New-York tribune., 1890-07-17

TOGETHER BEFORE ELECTION
CLAYTON WAS ELECTED AND
AssAssINATED-THE ARGU:
MENT CLOSED.
tBY TELEGRAPH THE TkIBUNE7
Washington. July 16-The oral arguments IN tne
Brecknridge case were closed tocdS' "io'o'S'
NAV be the opinion Of any member OF the Elections
Committee respecting the merits OF the case nc uS
feel som. synpathy for Mr.. Breciknrdge, who chose
% rest or was compelled to rest his cause upon so
fimsv an argument as the brief prepared by e%-
Attorney General Garland Members OF the com
mittee who never read Garland's remarkable iesal
opinion when he United States senator respect
ing the validity OF the Pan Electric Telephone patents
In which he was Interested; or who never had stud'cd
the equally remarkable opinion given by him as
ATTORNEY. General concerning the validity OF the
naval contracts made by secretary Chahdler
N pursuance OF law-these members expected 70 near
different argument from the one written py MI
Garland and read by his client to-day In hating
manner and almost inaudible tone. Mr.. Breckn-
ridge was repeatedly asked to raise his voice. but
pleaded weakness He suddenly grew stronger how
ever after ne had concluded the reading Of the prle
and spoke for an hour with much animation ana IN
tone which at times rang through the committee
room and the adjacent corridor
so much OF the Garland essay could be heard
AL,
The first few pages seemed 10 be devoted 70 an at
temnt 70 show that the House was estopped from an
INQUIRY into his clients title because lie was dO
nitted without objection at the time 10 seat III 'o
House on prlma-face right given by the ome''u
certificate issued by the Governor OF Arkansas
In Justice to the defendant it should be saiu
that when he had finished the reading OF tho'
mart of the brief he paused TO remark that he ala not
desire 10 plead any such technically alhough nc Is
not lawyer, he evidently realized the ut'er dosus
Of the plea. Mr. Garland objected strongly 10 '''o
methods of investigation pursued by the Subcommittee
indeed he asserted that there had been no mIes'e"
tim Mr. Garland also accused the subcommittee Vi
ro.sirc testimony favorable TO his cent-the basis
q which accusation seems TO have been the rensdI Oi
he subcommittee TO reopen the case IN Nashnls'oi
and try it over again after summonlne ie" h"u''
witnesses from Arkansas at the expense OF ''e Wv,
ernment All those witnesses, with less thah hdl'
dozen executions might have been examined at L'to
Rock IL Brccknridges counsel had CHOSEN 10 suiilo"
them Neither Mr.. Garland nor his cheht seems -
realize the absurdty of the complaint That he do
not have the fullest opportunity to oner every s'"
OF testimony in his behalf; that as matter Vi i"''
Rreckinridge had had more than eighteen mohu'S !"
which TO marshal his testimony, during nl'eeh h'o"'
NJ which time he had clear field undSputeu % Oi"S
ton whom BrecMnrdees ilehu> anu P"''
sent TO a bloody grave.
pr+ the most remarkable proposition Of Mr. Gar
,ara yas that because certain dishonest Democratic
election officers had been indicted tried ana cohViceu
the Breckenridge election case is res ad!uucdtA "'''
is to say Smith and Jones having plead eu'Iy o'
been convicted Of violation Of the law BfecKhIluse'
the benefciary must remain in undisturoed posses
sion OF the fruits Of stolen victory This discovery
was worthy OF the ex-Attorney General and yet IL
did not seem to overwhelm the hard headed la"Eers
of the Elections Committee. Mr.. Garland adhhteel
the stealing of the ballot-box at Pummervllie ana
that it contained large majority for Clayton He
Of u-lfn
could not read and write to how they voted
nnless they testified they voted for BrecknTdgc.
He declared that Clayton did not want TO make
contest for the seat but was persuaded TO do so oy
"leaders OF his party"-whch Will be news not
only to the leaders. but to the surviving relatives
and personal friends Of Colonel Clayton.
In conclusion Mr.. Garland declared that what Mr.
preckinrdce and his friends want is tie boadest and
most thorough investigation 'onc which would occupy
say a year or twO-an investigation which would
vindicate the state OF Arkansas" In the next para
graph he declared that " the sole question 20 be
determined is. was Breckinrdge elected thus at
one dash Of his pen declaring in effect that the vim
dcaon of the State OF Arkansas and the question as
70 who slew Colonel Clayton and for what motive
are as Mr. Toots would say. Of no consequence
The defendant evidently felt Of relief when
he laid down Mr. Garland's brief and began state
ment in his own behalf Again he was cheeFed by the
presence Of United states Senator'S Jones and Berry
q pity that the Republican Senators who 1t is asserted
ore Of the opinion that National Election law IS IN
necessary could not have been present To hear bTccK
lnridges eloquent and touching description OF inc ne"
Arcsdia-otherwise known Arkansas-wheTe HeInbeis
OF the opposing political parties vie with each other
In exhibitions of courtesy and fairness, where the
Democratic candidate for Congress rides in the same
vehicle and sleeps in the bed with the Republican
candidate for Congress, and they are as brothers
until the wicked paTtisans Of the Democratic
candidate shoot down the Republican in cold
blood and thus bring 10 an untlmey emo
the afectionate relations which had existed
OF course the news Of Colonel Cayton's, assassna-
tlon a fearful surprise and shock' to breckln'
ridge he realized that something ought TO be dono at
once but couldn't quite make up his mind what IL
should be- and 50 decided to wait a little while NJ
that time he believed that the Republicans had stolen
the Plummerville baLot-box. in order TO make the
theft "a pretext for a contest IN case the Houss
should be Republican" He doesn't know now whether Or
not il was stolen by Democrats or Republicans lie
had written 10 Armstrong, his attorney IN conway
County, TO find out whether the county hah rase'
any money TO ferret out the crime ana puhlsh Tue
murderer Finding that d" the people had been 100
busy with other matters TO attend 20 it," he wrote
again 10 Armstrong saying that he thought the county
onght TO raise at least 81 500 $1,000 for that pur
pose and incosed his own check for 800
-In the meantime, however, the letter signed by
Colonel Claytons brothers was publshed ana was TO
garded as insult TO the people OF Arkansas was
" like shaking a red rag in the face of mad BULL
and of course the good people Of Conway, and OF
other parts Of the state, washed their hands OF the
matter and refused to subscribe or give money What
became Of Mr. Brecknrdges check lie did not say but
his anxiety TO have the tracked and punished
did not abate in the least so anxious indeed was
he that lie hurried to Arkansas and arrived there with
in six or seven weeks after the murder committed.
He saw the Governor Although the Governor had
offered reward OF $1,000 for the arrest and convc-
non of the assassin. and some $4,000 in money had
been subscribed in addition, he without funds TO
follow a clcw which cast suspicion upon man al
work in sawmil@ In Conway County, and so Breckln-
ridge handed him a check for 500. The cew led to
nothing At that time Breckenridge informed by
the Governor that the Sheriff OF Conway County had
certain letters and other papers relating TO the case
Brecknrdgc expressed strong desire TO them as
Ia dpeire ed