Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-19
Occupy the Attention of Speaker
Reeds Branch of the National
Legislature.
CHALMERS PLEADS FOR A CHAIR,
But is Refused by the Votes of Members
Of His Own Party Without Even
Taking Division.
REPORT ON THE BRECKENRIDGE CASE
The Minority Strongly Declare the Democrat In.
titled to His Seat

WASHINGTON, August 1s.-The contest
case Of Chalmers against Morgan was called
up in the House to-day, the majority of the
committee having reported in favor of the
latter, who is the sitting member and a
Democrat Mr.. Chalmers was granted
permission to address the House for an hour
and half in his own behalf. After criticiz-
ing the majority report he asserted that
there was now and had for years been a
conspiracy existing in the South for the
carrying of elections for the Democratic
party. That party was determined to carry
, elections, honestly if it could, forcibly if it
must
The State of Mississippi was the leader
in that conspiracy. Men who dared to run
on the Republican ticket or to make Re-
publican speeches carried their lives in
their hands. That the black vote in the
South was suppressed could not be success
fully denied. 1t was on the suppression of
this vote that the Republicans OF the
House had justified the passage of the Lodge
bill.
A SUSPICIOUS ATTITUDE.
bill, should turn around and adopt the
majority report in this case. they would put
themselves in a suspicious attitude before
the country. Before the meeting of Con-
gress, it had been charged that the Repub-
licans intended to turn out enough Demo-
Gratis to give them good working majority
If, after getting that majority, they declined
to give him his seat. they would give color
to that charge.
The Southern Governor who had without
protest seen outrages like the killing of
negroes at Yazoo and Carrollton, grew
frantic with rage over a fair fight between
two pugilists. It was fair question whether
the Democratic party was not going to the
bad as fast as it could and taking Missis-
sippi with it. The minority substitute was
rejected, and the majority resolution de-
claring Morgan entitled to the seat was
agreed to without division.
THE BREcKINRIDGE CASE.
Representative Marsh to-day presented to
the House the Democratic minority report
of the Committee on Elections in the case of
Clayton versus Breckenridge, of the Second
Arkansas district. The report says that,
with one exception, the district has always
gone Democratic, and the presumption
should be in favor of Democratic against
Republican contestants. The theft of the
ballot box in the case is admitted, but it is
held that it did not change the result of the
election, as the Democrats carried the dis
triet by majority of 149, even allowing
the Republicans the disputed votes in every
township.
The report comments uson the instruction
OF the House to make full and thorough
investigation of this exceptional case. calls
attention to the great number of charges and
counter charges and issues involved, and
states that the committee spent but IL days
ln taking evidence. Saws the report:
The House may judge upon this, and it will
be called upon to judge from proceedings still
more unusual and shocking, how dIsgracefully
and criminally this case has been handled
Party prejudice, malice and purpose to &C
complish an improper end seems TO have
deadened every sensibility in gentlemen from
whom the House and the country had a right
to expect better things. Some
UNWORTHY PURPOSE
seems to be their end and object Some igno-
bic compact seems to have forestalled their &C.
tion. Some base and ingenious mind seems to
have guided them, and it is not far short Of the
truth to say that this investigation has been a
miserable farce, and that the majority report is
unfounded in truth, not justified BY the evil
dence, and is defaced by the repetition of parti-
sSn ISLANDERS. not sustained by any testimony
Knowing the utter insufficiency of relevant ev-
idence to unseat Mr.. Breckinridge. knowing in
deed that 1t proves him elected, the majority
report ranges in every imaginable direction |
from the subject matter to distort in the vain |
hope to borrow strength thereby.
When those intrusted with official power so |
forget right, justice and duty to act as the |
majority of the committee has done, it brings |
d1strust and odium upon party and upon the |
House, and their actions and conclusions |
70 rn1 fad nd alY,ly
great question been SO wretchedly, SO feebly. |
so unjustly and SO scandalously treated and |
adtudicated. But passion under injury and |
wrong is not the proper mode of redress and if |
the House puts the seal of its approval upou
the report and recommendations of the COM 1
mittee, then we appeal to the people to rebuke /