The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-04
STEALING HOUSE SEATS.
THE RADICALS GETTING IN MORE
OF THEIR WORK.


House.
WASHINGTON, June c.-The majority
report in the case of Miller VS.. Elicit,
from the Seventh South Carolina district,
was submitted to the House committee on
elections this morning. The report is some
what sensational, in that at the very begin
ming it declares that the entire South Caro-
lima registration and election laws are
unconstitutional. The basis for this
declaration, as stated in the report,
is that the state law imposes
a number of restrictions upon the exercise
of the right of suffrage which are in con-
hict with the state constitution. Whereas
the constitution deprives a person of the
right OF suffrage only upon the conviction
of murder, felony, dueling and
the exercise Of the right of
smffrsge sne by persons who were entitled To-
register in 1881, and neglected to do so; by
those who moved into the state and neg
lected to register at the first ensuing regis
tration; and by those who sold their regis
trations certificates for q valuable consider
alton.
RATHER FIsHY.
The report says that number of negroes
have been compelled by poverty, while
waiting for the maturity of the cotton
traders, who Immediately send them to
political headquarters with the result that
the negroes are permanently disfranchised.
After laying down this proposition the
report proceeds to discuss the legal aspects
of the election from the usual standpoint
and recites the fact that in certain precincts
what amounted to an educational test land
therefore an illegal test) was imposed by
lettering the ballot boxes, which were sep
arate in the case of each Office, and that
voters were deceived by an Intentional
shifting Of the boxes 50 that the judges of
election were able to throw out all of the
ballots cast in the wrong boxes.
There was also, says the report, evidence
OF ballot box stuffiug.
Summing up, it is found that taking the
position most favorable to the sitting men,
Der, Contestant Miller had a majority of
757, while, if the law is strictly followed,
his majority will reach ,44S.
Mr.. Wilson of Missouri will prepare a
minority report. ......-..---
THE ALABAMA CASE.
The House to-day proceeded to consider
alton of the Alabama contested election
case of McDuffie VS.. Turpin.
Mr.. Comstock of Minnesota opened the
discussion with an argument in favor of the
claims of the contestant
Mr.. Crisp presented the claims OF the
contestee. After reviewing portions of
the evidence he referred to the slim attend
ance in the House. The majority report
said that the election in the Fourth district
of Alabama was farce. What was this2
GLaughter.] What kind of an election was
this? How many members outside of the
members of the committee on elections had
read the report of the committee? He
would pause to allow any gentleman to
reply.
Mr. Allen Of Michigan said that so far as
he was concerned the report had been care
fully attended to.
Mr.. Crisp-Did you read it?
Mr.. Allen-Yes.
Mr.. Crisp-Then | commend the gentle
man to his constituents.
Mr.. Allen-And my constituents will re-
spond heartily. How many counties are in
the district under considerations
Mr.. Crisp-Five.
Mr.. Allen-I just wanted to know.
Mr.. Crisp-Did you think 1 knew as little
about the case as you dos [Laughter.1
PARTIALrTY OF THE COMMITTEE.
Mr.. Crisp denounced what he declared
was the partiality of the elections commit
tee. This was in contrast with the demo-
cratic congress. Democratic congresses
had often seated republicans. How many
gentlemen on the republican side had voted
IN congress for democrats? He saw one
only one (referring to Mr.. Hill of Illinois.)
Mr. Comstock-Has not every republican
vote been cast to keep three democrats in
their seatss
Mr.. Crisp-Yes, sir, and I think that was
done in order that you might have monu-
ments of your generosity to point to.
Laughter.
Mr. Comstock-Can the gentleman point
to any monument on his side?
Mr.. Crisp-I can point to two or three
gentlemen on that side who are monuments
OF the generosity. or rather the justice of the
last House.
Mr. Rowell of Illinois inquired if it was a
talr and honest law by which one party did
al! the counting in an election.
Mr.. Crisp replied, referring to the pro-
posed Rowell supervision bill, that If it
were not disrespectful to the gentlemen he
would say that the proposed bill was dis
honest proposition.
NOT so IN THIS CASE.
Mr. Rowell-Is not such the fact in this
very election cases
Mr. Crisp-No; you will find few pre-
clncts, probably, where the officers we're of
one party, but in the majority of them the
oincers were of different political parties.
Mr.. Rowell-There were not six precincts
III the district where there were trustworth y
republican officers. democratic laughter. ]
Mr. Crisp-In few such cases that was
true; but they we're the best you had.
In conclusion Mr.. Crisp put Mr. Turpin
Ia nomination as the representative from
the Fourth Alabama district. That was all
he could do. Laughter
Mr.. Bergen of New Jersey submitted an
argument in favor of McDuf1ie's right to
the seat
mr. Oates, in supporting Mr.. Turpin's
claims, said that it had become too common
on both sides of the House simply to take
Cne reports that came from the committee
on elections and blindly to follow them with
put investigation and without seeking to
know the truth.
Mr.. Rowell defended the committee on
eiections from the charge of partality, and
a. tarlluding to Mr.. Crisp's nomination of Mr..
1urpln said that in the election here there
would be an honest count and no stuffing of
.1e pallot-a thing which had not taken
pace In the Fourth district of Alabama for
the last ten years.
Tending further discussion the House at
o;l5 o'clock adjourned.
J,0Iliafanass Tharlxa