Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-13
Judge Waddill Seated by a Strict Party
Vote, as Anticipated.
POLITICAL NlQTITY CONTAMINATED,
Mr.. Wise's Splendid Speech
in the Gaze.
ne Is APPIluDED AND CONGRATULATED.
He shows Up Radical Methods and Clears
Up the Charges as to
jackson Ward.
From Our Regular Correspondence

From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. Aprili2. The waddill- Wise
contest was again taken MP in the House
TO-DAY 10 the exclusion of all other bust
poss. and there were some lively and int
resting speeches delivered. There was
large gallery attendance, and number Of
lho friends Of Judge Waddill, both from
Richmond and thls city, were deeply alb
,orbcd in all that was Sold. Mr.. Dalzell Of
Pennsylvania. Mr.. IIangen Of Wisconsin,
and Air. koweil OF Illinois. all rampant Re
publcans. made speeches containing the
usual filings at tho Democrats IN general
and the South in particular. At times
comparatively few Republicans were IN
their seats, gong 10 show that as a rule
thor minds were made up in advance TO
sustain tho findings Of the majority of the
Elections Committee.
Hon. George D. Wise spoke for ono hour
and twenty minutes. Most of the Demo
Gratis were present, and they not only paid
close attention TO his argument but they
frequently encouraged him by loudly ap-
piauding
JUDCE wADDfLI WORRIED cp.
Judge Waddll sat on the Republican
SIDE. aud every now and then appeared TO
De- considerably worked up. aud every now
and then be interrupted Mr. Wise. Mr..
Bowdcn also put in a few questions. MIR.
NJ r.. WIS uDt III ~ifpEk voice To-Day, ana ~
was difficult al times to hear his remarks
IN the galleries. On the whole, however,
lie was emphatic enough, and he made q
splendid speech,
A SPLENDID sPETcH.
Hon. George y. wise commenced his
speech al few minutes Of o'clock. Be |
fore launching out on the line Of argument |
that he had carefully prepared he took up
the attacks which have been made by the
Republicans upon Mr.. III. n. Smith, Of |
Richmond, hnd denounced the motives |
that animated such unwarranted warfare. |
he said that II was hrs duty ana his !
pleasure TO defend Mr.. Smith, and the lat |
ter could desire no better endorsement |
than he had received lately from the peo- |
pie of Richmond, as no had been chosen |
10 hll one of the highest and most respon- |
sible Offices within the gift of the citizens |
OF Richmond. Sir. Wise scored the Elec- |
tons Committeefor taking notice Of occur !
reuces which happened more than y year
after the congressional election of 1888:
Mr.. Wise said next that he proposed to
confne his remarks TO the testimony and
the facts in the case. The people OF Viz |
ginia would bo directly affected by the re-
suit here. but the Republicans could not
always trample upon their rights. he
knew that partisan prejudiCes were strong,
but he was unwilling TO believe that
honorable men in the performance OF
solemn duty would not rise above partisan
prejudice, even though party fealty was
strong and binding ordinarily.
qIzR VOTE IN THE DISTRICT.
He called attention 70 the fact that there
were cast in the district at the last election
so. 953 votes, or more than were cast IN any
one of nine Of the twelve congressional
districts in Massachusetts. There were
more votes behind him than were behind
Mr. Greenhalge, of that State who on yes
tcTday had so many criticisms tOp pass upon
the political conditions IN Virginia. tie
(Wise) had more votes behind him than
two-thirds of the Republican members Of
the House. The population OF Richmond,
according to the census OF 1880, was
63COO and it was therefore fair
70 say that the population in 1858
was probably not in excess OF $4,000. The
vote Of Richmond in 1888 was 1850. A
comparison of these figures showed beyond
q doubt that full vote was cast, and |
therefore the allegations of the Republi- |
cans would be difficult to sustain. He de- !
med that there was suppression OF the ne |
gro vote. and he wanted the Republicans
of the House TO hear the testimony and
the facts IN the case as contained IN the
record. That record showed that greater
proportion of the negro vote was polled
NLou AAt MulAo fbNcs
UNRELIABLE WITNESSES.
Taking up individual witnesses from the
record in the case, Alr. Wise proceeded next
80 show that many of the witnesses relied !
upon by the contestant to prove his case
were totally unreliable, ignorant and had
been proved TO be periurers. One OF the
chief witnesses for the contestant had
been convicted of perjury, aud IL was
laf 10. oh fac 10 haf
majority of the Elections Committee had |
based their decision.
Mr. Wise explained carefully the contro- |
VERSES in regard 10 the disputed returns |
from the First and Third precincts |
in Jackson Ward of Richmond. and |
submitted to the House statements and
ailiidavits to show that many of the ne
grOes who claimed they were in line on
elcciiOn-day and were not allowed TO vote |
were not there at oil, and that they had
been shown 10 be voters in Texas, New
York, Philadelphia, and various cities and
States other than Richmond. Some of
them were residents of the Philadelphia
district represented in the House by his
friend Hon. Charles O'NeiH. This had
been proved.
Mr.. Wise went further into this branch !
OF the case, and showed how negroes had
been voted on the names OF dead men.
The Republicans would. he added, rob
both the cradle and the grave to accom-
p!lsh their ends.
TIE NEdEoEs DRIVEN TO THE POLLS.
After he had been speaking one hour the
hammer fell, the time of the gentleman
having expired. Mr.. Wise asked for an ex- |
tension 10 finish his argument, and Mr.. !
BOwden asked unanimous consent that
twenty minutes be allowed. THIS was
done, and then Mr.. Wise, speaking of the |
negro race in Virginia. said they were |
driven 60 tho polls 10y the white Repubh- |
cans as dumb cattle. The white people OF |
Virginia had no harsh feeling against the |
negroes, and he denied that they We're de-
yryed. illegally or otherwise. OF their po-
itical rights.
In discussing the charge that over four
hundred voters had been deprived OF their
right TO cast their ballots at one precinct
in jackson Ward, Mr.. Wise cited judicial
and Legislative decisions to show that votes
never cast cannot be counted for candi-
date He argued this point at some
length and in an able and forcible manner.
in closing he declared that If he were de-
prived of his seat it would be in defiance
Of the will of the people of the Third dis
trict Of Virginia. who under the Constitu-
ton had the right 10 say who should
represent them in Congress- and If the
representative of the people the latter will
have chance 20 be heard from again at
The polls in November. or words TO that
eject.
MI. WISE ApPLAUDEp.
At the close of the speech Mr.. Wise was
heartily applauded and congratulated by
many Of tho Democrats. who shook his
hand
The FIRST vote was on the minority reso-
luton to declare the seat vacant, and the
call proved that 100 members were IN favor
OF this and 1888 were opposed. Then the
vote was taken on the resolution OF the
majority declaring that Edmund Waddill,
Jr., was elected to Congress from the Third
congressional district Of Virginia in 1883,
and the result wa yeas. 1874; nays, l2o-a
ttrict party vote, az was anticipated.
Judge Waddill was then escorted 10 the
bar OF the House and sworn in as men,
Der.