The Washington bee., 1890-03-29
CONGRATULATIONS.
MORE GOOD WORDS FOR OUR
CONGRESSMAN
Washington, D. c..

Hon. l.. &. HOuk,
House of Representatives,
My Dear Sir:
Permit me to express, and ac-
cept my sincere congratulations
upon the able, Statemanlike, and
eloquent speech delivered by you
in the House of Representatives on
the 5th inst, on the contested elect
ION case OF FeatherStOne VS.. Cate.
Such speech is creditable to you
and the District and State you re-.
present, to say nothing of the in
comparable benefit to the Great
Party whose intrepid, untiring,
aud lndOmitable exponent yCu are;
whose dOctrlueS and principles you
SO ably PROFOUND, and whose mis-
sion you SO clearly and patriotical-
ly forecast.
Tue right to vote and to have
| that vote correctly counted, and
honestly returned is the formation
stone upon which our government
tai structure rests. 1t is the right
preServative of all other rights. 1t
is that inherent right ami duty of
The Cit zen, who, III this collective
capacity forms the gOvernment--
making it of, by, and for the peO.
ple-which should be estimated
aud held as sacred and any, and
all attempts TO ObStrucU. thwart,
fdlSify, abrldge, or deny should be
regared as vi lative of our govern
mental pOlity, an objectionable
breach of organic law, menace to
governmental S ability and pei pet
uity, and in consequence Thereof,
SnUutd To ootoppod by tho unro
letting di>approval and cOndemna
ton of every loyal and patriotic
citizen.
No more admirable, beneficial or
excellent provision exists in our
Constitution, than that which vests
in the legislative branch of the
government the power of being the
Judge of the Election Returns,
and Qualifications, of Its own men,
berS."
Our fathers, the trainers of this
great charter Of our liberties,
bullded wiser than they knew. The
necessity for such provision at
the time OF its framing could not
have been urgent, being in an e.
pooh when the purity OF the elect
i've franchise was untainted by the
deSplcable practices OF ballot--b
$ utflng, when unfair counting and
fabricated returns were undreamed
of; but, that prophetic Insight
which characterized our COnstitu-
tiOn builders, and which has been
so manifest iii the subsequent his
tory and events of this country.
emphasizes the opinion that to
them such provision was expe-
dent, proper and necessary.
That they were right IN thus de-
legating this important power to
the Legislature Is most conclusive
ly and satisfactorily atteSted by a
review and consideration of the e.
lection methods in several of the
States at the present, and for the
past decade.
The Legislative branch of the gov.
ernment being elected 10y the peo.
pie, aud from the people, to repre-
Sent them and make laws for their
government, should exercise it's
high function through representa-
tIveS fairly aud honestly chosen
their certificates to the sacred
Charge should be untainted by
fraud, untinged by corruption. un.
ailoyed by Intimidation, unstalned
| by human blood.
UnhappIly for the country, and
most nutUrtuna for the Southern
States of this Union, a different
view of these commendable prere.
qulslteS to just and honorable rep
reSentatiOn Is held. Here, minori.
ty is substituted for majority rule,
and representation obtained
through the operation of unfair and
dishonest elections, through intim
ldation, fraud and violence, have
called forth more frequent appll-
cation of the Constitutional prerO-
gative above referred to, in late.
than in former years.
To say that elections thus held, |
and representation thus produced, |
obtained and exercised at the ex
pense of honesty and fairness, and |
with a total disregard for the will
OF the majority--is antagonisticd
to good government, and su b.,