Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-09-18
The Langston-Venable Case.

AS stated In the GAZETTE, the Laugstorr
Venable contested election case came up In
the House yesterday when Mr.. Cheadle, re-
publican, of Indiana, created some excite
| ment among his party associates by making
a report In favor OF Vensble. With the as
sistance of the Texas delegation, which is
LARGELY interested In the river and harbor
bill, quorum voted to de6oitely settle the
matter this afternoon at four O'Clock.
1t was feared by the Texans that Speaker
Reed would decline to lay the river and har-
Dor bill before the House with his signature
appended If the obstructive tactics were per-
sisted 10, and so all but Kilgore came into
the House and allowed themselves to be
counted. Then the d, bate began on the
merits of the case. The feature OF the dis
question was the speech Of Representative
Cheadle, of Indiana, who opposed the seat.
ing of Lengston, on the grounds that he had
been instrumentali in dividing the republi
can vote in the district by boiling the regu-
lar ticket and running as an independent
candidate; that the democrats had taken
advantage of his detection to elect their can
didate. and that 1t would be, therefore, ur-
republican to give the man who was reepop-
sible for the defeat OF his party seat to
which he was not entitled. He charged that
Laneston had made race lssue by appeal
ing to the colored men to support him on
the ground that ss the majority OF the voters
In that district were colored, 1t was only
right and proper that one of their people
should represent them In Congress.
Mr. Cbesdle opposed the mi ority resolu-
ton and declared that the republicans OF the
House could not afford TO vote Venable out
and Langston 10. The fourth district OF
Virginia was reliably republican and 1t had
been carried by the democrats, not because
of the popularity of Mr.. Cleveland or the
unpopularily of Mr.. Harrison, but because
OF republican division. 1t was perfectly
plain and natural statement OF fact That tae
republican party In that district had been
beaten solely by reason of irreconcisble
differences in the republican party. IL had
been race division with all that such di-
vision could imply 10 the South. The re
Dublicans had been fairly beaten, and 1t was
beneath the dignity of the republican psrty
TO revise the figuree of On election which had
been lost to il by thousands of votes SPEAK
ing politically it would be suicidal fOE the
republican party 10 seat q man who had lea
a bolt against the OCULAR republican candi-
date. -,
He proceeded to eulogizs ex-senator Ma
hone, and to praise his ability IN bulldog up
the republican party In Virginia, ana pre-
dicted that If his leadership were followed
Virginia In few years would be as reilaoiy
republican as waa Vermont. Referring 10
the case uoder consideration ee said that IL
there was little law and less evidence to sus
tain the contest there was sill less repub:-
canism. He was cor Fl lent that there never
could be a strong and effective republican
party 10 the South until there were enough
white men in it to make II strong and ELECT
i've SeDstor Malone and the white men OF
Virginia had made the republican party
strong in that State, and bad secured the eet-
ton of six republicans to Congress. The con-
testart, fl ying in the face Of existing coz
ditious, bad raised the race issue, and the re-
suit had been that Virginia had now only
two republican Representatives. Ignorance
could not dominate and override Intelligence.
The republican party In the South could not
De built upon negro voters alone. He MIR.
Cheadle) was not bis colleagues keeper. but
speaking for himself, he said that be could
not, under his oath and with bis knowledge
OF the case, vote to seat contestant; and ne
hoped for the good name of the House and
for the good name of the great party to
which he belonged, that there would be
enough republicans voting with him to re-
tain Venable In his seat.
When Mr.. Cheadle concluded he was
crested with applause by the democrats.
The case then went over until to-day.
During Mr.. Cheadle's speech Speaker
Reed gave up his seat to Mr.. Brewer, OF
Michigan, and sat alongside Mr. Morft. OF
New York, on the republican eide. His i'm
passive countenance did not betray his
opinion OF Cheadle's ebullition, but it was
plain that he took very little stock in the
Indiana mans talk.
KILLED BY TRAIN.-YesterdaY after