Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-04

DER from comforting prima facie title to
seat IN congress is evident from the
result in this contest. Had such laws
oeen IN force as would have prevented
the contestee from taking his seat with
such a title, no one would have at
tempted to confer such title by stealing.
Ballot box stealing was looked upon as
Joke IN that county, uutil the awful
consequences that have resulted have
appealed to the
GOOD PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY.
No doubt some of these men would
have been deferred from taking the first
step IN crime if they had realized that
murder would be the end, but they
crossed their rubioon. Breckenridge got
his seat in congress by one crime fol-
lowed In the footsteps of others. The
least guilty criminals dare not expose
the more guilty lest the fate of Clayton
should overtGke them. The murderer of
Bently, the well-known Little Rock
Republican, who was killed near Morrill,
ton while comforting with local Republic
cans with regard to bringing the ballot
box thieves to justice must be well known
Tor a large number of persons we're pres
ent but they are lot indicted. No
indictments have been found
under the state election law
for ballot box crime, the murderer Of
Smith is discharged without trial, the
killing of Bently is not investigated, and
the only man whose crime is punished is
Wahl, the Federal supervisor, who was
indicted for playing cards when he was
shot.
The contention of Breckenridge and his
counsel that the acquittal of the judges
and others charged with frauds in the
aIanrjAn
this adjudication should be accepted by
congress as proof that frauds did not
exist, the report says, is surprising and
the majority decline to be bound by the
action of
THE ARKANSAS COURTS
IN criminal case. The report also
disagrees with other legal propositions
brought forward By the council.
In Cleveland county, one Dansby ap-
peared, says the report and
bringing two shot guns an
nounced his intention OF taking
an active interest in the proceedings.
He was drunk. Dansby is strong
Democrat and a partisan of the con-
testee. His high connection, instead OF
being treated as an aggravation Of his
gross violation of both state and Fed
eral law, is rather urged as an excuse
for shielding him from punishment. For
this offense Dansby was fined $500,
portion of which fine was paid by the
contestee. That the nominee of great
political party should accept
A CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION
to a seat to which he was clearly not
elected and at the same time aid in the
payment of q fine imposed on another
violator of the law, and that such con-
duct should not be met with anything
but commendation and approval by
his political followers, shows a
state of disregard for the prin-
ciples Of popular government
which may well make the future of the
country be looked upon with appreheu-
sion. That men may be found lawless
enough to commit these crimes is to be
deplorsd, but when men of character
and standing complscently avail them
selves of the fruits of such crime and the
control of the national house of represen-
tatives Is made to turn upon such
it no longer remains mere
MATTER OF LOCAL CONCERN,
but arises to the magnitude of a national
calamity. The present case, continues
the report, has attracted national
attention, but not because it stands alone
as startling and striking incident OF
ment. In the old days of the code of
honor political antagonists often met
face to face and sought their adversary's
life. This method of settling political
differences has become obsolete
and we have frequently con-
graduated ourselves upon the
improved moral tone of our day and
but never before has a con-
test for seat in congress been terminated
by the bullet of an assassin. II such
cases are submitted to in silence, the
party benefited by the crime of his par
tisans, quietly aud without dispute re-
tanning the benefits of the murder of the
opposing party candidate, new elements
should be introduced in our form OF
government. A resolution accompany
ng the report declares the seat vacant.