of Privi-
leges and Elections, consisting of
the following members: Messrs.
Thurman, Diggs, Twyman, Glas-
gov, Mccormick, Meredith, Barnes,
Powell, and Grim; the three last
being Republicans and all the
others Democrats. Two reports
were submitted, but were not finally
acted on until it was ascertained
that Turner (Republican) had been
for the third time elected, and con-
sequently Callahan was the last
chance the Democrats had of secur-
ing the needed twenty-seyen votes.
Then Callahan was seated on the
22d of February under circumstan-
ces which stamps the seal of an in
effable fraud on the whole transac-
ton. The report of the minority
proposing to seat Callahan was
signed by Messrs. Mccormick,
Glasgow, and Meredith. The other
report, which represented the ma
jority, as shown by the vote, was
signed by Messrs. Thurman and
Dlggs, and proposed to seat Rue.
The Thirty.third district is COM
posed of the city of Portsmouth
and Norfolk county; and the
Mccormick report which is tissue
of hypocritical absurdities, cody
throws out the whole Of Norfolk
county and the Third ward of
Portsmouth and then, having sup
posed that Callahan had a majority
in the three precincts left of the
ten in the district, forthwith elects
Rue and injects Callahan. Shade
of Cooley. listen to the argument
of the law firm of Mccormick, Glas-
Cow and Meredith. If everybody
in Norfolk county who did not vote
had voted for Callahan, then the
majority of Rue would be wiped
out and Callahan would have "a
good majority of 2S5 But we, the
Democrats, in remembrance of our
traditional honest, magnanimOnsly
ignore our advantages and content
ourselves with throwing out every
precinct which gave Rue majority !
Much more manly would the lar
ceny have appeared had the Demo
Gratis of the Senate adopted the
following:
Whereas we, the Democrats of the Sem
ate, lack ore vote to enable Us to carry
ont the villainous schemes Of Barbour,
therefore,
Resolned That we set aside the election
in the Thirty-thrd district, and hereby
authorize John Callahan to represent that
district in this Senate, on condition that
he will vote with the Democrats on all
partizan measures.
That is exactly what the whole
affair means. Whether Mr. Gala.
han, will stand by the infamous
arrangement remains to be seen.
To cover up the fraudulent con-
clusions of their report. McCor-
mick, Glasgow, and Meredith
charged Federal interference in
the election, and practically argued
that Callahan ought to be seated
as a rebuke to the Federal Gov
ernment. How much truth is in
this charge may be CLEANED from
the report of Messrs. Thurman and
Diggs, both prominent and inhuen-
tial Democratic Senators. These
gentlemen say:
"There is some proof tending to show
that the patronage of the Federal Govern
ment was improperly used to influence
voters in favor of Rue; but to what practi-
cal extent beyond half dozen rotes is not
shown, and is mere matter Of speculation.
While the undersigned cannot too severe.
ly condemn this interference with the
free expression of the peoples will, the
eridence does not prore, nor can we reason
ably infer therefrom, that this improper
influence controlled the election"
The final proceedings of the
Senate were so peculiar that the
official record (see Senate Journal,
p. 1881 is here given;
"The report of the Committed on Priyi-
leges and Elections, in the contested elec-
tions case of Callahan rs. Rue, being the
unfinished business of yesterday, was
taken up; the pending question being on
the adoption of the first resolution of the
minority of said committee, which is in
these words:
"Resolred, That NJ. P. Rue is not en-
titled to seat in this body.
"Mr. Lovenstein demanded the pending
oneston: and the question shall the pend
ing question be now putt being put, was
determined in the affirmative.
"The question on agreeing to the reso-
luton being put, was determined in the |
negative-ayes, 10; noes, Ia.
HOn motion of Mr.. Mccormick, the vote
was recorded as follows:
"AYEs.-Messre. Berry, Coltrane, Glas-
cow. Heaton, Koiner, Lovenstein, McCor-
mick. Meredith, Petit, Warwick, Wick
ham, and Wingfeld-l3.
"koEs.-Messrs, Aaily, Harham, Alias,
Diggs, Edmunds FlGRary Gaines, Grim,
Mcdonald, NeUbeTy, Norton, Powell,
Rogers, Thumdn, aud Townes-l5. (Dem-
ocrats in talics.) /
"The question on agreeing to the second |
resolution Of the minority, which is in
these words:
"Resolued That John Callahan is en-
titled to seat in this body as Senator
from the Thirty-third Senatorial district,
heino hut mt was determined in the |