The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-30

the Next Presidential Contcst.-Rc-
publicans May Frustratc the Parti-
san Plan to Gcrrymandcr.
ALBANY, N, y. Dec. 2o..-This has
been day OF intense political excite
inent at the capitol. Tho court OF ap-
peals had previously announced that
decisions would to-day be handed down
deciding contests for four seats in the
State senate. The contention, and its
determination was OF supreme interest
in the State rs involving the control OF
the legislature BY Democrats or Rcpub-
licans. With Democratic executive
and Democratic assembly, the Demo.
cratic party needed only favorable de-
cision by tho court OF appeals to give
to it complete control OF tho state gov
crnment. On the other hand, tho
contest to be decided constituted
the only chance OF tho Republicans
to hold thesenate, and thus q means OF
opposing Democratic re-apportionment
OF the state. 1t was n lively morning
about the capitol building. Everybody
speculated and prophesied, and Demo
Gratis and Republicans alike; discussed
what mischief; Hill would next resort 4
to, should the decisions be against him.
The court OF appeals did not meet at ten
o'clock, the usual hour, but at one
o'clock. By agreement between J.
iiero and d. r. Cady, the counsel III
the case before Judge Mayham to-day,
he agrced;to postpone, argument until
two o'clock this afternoon, SO. rs motto
anticipate the court Of appeals action.
spECuLATIoSs.
The decision OF the court will be
simply an affirmation or reversal OF the
lower courts on the points raised by
Republican counsclin their application
lor a mandamus to compel the state
board to canvass the returns without
considering cxtraneous matters, such as
the regularity OF ballots and eligibility
OF candidates
As prominent Democratic official
put it this morning, if the court OF ap-
peals had decided in favor of the Demo.
Gratis, the state board would issue Ger.
tiicates to the Democratic candidates
at once, but if it should be the other
waythe board would wait till it got the
formal ordcrirom the courts from which
the appeal was taken.
excitement ran lhish in all parts of the 4
capitol. and all interested repaired to
the secrctary'of states office, When the
decisions wereto be taken
TIE DECISION HANDED down.
Finally at 81:S2 p. m, the black
lobed justices took their places on tho
bench and handed down at onco a
bundleof legal documents which were
Carriedat once to tho Office OF the secre-
tary OF state, where tho opposing law
yers foll upon the mass Of papers, i'll in
attempt 10 learn what results lay within
the fifteen thousand words Sof legal
verbiagc. And this is tho way it seem
ed when the mass was nuntanglcd:
THE ISSUES.
Sixteen votes make a tic, butGthe
lieutenant governors vote makes it
Democratic. Tho Fifteenth district
comprising Duchess, Putnam and Col
umbia counties, las been the subject OF
mere Litigation than any OF tho other
districts. The Democratic candidate,
Edward Osborne, was declared BY the.
county canvassers, who threw ont
thlrty-iivc ballots which were marked
with 4 printers quad, and some other
irregular ballots. Since the election,
Dcane, the Republican candidate, has
died. s.yi3, Es' }.l,l7. 3atsjj 3asj
The Sixteenth district, in which Troy
is !ocntod- Collins Democrat contested
the election Of Derby on the ground OF
fraud. II El.j Ii
Sln.thc Twclty-fifth district, where
the issue was tho mixing up OF the bal
lots by tho Republican county clerk,
who sent them to tho wrong districts,
thus enabling the Republican inspect
tors'to ascertain how certain persons
voted and thereby destroying, the Sc
crecy of the ballot. The Democrats did
not raise the question OF the citizenship
OF Peck, the Republican candidate. Mr..
Nichols was tho Democratic candi.
date. Il Il. \ ( 4 ".
In tho Twenty-seyenth district, com-
prisins Allegheny, Steubcn aud Che
mang countythe issue turned on; the
eligbiityof5Sherwood, the Republic
/, cant!idato. WHO was il park commission
erof Horncllsville, and whose ineligi-
hiittya was promulgated before the cleo
ton, by Attorney General Tabor: The
Democratic candidate was Mr.. Walker.
DEMOCRATS liAyEITliEs ADVANTAGE.
The importanccof the Democrats CON
trolling the2senate is not only local, but
national, asit may possibly decide the
next election for the presidency, as
there willisGrelv be a ire-apportionmenE
ofthostate'iN the interests ofthei Dem.
Qcrnts.@ Besides this impo ortant matter}
there Is n great tleal oilpatronage jinsaP.i 4
polntments Of officials ITO places aong
AelA!bY3 tlie5Republicans: Il ..33 "
Tho state board did not convene un--
ttllsto:night, when they took tho follow
action upon the four5cGses in nseon:
test: J5;t Il III 53S II