The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-05-15
A POLITICAL SURPRISE.
Republican Plan to Get Control
OF the Illinois Legislature.
Carrying a Democratic District by
a Still Hunt.

A Springfield qn) dispatch gives the fol-
lowing interesting account of the plan adopted
by the Republican leaders to gain control
of the Illinois legislatures: "By one of
the shrewdest political schemes ever re-
corded, the status of the Illinois sem
atorial contest and the political COM
plexion of the legislature have been com.
pleted. The change was brought about
SO successfully and secretly that every one
here, except a few OF the Republican mana
gers, was taken by surprise Early in the
struggle Representative Logan died. AS his
district was overwhelmingly Republican, the
Democrats made scarcely any contest at the
polls, and q gap in the Republican ranks was
filled by stanch Logan man. The next death
was that of Representative Shaw, n Democrat
who had been elected by about 1000 maiori-
ty. Considering the district safe, the Demo-
Gratis paid little attention to the election of a
successor, the Republicans having made no
nomination. The colleague of the deceased
representative was away with the New Or
leans junketing expedition. Morrison had
gone TO Washington. The legislature was
wasting its time with barely a quorum
At this juncture Long Jones, the
chairman, and Dan Shepherd, the secretary,
OF the state central committee put their
heads together and decided upon "A coup detat
BY a curious coincidence the room used by
Colonel Morrison while here IS his head
quarters was the one selected for the Republic
can secret conferences. Private advices were
sent to leading Republicans in every
county of the Thirty-fourth legis-
latlve district Workers in every precinct
were informed of the scheme, and then the
plotters sat down to await events 1t was a
bold scheme to attempt to obtain Demo-
cratic district and overcome 1000 majority,
but its very audacity carried it through.
The election came off yesterday, and dur
ing most Of the day was a tame affair. Many
prominent Democratic leaders were out Of
the district; Others did not think it worth
while to vote, and Leeper, the Democratic
candidate, did almost no electioneering,
ne ne having no opponent visible to
the naked eye. About o'clock
in the afternoon, however, the scene changed.
Republicans lounge1 up to the polls by tens
and scores, and at a given signal began de-
posting written ballots for A. NJ. Weaver,
an insurance agent Of Menard county. The
plans of the leaders were well laid and
everything moved like clock-work. The
Democrats were not given time to recover
from their surprise and when the polls closed
a Republican representative had been
elected from a district having normal
Democratic majority of 1900 votes. The
secret was wonderfully well guarded and few
Republicans and no Democrats in Springfield
had any knowledge of the work that was
being done According to the latest returns
the Republican ma jority was about 300
This breaks the tie in the House and puts
the Republicans in control of both branches
of he legislature by a majority of one in
each. 1t disposes of Morrison as a senatorial
possibility, as the Republicans will now have
majority of two on joint ballot,
instead of the two parties being
evenly balanced as hitherto. General Logan
undoubtedly engineered the coup and will
claim that he has earned his reelection by
the efforts of himself and devoted lieuten-
ants"
a later dispatch stated that the Democrats
would contest Weaver's right to his seat on
account of irregularities and fraud in his
election