Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-16
HOUSE CONTESTS.
Proposed Effort to Unseat Ill YlrSlnia's
Democratic Congressmen.
coRNEr-SwANSoN; HoGE-oTEY
Notification Of These Cases-North Carolina
fusionists Already Quarreliing
Over spoils.

(SpeciaL)-The Evening Star is authority
for the statement that an effort will
be made by the Republicans to unseat
elected In Virginia on allegations that
frauds were perpetrated by throwing out
immense numbers OF Republican votes
to such extent as to render the elections
void. 1t is further stated that the Re-
publican Congressional Committee pro-
pose to make an issue Of the Virginia
cases, and insist upon an entire re-
election.
The Republican committee have al
ready been notified of thirteen contests
i In Kentucky, 8 in Louisiana, 1 In Mis-
souri,. in North Carolina, 1 In South
Carolina, 1 in Texas. In Virginia, and
In Nebraska, and more are in prospect
among them the Virginia cases of Cornet
against Swanson and Hoge against Otey.
LARGELY FUSTIAN.
A very large amount of this talk Is
fustian. The Republicans. under the lead
OF Mr.. Reed, will endeavor to be ex-
tremely conservative. since the Republi-
can majority Is already SO large as TO
become unwieldly. The Republican
leaders are not likely to countenance
ousting Democrats In the wholesale man
ner threatened, because they will not
deem II wise TO lay up store of wrath
TO recoil upon them at the presidential
election of 1886. Hence the Republican
majority will proceed with great caution
and elaboration in matters of this nature.
although the pressure otherwise will be
very strong from the hot-heads.
NORTH CAROLINA.
The senatorial solution In North Caro-
lima is being widely discussed here. Mr..
Josephus Daniels. Chief Clerk OF the
Interior Department, and editor Of the
Raleigh On. c. News, Is out In an inter-
view this afternoon, In which he vigor-
ously denies the statement that q deal
would be effected whereby the Democrats
would secure one OF the senatorshps
Mr.. Daniels felicitates himself that the
result Of the recent elections In North
Carolina demonstrates the falslty OF the
common charge. and exposes the SANDER
that free ballot and fair count could
not be had in that State.
1t Is stated here that the contest be-
tween the Populists and Republicans for
the long-term senatorship from North
and advlces received tonight indicate
that fusion may after all prove abortive
owing TO the bitterness engendered over
this quarrel.
THE STAR" ARTICLE.
The Washington Evening Star Qnde-
pendenD article referred to above Is in
part as follows:
There is considerable talk on the part
OF Republicans OF throwing out the entire
delegation from Virginia given certificates
OF election as representatives, In the Fifty
fourth Congress. 1t Is asserted that there
will be abundant evidence produced on the
meeting OF the Fifty-fourth Congress that
frauds Were perpetrated OF such n whole
sale character In Virginia as to render the
entire election void. While frauds of other
character may be cited that which is
charged as general Is the throwing out of
immense numbers Of Republican votes In
every congressional district 1t is said
that the afiidavits Of voters declaring that
they voted the Republican ticket will be
presented In numbers enough to vitiate
the entire election. the votes themselves
not being accounted for In the returns. 1t
is believed that the Republican Congress
sional Committee will take up the case,
making the exclusion Of the entire Vir-
ginia delegation an official party measure
In vindiCation of honesty at the polls. If
this Is done the matter will come up
almost Immediately on the opening OF
Congress, and there will have TO be a re-
election in Virginia, or else that State will
be left without representation In the
House.
THE HILBORN PRECEDENT.
The old saying about chickens coming
home TO roost Is very finely exemplified in
this case. as in a large number of other
contests which will b. made against south
ern Democrats in the next House. The
Democrats will have two years for repent
'ance in solemn retreat for their short
sighted, unjust, and unwise decision in
the English-Hiborn case, which was de-
clded in a partisan spirit during this Con-
gress. The unusual position taken In that
case In order 10 deprive a Republican Of
his seat that afiidaWts Of voters as to
how they cast their ballot should be re-
garded as superior evidence TO the ballots
themselves actually produced. furnishes
precedent through which every southern
Democrat whose seat In the next Con-
gress Is contested may be evicted from
Congress. In the case of the afidavits
upon which Hilborn was unseated. the
statements OF the voters were taken some
time after the election, when II was def
nitely known Just how many changes OF
the vote in certain precinct would be
necessary to reverse the result. Though
the proper number OF ballots were in the
boxes and showed Mr.. Hilborn's election,
the af!idayits of enough men TO change the
result were accepted as superior evidence.
1t Is understood that in these southern
contests representatives of the local COM
mittee, having in mind just such situa-
ton as has developed I'm that locality. took
the afIidavlts of Republican voters on their
leaving the polllng-places. and Will, there
fore, be prepared TO show a much larger
Republican vote than the official returns
account for.
ROSTER OF THE NEXT HOUSE.
The latest estimate OF the next House
prepared by the Republican Congressional
Committee gives 2i5 Republicans, 100
Democrats, and PopulIsts. In this esti-
mate no account is taken Of those districts
in the South where Republicans have
been elected, but will not receive certif-
Gates. This list represents the House as II
will stand when called to order on the
first Monday In December. 1896:
Rep. Dem. Pop.
Alabama .............."''.
Arkansas ..........,........ 80
California .................. =.
Colorado ..................
Connecticut ......"......
Delaware .................
Florida NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Georgia ...."............s IL -
ldaho ...................".
ILLINOIS, ...................... ~
Indiana NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. Is
Iowa Observation-Disclosures. IL