The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-24
When the Result of the Roll-Call Is An
nounced. It Is Found that the Great Lead
erof Democracy Has One Vote to Spare.
Cheadle and Hovey Oppose Carlisle, and
the Former Gives His Reasons.
The Supreme Court Declines to Interfere in
the Maxwell Murder Case-Chandler's
Bill for Protecting National Elections.
CARLISLE'S TITLE.

The House Confirms 1t by the Very Slender
Majority of One Vote.
Special to the indianapolis Jaurnaa.
WASHINGTON, JAN 23-Speaker Carlisle's
title to q seat in the House was confirmed to-
day by vote Of l64 for to against. This was
a very close shave, there was but one moro
vote than the constitutional majority required.
There were seven negative votes-Baker of llli-
nois. Bremen of Michigan, Buchanan of New
Jersey, Cheadle and Hovey of Indiana Kerr of
Iowa, and Laidlaw of New York. The vote was
taken and announced amid considerable ex-
element. Every Democrat present voted to
confirm Mr.. Carlisles title to the seat, and tee-
grams were sent out on Saturday calling all the
aosentees in for to-days proceedings. The Jour-
nal correspondent tonight met Mr. Cheadle. one
of the seven who voted against Carlisle's right
to seat, and asked him why he had voted when
many of his party had refrained from voting.
Mr.. Cheadle said 1.-The plain and simple ques-
ton in this case was Did Mr. Carlisle receive
majority OF the legal votes cast in the
Sixth Kentucky district at the November
election, 1856, and has Mr.. Thoebe, the contest
ant, made such prima facie case that Congress
ought to grant his prayer, open the case, sand
committee with power to call witnesses. ad-
minister oaths and elicit all the factsl Mr..
Thooebe made his contest within the statute and
in conformity to law, but for some reason it was
not properly prosecuted. So long ago as August,
1887. he realized that he had been betrayed by
his attorney, L. A. Wood, and began to make
arrangements for other counsel. Thus, when
Congress met the committee elections
confronted not merely with the formal contest.
but with motion to reopen the case. The con-
test. outside of the motion reopen, would
have given the seat to Mr. Carlisle, because the
contest had not been properly prosecuted. Mr..
Thobe's motion to reopen, backed up
by afidavits, made such a cause, in
my Judgment. for a reopening of
the and thorough, searching
examination into all the facts. He proved the
fact that he had been sold out. to my entire sat-
isfaction. and il no other consideration than
this had been given, 1 should have been COM
PEELED to vote against Mr. Carlisle. Upon
contest we act in judicial capacity, and should
be governed by the same rules as other courts.
No court would deny new trial upon proper
showing that party had been betrayed by his
attorney. The new trial would be granted as Of
right thought the case should be open, and
so voted. On Friday Mr.. Thoebs came on the
floor and made a statements plain, and fair.
and conclusive, denying each and every fact
urged against opening up the case, and then
backed it up with petitions signed by 200 legal
voters of that district-more than ons-third of
the total number of votes cast at the election
that all doubts were removed and the line of
duty was plain to me- Ivoted for the resolution
to reopen and could not then vote for Mr..
Carlisle wanted the Democrats to seat him
if he was seated, and they did. My belief Is in
the right of petition, and when so many men ln
district ask an investigation there must be
cause for it. In this case both men were Demo
Gratis, both native Kentuckians. Mr.. Thebe
was the candidate of the Labor men-those
who believe in protection to American wage
workers. Mr.. Carlisle was the free-trade candi-
date When the ballots counted Mr..
Thobe had won, and then the countingout pro-
cess began. All the facts were formally pre-
sented by Mr.. Thoebe. and, when backed up by
1900 voters of his district, should have caused
every man in Congress to vote for reopening and
a searching investigation. am glad to know
that the Republican members all voted in favor
of Investigations Upon the main question many
had doubts and did not vote at ell. believe Mr..
Carlisle was not elected and therefore voted no.
The Democrats are always the friends Of the
laboring men until they need friends, and then
of the election committee, who led the fight
against Mr.. ThHbe, received ]. IO4 votes for
Congress-; what cared he for the petition of
42O0 laborerss The demands OF his party called
for Carlisle's retention in Office without regard
to the legality of his election. and that oil
he needed TO know. Democracy needs working
men during a campaign. After voting ceases
they have no use Tor them Mr. =
Carlisle led a demand for Investigation upon
the petition of twenty y-three citizens of Cncin-
natl when the titles to the seats of Butterworth
and Young were in question. He now ignores a
motion to reopen where fraud is the
assigned. and makes his friends sit down
petition signed by 420o citizens because the title
to his own seat is in question. No honest man
can afford to hold such a seat. My Republican
ism is of that kind which hates fraud ard pro-
scrption in all its forms, and shall not fail to
vote against it. l to add thought
more: Even il had doubts. / should give the
people the benefit of them"