The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-30
An Outrageous Partisan Decision.

Washington Special to New York Tribune.
The action of to-day in the contested election
case of Lowry against White. of Indiana, indi-
Gates determination on the part of the Demo
cratic majority of the House committee on cleo.
tions to go to any extreme of partisan unfair
ness which may promise to aid the Democratic
party The committee decided by a vote of
fourteen to one that Lowry, who received only
1916 votes against Whites 17.9OO is not en-
titled to the seat. It was truly great occasion
for eight Democrats to vote that Democrat
who defeated by majority of only 2, 484,
was not entitled to seat in the House The
man who voted to give the seat to Lowry is
ONeill, another Indiana Democrat. Lowry
having thus been thrown out of court, the
Democratic majority of the committee voted
solidly for motion declaring Captain Whites
seat vacant on the ground Of ineligibility.
One Democrat, Mr.. Heard reserved the right
to change his vote when the comes before
the House if he shall become convinced that the
oral testimony in regard to Captain Whites
naturalization was admissible. That is the sole
ground of the decision against Captain White.
A majority of the committee comedies that the
testimony offered was sufficient, if admitted at
all, to sustain the claim of his naturalization.
that the oral proof OF naturalization in such q
case is admissible. and they will submit strong
report in favor of that view.
It is stated what seems to be good au-
thority that several prominent Democrats in the
House agree with the Republican minority of
the committee on this point, and that they will
both speak and vote In his favor when the case
shall be submitted for discussion. One of them
heard to say that the judgment of the
iority of the committee only bad in
law. but that the effect of it would be injurious
to the Democratic party, which always has pro-
fessed the greatest solcitude in behalf of the
rights of naturalized citizens. He regarded
this peculiarly strong one, and
which ought to appeal to the sympathies of every
man of foreign birth who has become a citizen
of the United States.
The records show that Captain White came to
this country before he had reached the age of
twenty-one years: that he declared his in tention
to become a citizen of the United States in 1858;
that he enlisted private soldier in the Union
army at the outbreak of the war and was
elected captain of his company; that he testified
his devotion to his adopted country by shedding
his blood in her defense on the battle field of
Shiloh, in April, 1862, at which time Messrs
Crisp, Barry, Johnston of North Carolina,
Moore and O'Ferrall, who voted against him to-
day, were fighting to destroy the Union; that
he honorably mustered out of military
service; that he received certificate of full
naturalization in 1865 that he subsequently, was
elected to municipal! Office a Republican in
the Democratic city of Fort Wayne; that he has
at all times been q good, law-abiding citizen
whose character is above reproach. and whose
standing in the community in which he has
spent thirty years or more of his life is Of the
highest.
Why did the Democrats reject these camsl
Well, the majority of the Representatives in
congress IrOm twenty otdteS are hepuDucAuS,
as they now stand. and therefore if the duty of
electing President and Vics-president of the
United States should devoive upon the House
of Representatives next winter. the Republican
candidates would be successful But the seats
of one Repu blican Representative from Indiana
and two from California are contested by Demo
Gratis. II the latter should be awarded to Demo
Gratis and the Indiana seat should be
contested before the people and won
by Democrat the representations of
nineteen States in the House would be con-
oil cd hxrn Dam 70 onrld
not then elect a Democratic President or Vice
president in the House without resort to I'M
lawful means But there il q vacancy in Mich
igan to be filled by a special election next
month. IT the Democrats carry the district
they will control the Michigan representation in
the House. aud it is known that stone is to
be left unturned to attain that end With In
diana. California and Michigan thus transferred
to the Democratic column, that party would
control twenty States and be able to elect
President and Vice president ie the choice should
be left to the House. It remains to be seen
whether all the Democrats in the House can be
kept in the party traces.