Nevada County picayune., 1890-03-12
WORSE THAN ROBBERY.
Republican Outrage in the Lower House of Congress -- Gates
 Seat Stolen for Featherstone.

Wednesday, the final decision and vote was taken in the Lower House of Congress, by the Republicans, in stealing Representative Gates seat for the mongrel Featherstone. Some two weeks since this result was virtn- ally accomplished by decision of their committee on elections, before whom Powell Clayton, Poker Jack McLure, Blocks-of-Five Dudley, and other Republicans, appeared in Fcatherstone' behalf, and we see it stated, it was by special request Of l Clayton that Cate was unseated. It is one of the most outrageous and shameful acts ever done by any leg islative body of men, and press dis patches state that large number of decent Republicans absolutely re- fused to participate in 1t, leaving the house and refusing to vote, and had all the Democrats been at their post, Cate would have been retained these tardy members were prlncl- pally from New York, few from the south, South Carolina and Tennessee. 1 Every Democrat who thus absentcd himself should be promptly retired. MT. Cate made magnificent speech, refuting the foul islanders against Ar kansas, especially regarding the charges of fraud and intimidation ln his own district, and showed that on- ly by the direct evidence of one ne gro (while a number of reputable white men proved the contrary) was any fraud attempted to be estab- lished Hon r. C, McRae also made ringing speech in defense of Arkansas.
 Below we give some interesting points of detail, taken from press dispatches:
 WASHINGTON, March 5.-Mr. Cate was turned out of the House of Rep resentatives to-day and FeatherstOne was sworn in. Mir. Cate opened the argument to-day.
 Mir. Hill, of Illinois, a Republican, asked permission to say few words. He was going to make a speech for Cate. The Republicans knew this and fearing the consequences hooted him down. They absolutely refused to allow him the floor to say word. A standing vote was first taken, and eight Republicans voted with the Democrats against the previous ques- ton. However, when the ayes and noes were taken, Tom Reed came down on the floor and whipped all his men into line save Hill. Even then, however, the vote stood IA to Al, or only three Republican major ity. Had the Democrats been on hand the previous question could have been voted down and Cate could have been retained.
 The next vote was on a resolution by Springer, of Illinois, recommlt- 1 ting the case to the elections commit tee, with instructions to go to Arkan- sas and take testimony in the case and then report. By this time, how ever. Reed had his finger pretty well i in shape and the resolution was voted down, as was the minority report de- claring Gates election.
 Judge Houk escorted Feathcrstone up to the Speaker, and he was sworn in.
 In speaking of the case tonight Mir. Crisp, the leading Democrat of the committee. said: "Therc is no use of trying any more election cases. This simply shows they are deter mined to turn Democrats out whose seats are contested, whether they were elected or not. 1t is the most outrageous decision ever made by the House. On the testimony of one colored man they nullilied the re- turns from Independence township, the sworn returns from which gave Cate 224 votes. They believed the 1 evidence of one negro rather than the returns sworn to by five white men, and deducted from Cate 224 votes. which, if counted for hIm, would, according to thelr own the ory, have given Cate majority of 13S. There is not line in the record assaiing the integrity of this return except the evidence of the nc- gro. The Republicans decided the case upon cX-partec evidence taken in Memphis without notice tc Cate, which evidence does not, in fact, bear upon the case, but relates to acts alleged to have been occurred in Crittenden county the July before. "
 Other Democrats are even more indignant than Crisp and say the Re Ipuhlicans simply stole the seat.