Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-19
lFcr tic Rich noaa DIspa.sa.j
Massey w. wise.

Mr.. Ediior,-As the action Of the
| Elections COMMITTEE in my contest with
John s. Wise for the seat. 10 which I was
certainly elected. In the Forty-elgbth Con.
| xrcss as congressman az large from yir-
| GINA. and the appropriation made by Con-
gress to ard me In defraying the expenses I
| incurred In TINT contest seem not 10 be
fully understood, | ask the privilege OF
making, through the Dispatch, the follow
| inc statement
Al the time OF the election-N November
| 7, 1ss2-John s. Wise was prosecuting az
torney Of the Federal Court Of the East
ern District OF Virginia. knowing he
| could not retain that Office and occupy a
! seat in Congress ut the same time, he re.
signed his attorneyship on the Sd of March.
| 1888. the day before the congressional term
commenced. Two days thereafter, at his
own solicitation. nc was appointed by At
| torney-Genera' Brewster assistant district
| prosecuting attorney to assist In prose-
| cutting the men he had charged with having
violated the election laws (the grayamen
| of whose offence consisted in their OBJ
posing bis eiection).
This Office he yet holds, aud is therefore
ineligible TO the scat he occupies in Con-
gress even il he were otherwise eatitlel to
II.
This point was fully sustained by my
counsel in their very able and unanswer-
able arguments and citations OF authority
before the committee. In doing this, aud
arguing some other points OF Law, they oc-
cIipied all the time allowed them by the
/ committee, leaving the facts the real
merits OF the contest-uueXpl1ined aud
only incidentally referred to.
Seeing the inevitable consequences OF this
failure, for The rant Of tune, to eXpllin the
grounds upon which | claimed the seat.
and the evidence which sustained TINT
claim, said 10 one Of my counsel, Yol
have unSeQied Wise, but have not seated
me.v He thereup0n asked and obtaiEed
permission to file a printed argument on
The facts. Before this printed argument
had been read a vote was taken. against
the protest OF some OF the ID IN )cratic
members OF the committee. and two
Democrats uniting with the Republicans
made majority report In favor OF Wise.
(Six Democrats report him ineligible.) |
asked for a reheaIing, but 1t was denied
me. made brief statement to some men,
hers Of the committee. but the comm ,ttee
has never heard an argument upon the
facts OF the case. The ease will be acted
on. | suppose, ut the next session. and l
do not fear the result II the House can be
put in possession Of all the facts.
EXPENSES AND APPROPRIATION.
The expense, Of the contest, 50 far as re-
ported. amount TO eight thousand two hun
dred and fifty dollars and sevcnty-two cents
(9s. 2J0.72). A little more than one half OF
this sum l. made up OF unconditional
charges. Most Of these charges were paid
by me when the services for which they
were made were rendered, and the residue
will now be paid. The residue OF the
ss,2j0.12 is the sum OF accounts for SER
vices rendered By attorneys and Others. who
kindly Informed me that they should ex-
pcct pavmcnt OF them provided Congress
made appropriation for their payment,
but not otherwise. Such an appropriation
ought to be made, and hope 1t viii be. l
shall make earnest effort for It; and II
succeed those who have rendered these ser
vices shall be paid for them. Until such
further appropriation be made shall be
under the necessity OF sill enjoying their
unreduited kindness. The whole amount
appropriated towards the payment OF my
expenses was $500. This falls far short
OF the unconditional expenses. which have
been and are 10 be paid by me.
deem this statement due to myself as
well a. TO others. Very respectfully.
joins +. MASSEY.
Ash L1irn, "a. July 1S, 1884.