St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-21
Yet Would Perjure Himself to
Gain a Seat Upon the
Floor Thereof.
A Congressman's Troubles
With an ActreSS--Claimed
AS a Husband.
A Laughable Incident at the
Opening of the House
Yesterday.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20.-In the house
to-day Mr.. Crisp, of Georgia, called up
the ThOebe-Carlisle contested election
case. Mr.. Crisp opened the debate by
reviewing the proceedings before the
committee on election with regard to
reOpening the cases. He justified the
majority Of the committee in deciding
that the case should not be reOpened.
The contestant had submitted affidavits
charging fraud, and the cOnteStee SUBJ
mltted affidavitS and records in reply,
Which. in the minds of the majority
overwhelmingly established the fact
that If the case were reOpened, con-
teStant could not prove a single charge
he has made.
Mr.. Lyman, of Iowa, knew of no
reason why the house should not reopen
the case. Grave charges had been
made by the contestant in affidavitS-eX-
parte affidavits, it is true-and they had
been answered by other ex-parte affida-
Wits. Strong efforts have been made to
prevent an investigation of those
charges. Were the cOntestee and his
friends afraid of the truth? Did his
friends doubt their ability to go into the
Sixth district of Kentucky and estab-
llsh beyond controversy that the charges
OF the contestant were not true? The
fact that there were such a contestant
and the determination that the events
OF the election should not be investi-
gated suggested to his mind that there
was something wrong.
Mr.. Cooper, of Ohio, spoke in support
OF the majority report. 1t had been
charged that there was a conspiracy
Immediately after the election between
Mr.. Carlisle and his friends for the pur-
pose of fixing up the matter for Car
llsle-a charge that was proved to be
wholly unfOunded and based only on
the idle chaff which was frequently
found floating around in the atmosphere
after an election.
Mr.. ROwell, of Illinois, took the same
view, and argued that the committee on
elections had followed precisely the
proper course in refusing to reopen the
case upon the evidence presented to it.
MIR. Lodge, of Massachusetts,, spoke in
support OF the minority. The pending
case. he SAID, was too Important a one
to be settled by affidavits. Itwas case
which deserved. the attention of the
American congress. Considering partie-
ularly the enormous disparity between
the contestant and contestee. the house
should proceed with great cir
cumspection. The contestant was the
candidate of the labor organizations.
His case had been Shockingly misman-
aged. He came now and threw himself
on the mercy of the house. There was
a widespread belief among the work
ing classes that the power of the corpo-
ration, the power of the ring and the
power of men high in authority, backed
by money and influence, had an enOr-
the country. 1t was dangerous, un-
Wholesome belief. He thought that
when man belonging to the working
class came before the house asking for a
rehearing it would do no harm to any
man or to congress, or to the interests
of the people to have that mans case
heard. The house could afford to tenn
per justice with very large measure of
generosity.
On motion of Crisp Thoebe, the con-
teStant, was granted an hour in which
to present an argument in his own be-
half. He read from communication
which he had sent to the chairman of
the committee on elections, protesting
against an unfavorable report upon his
request. until he had an opportunity to
examine the afidavits presented by the
cOnteStee. In this communication he
reiterates in part the statements con-
tanned in his affidavit, filed with the
committee, denies the truth of some of
the atfidavitS filed by the speaker, and
declared his ability to disproye the ac-
curacy of others, if granted an opportu-
nifty. He was sorry, he continued, that
the working classes were beginning to
lose confidence in the security of the
ballot. Ii the ballot was not secure.
what did they have left? [Applause on
ingman. He did not consider it a great
honor exactly, to be member of this
house. General laughter and ap-
plause.l What he meant, was that
mechanic was just as honorable and no.
bic as any other citizen. If any gem
tleman here would rather be right than
be president, these seats would be filled
by the right men. [Laughter.] He did
not propose to make any capital out of
the fact that he was wOrkingman. He
was not here for favor, but for simple
Justice.
The previous question was then or
dered upon the resolution of the major
ity of the committee which confirms the
title of Mr.. Carlisle to his seat, and up
on resolution in the nature of a sub
stitute offered by Mr.. Lyman, of Iowa,
declaring that the contest is of such
Importance to the sitting members and
to the people of the country that it is
entitled to full, thorough and impair
tial investigation, and providing that
papers in the case be printed and re-
ferred to a select committee or a sub
committee of the elections committee,
which shall be authorized to investi-
gate matters. The substitute was de-
feated, yeas 125, nays 1872. The follow
ing Democrats voted in the affirmative:
MeSSrS. Bynum, Grouse, Feran, Hare,
Mckinney, Shively and Weaver.
The question then recurred on the
majority resolution, on the adoption of
which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Republicans, with the exception of
three or four who voted in the affirma-
tive, and MesSrs Brumm, Hovey and
Laidlaw,. who voted in the negative. re-
Trained from voting, on the ground that
they had not sufficient information up
on which to act; and the vote was an
nOunced: Yeas 140, nays 5. No QuOr-
rum. Adjourned until tomorrow.