New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-06
FFArHERsTON SEATED.
The HOUSE DECIDES THAT HE WAS ELECT
EDN THE Isr ARKANSAS DISTRICT.
A CONTEST WHICH DISCLOSED THE USUAL
DEMOCRATIC BULLDoZING AND TERRoRIz-
ING AT THE PoLLS-GLIMPSES OF
AN ARKANSAS ELECTION.
,BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE!

AN ARKANSAS ELECTION.
rsr TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE,
Washington March 5-By vote Of 147 TO 1885, the
Hons. Of Representatives day decided that w. ii.
Cate the sitting member from the lst Arkansas DIS
trict was not elected Representative in the LIST
Congress- and then decided, by vote Of 14o to 100
that L. P. Featherston elected and he appeared
and took his seat. The Democrats votcd 10 MAN
10 keep the stolen seat
In the discussion Of this case the Democrats nave
BETRAYED themselves. They have made it clear that
they cared little about the contestce's fate except "S
the decision of the might affect future eico'o"s
in that district and perhaps other districts IN AiA
Of which the Democrats by dishonest ana voIen' no'
first succeeded in obtaining control and by like means
have retained control for number OF years. - 80
many Northern Democrats, who are wiillhs cious" ~
enjoy stolen political goods, do not like either 10 nave
the thieves and thefts so rldely exposed as 'heS '
been in this case, OF TO be called upon " s'"'u W
before the country and by voice ana Vo'e ueio"u "a"
thieves and murdercrs. who would not 70 un" APPN
BY justice if they lived and committed Hho I'm
Pennsylvania Ohio, Illinois, Connecucuo' OF Ill any
o,ber Northern State There Is not Northern DEM
ocrat in Congress-not excepting even one WHO IT,
sorts TO the poor miserable transparent po'iossoS
which has DISTINGUISHED the management "a "'0 WI
testec's case by Outhvaite-who does hoo Aio" "'u
realize that this is true. Occasionally therc Is one
Ike hin, who is ready ereedly TO sup any sOr' OF
=. vor+bern Democratic Representatives keeny realize
tba, thcv 50 TO speak, between tie devil and the
heen sea- They are hemmed In between tle oeh"llu
Of the people for Ballot Reform at the Norli anu e
demands from the south that the whites '-neii'hs
white Democrats alone-shall rule, even II INC POI
linton of the baotbox, the falsihcation Oh eeouoi
returns. the intimidation-nay. even the muiuei-
voters are the means used 70 establish ana MAINTAIN
that rule. , &.
In the Ist Congress District Of Arkansas alone IL
seems according to the statement OF the co"'es'cV
Cate in his brief in this case that there ""s o
3oubt that 100000 white men-Democrals-"du sV'
.reh their relations with the Democratic party OH lo
issue of an honest ballot and fair count Inc
candidate supported by the Republicans Tor Congress-
r,.no, rea+bcrston was one OF the most popular
md influential leaders in this revolt against 'ne
Democratc party. He receives tho ehuiuSi"'
unnort Of the Republicans. well as OF thousands
NJ former Dcmocrats-10 900 according 10 MS opPo
nents. The bulldozing. ballotbox stuling' 1ie'is"
democratic leaders and their tools were driven "
desneration In one Of the strongest hepuolodn
connties-Crittenden-th raised company OF rech
less murderous notwithstanding most OF the Demo-
cratic County officers and candidates Tor county ooes
ARMED them with Winchester rifles, ana liausui"''u
reign of terror in August preceding the rresiue'ai
and congressional election. The Democratic County
Judge and Democratic Justice OF the Peace were anu
are active members Of this winchester rife crowd
tho conntv sheriff was and is its commanoeri inc
aenu+v sheriff was and Is Of his lieutenants, ana
that the opposition might be thoroughly cohNlhocu
that the Winchester Rife Company meant business
the coroner was duly enrolled and armed ana asseou
70 place in the ranks. Leatung Republicans "cic
compeled to leave the county and State on so snort
rn,c. that they were unable to their property
and thew ara stju exiles. Months after the election
tho contestant and his attorney, Democratic lawyer
were driven away from Crittenden County, "hi.nci
they had gone 10 take testimony. The LIE OF feaoi
.ton has been repeatedly threatened since that time
and on one occasion he escaped ASSASSINATION oN''
nv barrtcading and guarding his own house.
