The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-11-18
A KEruBLIcAN sBLUFF..

Our If1endS the enemy must think
the Utah Commission and the Utah
Democracy are blind, as they would be
if they were unable to see through the
foolish protest against the seating of
John Seaman elected to the legislative
Council for the Third District.
Mr.. Seaman was a registration officer
appointed by the Utah Commission.
He acted in this Office during the re-
cent election. Not breath of accu-
sation touches his official course. He
has been complimented on his impair
tial exercise of the duties of his po-
sition. Now come the manipulators Of
the Republican machine in this terri
tory and claim in a protest filed with
the Utah Commission that he having
been appointed to the office Of regis
trar was not eligible to the office of
a member of the Legislative Assembly,
and could not be legally voted for as
a candidate for that Office. They fur
Their claim that new election be or
dered in that district.
From explanations given outside of
the document filed, copy of which
appears in another column, it seems
that the ineligibility consists in their
minds in the notion that Mr. Seaman
by his position as registrar is a
Federal officer" that term still being
used in this discussion, and also that
he acted as registrar in part of the
district in which he was elected.
AS to the latter point we do not
think there need be any discussion
There is nothing in the law which
makes that bar to his election. AS
to the former point there is no SINH
larity between Mr.. Seaman's position
and that of NIr. seeley as claimed by
the friends of the last named gentle
man.
A registration officer is not one hold
ing an appointment under the United
States. He is appointed by the Utah
Commission who, in performing their
duties, act under the laws of the ter
ritory and the registrars are simply
subordinate territorial officers. They
do not act under the United States
but under the Territory of Utah. The
President of the United States appoints
the Probate judges in Utah under a
law of the United States, and they are
commissioned by him as the Executive
of the United States. The two po-
sitions are entirely different.
If any man holding an appointment
from an officer or board appointed by
the President to act under territorial
laws is a Federal official, then every
notary public in Utah holds an ap-
pointment from the United States be-
cause appointed by the Governor who
lis appointed by the President. Also
every person who holds a commission
for any Office in the territory and I'M
der its laws from the Governor or the
Secretary of the territory is a Federal
official. The absurdity of this ought
to strike even so peculiar a mind as
that of. the Chairman of the Republi-
can territorial committee.
A registration officer does not hold
a commission or appointment under
the United States and therefore does
not come under the ban Of Ineligible
lily defined in the Organic Act of this
territory. And it is clear that in this
respect his position is entirely different
from that of Probate Judge who
though territorial officer is, like the
Governor, the Secretary and the Utah
Commission, appointed by the Presi-
dent and Senate and holds a commits
sion under the United States.
It is evident that this Republican
scheme is intended in the shape of
reprisals. 1t is just such a cute O.
trick as one might expect from the
Crane of the Republican party. 1t is
offered in the spirit of retaliation and
viii simply cause some nerriment
among the people whom it was inten-
ded to act upon as a sort of bluff. 1t
will not affect the Seeley- Greenwood
contest particle. And it will not stop
the able Seaman of the Third Council
District from sailing safely into the
Legislative Assembly.