Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-04
UNSEATING MR. BRECKlNRIDGE.
The Elections Committee Prepare a
Report on the Famous Contest.

The majority report Of the House committee
on elections upon the Clayton Breckenridge
contested case aud the murder Of the republ-
can contestant is completed and ready for sub
| mission to the House. No earnest attempt
| the report says, to aid in bringing Clayton's
murderers to justice was ever made by the
| local authorities. Referring to the killing of
the negro detective, Smith, who was investi-
eating the ballot-box theft, and of George
Bentley, brother of o. 7. Bentley, who was
suspected OF being one Of the thieves, it says
George Bentley at the time was negotiating
with the Pinkertons to give evidence and ex-
pose the guilty parties when he was said to
have been accidentally shot by his brother
While there is no direct evidence to crimina-
ton In the killing OF Bentley it unfortunate
the report says, that these two killings &C.
CURED while the victims were about to give
evidence to Pinkerton's detectives Continu-
ing. the majority say: "No reasonable explana-
ton Of the murder appears, except that some
OF the ballot-box thieves, finding the taking of
testimony progressing. killed Col. Clayton to
suppress the investigation. No other motive
Is possible" The necessity, the report SAYS
for the enactment of some laws which will pre-
vent ballot-box stealing and murder from con-
ferring a prima facia title to seat in Congress
Is evident from the result in this contest Had
such laws been in force" the report saws '.as
would have prevented the contestee from TAX
ing his seat with such title no one would
have attempted to confer such title by stealing
the ballot box. Stealing was looked upon as a
! joke IN that community until the awful conse-
quences that have resulted have appalled, the
good people of the country. No doubt some of
these men would have been deferred from TAX
ing the first step IN the crime if they had real
lied that murder would be the end. But they
crossed their rubcon. Breckenridge got the
seat in Congress and one crime followed in the
footsteps OF the other. The least guilty
of the criminals dare not expose the
more guilty lest the fate of Clayton
should overtake them That the nominee
Of great political party should accept a GER
tlhcate OF election to seat to which he was
clearly not elected, and at the same time aid in
the payment of a fine imposed upon another
vlolator of the law, and that such conduct
/ should not be met with anything but COM
mendation and approval by his followers shows
state of disregard for the principles of pop
ular government which may well make the
future of the country be looked upon with APP
prehension. That men may be found lawless
enough to commit these crimes is to be de-
plored; but when men of high character and
standing complacently avail themselves of the
fruits of such crime, and the control of the
national House of Representatives is made to
turn upon such methods, 1t no longer remains
mere matter of local concern but arises to
the magnitude OF a national calamity. The
present case" the report says, has attracted
attention not because 1T stands alone as q start
ling and striking incident of dangers ahead to
our form of government, but because it APP
pears to be one OF very bad kind. In the
older days of the code of honor political an
tagOnists often met face to face and eve to eve
and sought their adversaries life. THIS method
OF settling political differences has become OBJ
solete, and We frequently congratulate our
selves upon the improved moral tone of our
day and generation. But never before has
contest for seat in Congress been terminated
by the bullet of an assassin. If such methods
are submitted to in silence, the party benefited
by the crime of his partlsans quietly and with
out dispute retaining the dement's of the death
of his competitor, new element would be in
troduced into our form of government"
i resolution to accompany the report de-
clares the seat now held by MIR. Breckenridge
vacant