Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-02-05
The Ohio Conspiracy.

The curious double headed contest in the
Ohio Senate, to which we made brief allu-
sion last week, has arisen from the action OF
the Democratic members in regard to the seats
Of the four Democratic Cincinnati senators,
who we're counted in by gross frauds at the
polls. The Republican members refuse to
recognize the right Of these four senators to
occupy th,i r seats The Democratic mem
bers declare that if the senators from Hamil-
ton county are not admitted they will not
serve with the Republican members The
result is that the senate has separated into
two bodies, each with presiding officer and
each claiming to be the rightful senate. The
Democrats are in majority, if the four Gin
cinnsti senators are included, the number
standing twenty for the Democrats to seven
teen for the Republicans. The New York
Tribune, in speaking OF the action of the
Democratic members, says
From the beginning the conduct Of the Demo-
Gratis has been marked by reckless disregard Of pub
lie opinion, Of parliamentary rules, or Of constu-
tional obligations. The acknowledgement, under
the constitution Of the state has the powers OF pre-
siding officer OF the senate Those powers the Dem
ocratic members, who with the four fraudulen.ly
seated pereOns from Cincinnati claim to b ma lori
IT, undertook to take from him BY the adoption OF
rules which gave to the CLERK Of their selection
| the power to declare the results Of all votes This
rule the acknowledgements properly declared yio-
laton OF the constitution, aud refused to respect
| H. called upon the clerk to perform bis duties
SUCH aud the clerk instead insisted upon performing
the duties which constutionally belong the pre-
siding officer The ieuenaut -Rovernor decided that
the four bogus members from Cincinnati had right
to vote questions affecting their seats. The clerk
insisted upon calling their names and declaring the
result Of the vote with their votes included. The
ieuenan-goyeruor refused to recognize such votes,
and declared the result as it properly was the votes
Of the persons 10 contested seats being excluded.
Thereupon the Democrats seeded from the senate,
assumed to depose the heuteDant governor appoint
| ed = senator to preside in bis stead and now seek
some hall in the city in which to set up pretended
senate
Ell Gov. Foster gives a clear idea of the
situation and the issues involved in state
ment made by him to friends in Washington
1.-THE issues involved are Of far-reaching impor-
lance and may play conspicuous part IN the contest
for the presidency. 1t is simply attempt 10 carry
Northern states by Southern methods. It is surpris-
ng to me that any honest man. caring for the securi
| ty Of republican institutions, can for one moment
couutenance these frauds Tue forgery Of 200 votes
by changing figure seven to niue Is admitted. The
proof is on the face OF the returns. one Of the Dem
ocratc state senator's depends wholly upon that forg
cry for his plurality Two others also get the beuen
OF 1t. In the case of the fourth senator the change
not made, evidently by uuintentional neglect
the part Of the eonspirators. but the Democratic
clerk gave that the benefit Of the forgery, Just
II 1t had been really made in his also, aud issued
to him certificate Of election. BY the Withholding
Of returns on the part Of the Democratic a Demo-
cratic judge Of the supreme court who was defeated
by 49, 900 plurality kept in once days after
the time provided by law for the expiration Of his
term. In that ten days he gave decision which
overrued that Of another court aud enaLlsd the DEM
ocrats to seat the members that they had fraudulent
ly counted in, This gave the Democrats a temporary
mvjority in the senate. By provision Of law in
Ohio the outgoing governor aud lieutenant governor
hold office until some days after the legislature
is organized. In that time tue Democratic senators
adopted rules which took from the leutena govern
or powers conferred upon him by the Constitution aud
the laws. when Leut.-Gov Kennedy was inaugural
ed OF course he refused to recognize rules which at
tempted to override the constitution and put the
Democratic clerk IN bis place. Tue law provides tina
neither the confession tue cOutestee shall vote up
Oh the hual decision, nor on any preliminary ques-
ton that has any reference thereto In violation Of
this law before the present lieutenant governor was
iuaugurated, these four illegally chosen Democrats
voting with the 10 legally elected Democrats arranged
for investigation Of their own cases by commit
tee of their own choosing. That committee may new
report, After the present heutenan governor was
naugurated the Republicans, considering the mAgnt-
tude Of the orgeries aud the farreachng evil effects
Of such frauds moved to investigate these contests In
open senate. BY law, these four senator's, whose
exclusive Of their votes the Republicans have a ma.
iority. The Democratic senators are resisting that
EFFORT and their clerk ia trying TO exercise the Illegal
rules. That Is the present status Of the case.
I'm the last legislature the Democrats passed Law
taking the control Of the police force in Cincinnati
mission created by the act All OF these infAmeH In
Cincinnati have been countenanced by the polio,
controlled 10 that way. The Democrats wish to pre-
vent the repeal Of that law aud thus carry the sprn
elections in the same way. II forgery and fraud
palpabe and admitted, successful now, where viii
, the end be? 1t Is question which concerns not
ly tue state of Ohio, but every state in the Union"