Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-03-20

NA"s otehaoh anu lHO koOu ihitb Vi tub
Republican party. When this resolu
ton, offered and passed in joint conven-
ton, was carried out by a vote for the
third Senator, believing such vote to be
illegal and void. / was entirely indiffer-
snt as to who l voted for, and con-
templated voting for q fictitions person,
but believing it cut no figure one way
or the other, voted for Mr.. Dubois.
On the ballots taken under the first
concurrent resolution, which / believed
to be legal, voted for William J. Nc
Connell on the two separate ballots
taken Hereunder, as it was my purpose
that northern Senator should be elect.
ed, and finding that Messrs. Dubois and
Shoup were opposed to that proposition,
found my only safety lay in electing a
northern Senator first. Believing at all
times that the party platform was obli-
gatory on every Republican, and the
peculiar position of our State being such
that Senator from the northern por-
ton was very important to our part OF
the State, l was opposed to any measure
which should jeopardize our interests or
violate our pledges, and was DESTROYS
that the Senators elected under the
Constitution should have time to pro-
coed to Washington and draw for terms.
so that it might be known whether the
Senator from the northern portion of
the State or from the southern portion
would draw the short term, go that we
might elect his successor from which
ever portion of the State the Senator
who should draw the term ending
March 4, 1891, might come; and l should
have opposed this resolution, which was
offered and passed in joint convention,
If the same had been proposed in the
Senate voting separately, until such
time as we could know the facts with
regard to the drawing for terms, that
we might conform our action to that re-
suit. That this resolution could not
have passed the Senate is certain, be-
cause that body consists of eighteen
members, and nine were opposed to any
election of Senator to fill the term be-
ginning March 4th next until such time
as the drawing of terms should deter
mine which portion of the State should
be left without Senator, or at least be-
fore the time that was fixed by law for
electing, namely, the second Tuesday
after the organization of the Legislature
and this is shown by the fact that nine
Senators voted against the resolution oil
SenatorGunn in joint assembly (although
the journal only shows eight, and these
nine votes, being one-half of the Senate
would have prevented the passage o.
the resolution; and that if the law had
been complied with by taking vote fol
the election of the third Senator in the
two Houses acting separa tely or in W ait
ing until the second Tuesday after the
organization of the Legislature, Mr.. Du.
bois could not have been elected, ant
he owes his election to this failure or
the part of the Legislature to compl,
with the law.
Up to the evening of the 18th day o
December, last, had no reason to be.
lieve that the election of United State.
Senators for Idaho would be conducted
otherwise than in all fairness to the foul
Republican candidates in the field; bu
on the evening of the 18th Of December
| was invited to attend meeting with.
out knowing in full the purpose of thai
meeting. When l arrived at room
number one in the Capital Hotel in
Boise City, whore the said meeting was
to be held, the room being occupied by
William j. Mcconnell, / found there
congregated certain members of the
Legislature, who proposed then and
there to draw up paper obigating
those present to vote on three separate
ballots the following day for three
United States Senators-on the rst
ballot to elect Mr.. Shoup, on the second
ballot to elect Mr.. Mcconnell, to fill the
existing vacancies, and at some future
time, no one stating when in my pres
ence or hearing, to elect Mr.. Dubois on
the third ballot to fill vacancy which
should exist from and after March 4
1891, and for the term of six years. To
this proposition l refused to accede, or
to any proposition which should look to
the election of any person to fill a
vacancy until after the drawing of terms
of the two Senators elected to fill exist
ing vacancies; that l Immediately left
the room. but upon returning after
about three-quarters of an hour, 1t was
then stated to me by Mr. Green.a mem.
Der of the House of Representatives
from Latah county, that all the others
(supposing he meant those who had
been present when | was formerly pres-
emit in the ROOM had signed the paper
and had better sign it--at the same
time putting his hand in his pocket as
though attempting or about to draw
out paper for me to sign, but that l
premptorily refused to have anything to
do with it, and he did not take paper
from his pocket. The invitation which
received to attend this meeting at Mr..
headquarters came from
friend of Mr.. Mcconnell, and was not
by any explanation of the
object of that meeting, but being inn