rhe Democratic Sheriff Of Crittenden county
ordered and obtained from manufacturer in Memphis
tvrentvone tin balloLoxes for zach precinct III
the county with an attachment to each which enaDlcd
the Inspector OF Election at Will
drop a ballot into the box or vi u'o
floor at his feet without the knoweose oi 1no
voter The testimony which is uncontradcted, shows
that these fraudulent boxes were used in at least
three precincts where gross fI1ds were perpetre'eu
And vet Mr.. Cultivate, OF Ohio, Democratic Hcinoei
OF the Elections Committee, undertook In ms speech
10 deceive the House and make II believe mat te ne
publicans were responsible for the fraudulent DoAoH
and their use As all the election officers in CrtIendeil
County were appointed, contrary 70 law from the DEM
ocratic party the impudent attempt Of Cultivate I"
shift the responsibility for tie Of tie fraudulent
boxes from the Democratic Sheriff who procured them
and the Democratic election officers VINO uscd anu
manipulated them, u the Republicans WHO "c'c
defrauded by them, was not very sueeesinl ~
emf If a New-York paper which advocates baHot
reform, in Ncw-York and NewJcrsey, at ieastIaHu
ne South for the benefit of Cleveland and Reform
who sent a dispatch which was published To-Day anu
which contained this passage
While there apparently some threats fhaue aES
black voters and they driven from some OF the pre-
cncs it is quite Clear that the Republicans anu ia
Republican precincts, were not using Inc lHi""ou9 o~
foyaa xt1s slOW
House. and it seemed 70 have come from Republican Gus
odian No one killed tAs district no one was hur'.
II the correspondent had taken the trouble 70 read
the testimony he would discovered that the Ke-
nnhlcans I'm Republican precincts" did not have an OPP
pOrtunty TO the fraudulent boxes, even " Vnod'
ihenselveswhich is the logical inference from his a.,
sertion-bccause in Republican precincts taiid az
the precincts in Crtteliden County are RcpuDllcan,
with A fair yOtc the ballot boxes and all inc onci
eiecon machinery as we'll the returns were IN the
hands of bulldOzng Democratic pdrtsdhs OF, wv
contestee who dcbauchcd the former and flashed ths
latter in their zeal for Cleveland, Cate and Reform
II was truly affecting to hear Brechlnrluge-
The assassin of CIayton-dcfend the good name ana
fair fame of the peaceabe, innocent lawaDlune 10
democrats such men "a compose the "Wincieser
Rife company which holds regular weekly drills IN
Crittenden County, and prOclams rs reaoIhesS no ro
a hang Featherston," who was himself one OF Inc tnc
people until he left the Democratic party t"2 sera
ago and came out in favor Of fair elections. IL "ds
affecting too 10 hear the cOncscc cate staho up anu
ademand justice for $4,000 frccmenp IN the l't At
kansas District a majority Of whom he ana MS pdrtl,
lave tried TO disfranchise by means OF ialu any
violence. Judge ouk closed the debate IN Dea,i O.. oa
the Election Committee and made strong appeal lV
the coOred people OF The south. "Let no nldn' sdi
he, hold seat on ths floor who vas retufieu ~
means of Winchester rife clubs and fraudulent DsIp-
boxes.n lie in favor Of National election law.
lie in favor OF the Government becoming 50 srOhB
that IL could protect the black in the soulh as
well as the white u the North. Call that cen
tralization. II the doctrine that had saved inc
Unioh Let the Government be strong that IL cOuld
protect IFS citizens at home well its citizens on
foreign shore and under "A foreign sun.
The subcommittee Of the House Committee on
Elections has decided 10 recommend that the luu
Committee report u the House "A resolution providing
for searching inquiry by a subcommittee OF Che
committee into the events attending the assassination
M CLAYTON who a contestant for the seat ia tho
House now occuprcd by BrccNnridgc, OF Arkansas.
A resolution to that effect was introduced il tho
rouse at the beginning OF the session by Mr. Lacey.
NJ Iowa and Chairman ROwel says the delay II act
ing upon IL has been caused by doubt as to whether
neraI committee should be created for the purpose