The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-06
THE LOWRY-WdITE CASE.


The Indications are clear that Captain
White will not be unseated. We have all
along hoped and believed that enough honest
and independent Democrats would vote with
the Republicans to prevent the consumma-
ton of this great wrong. The equities Of the
case were so clear that we could hardly be-
ieve it possible that at least few Democrats
in the House would not protest against the
outrage sought to be perpetrated by the COM
mittee. The indications are there will be sew
eral. Two or three, notably Mr.. Cochran, OF
New York, and Judge Wilson, of Minnesota,
have spoken strongly and eloquently in Capt.
Whites favor, and will vote against the ma
jority report as will number of other Demo
Gratis of more or less prominence in the House.
They will thus deserve the credit due to hon.
est and independent action, and will
show there are limits to the
sway of party discipline. The
speeches of the two above named do them
honor But the fact remains that a majority
of the committee reported in favor of unseat-
ing Captain White, and their report will
doubtless be sustained by a large majority OF
the Democratsin the House. It is significant
that at the very time the convicted tally-sheet
forgers in this city were receiving their sem
tence this determined attempt should be
made in Congress to overthrow fair election
by unseating q Republican member on
fimsy technicality. The attempt illustrates
the animus of the majority, and the fact that
it is likely to lack but a few votes of success
shows how welded the Democracy are to
forcible and fraud ulent methods. Chairman
Crisp, Of Georgia, led in the raid against
Capt. White, but when it came to arguing the
case before the House he put Mr.. Barry. OF
Mississippi, forward to present the case. Capt.
White received II, 900 votes against Is, 416 for
Lowry. Chairman Crisp received /. 704 votes,
all told-nearly 800 less than Whites major
ity. Mr.. Barry received 2, 1854 votes all told
about 500 more than Whites majority.
Captain White received nearly four times as
many votes as Crisp and Barry both together.
Crisp had no opposition in his district, and
122 scattering" votes were cast in Barry's dis
trlct. DOWN In tnaC country tn0y call hepup1lC-
an votes scattering" There is large Repub-
licau vote in both Crisp's and Barry's dis
tricts, but it always scatters before elections.
Thus we have the spectacle of two Southern
Democrats, who both together received only
4,66S votes leading in the movement to un-
seat a Republican member from Indiana who
received IL, 300 votes. These ex-confeierate
gentlemen say Captain White should be un-
| seated because he cannot produce his natur-
| alization papers. 1t would be more reasonable
| and just to unseat them for disloyalty.
| While Captain White was fighting his coun-
try,s battles in the Union army they were
unfolding treason under the stars and bars.
Yet these amnestied rebels, whose titles to
their seats are black with fraud, ask the
Democratic majority in the House to unseat
an Indiana Republican, fairly and honestly
| elected, because his naturalization papers,
| having been burned, he can not produce
| record evidence of his citizenship. We are
| not surprised that a few honest Democrats
refuse to join in concentrating this outrage,
| but the boldness of the attempt shows the
spirit of the solid South, and of its Northern
| doughface allies.