The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-24
GOVERNORS MOVE
Republicans Greatly Wor-
rled by the Proposed
Quo Warranlo.
YESTERDAYS RUMoR VERIFIED.
Governor Wer,s and the At.
torney-General Speak Freely
of the Procedure.
Chief Justice Beasley Will Call a
Special Term Promptly, if
Requested.
Specio, to the JERSEY Citv Ne,rs.

TRENTON, Jan. "a, 1S94.-Just before the
Assembly met yesterday afternoon rimor
flew about the State House that the Gov
ernor had decided to take steps toward a
solution of the Senatorial muddle. 1t was to
the effect that the Governor had directed
Attorney General Stockton to bring suits of
quo warranto against the Republicans as a
body to inquire by what warrant they claim
to be the Senate of New Jersey; that he had
directed Chief Justice Beaseley to call a
special session of the Supreme Court to hear
and determine the matter Immediately.
Although this statement was made upon
what appeared to be excellent authority,
there were many who doubted it, holding
that the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction
in the matter. The rumor did not appear
until both the Governor and the Attorney
General had disappeared, the former to his
home in Jersey City and the latter to his
residence in New York.
Senator VOORHEES, said that when the COM
mittee of the Republican Senators called
upon the Governor in the morning to receive
his reply to the letter which they sent him
Monday evening, he made just such propo-
sition to them He wanted them to desig
nate one of their numbers to accept service
of all the writs and to agree that they would
accept the decision of the Supreme Court as
final and not appeal to the Court of Errors
and Appeals. The Republicans have assured
him, Mr.. VOORHEES, said, that they would
not consent to anything which for moment
questioned their position as the legally elect
ed and constituted Senate. 1t was said af-
terward that the Attorney General had de-
cided that the writs could issue against the
Senate as body and that the Governor
issued his order to the Attorney General to
begin the suits just before he left for home.
Ali doubts of the truthfulneSs of the ru-
NOR were dissipated this morning by the
positive statement of the Governor. who said
that he had directed the Attorney General
to prepare statement of the facts regarding
the claims of the Senate to be presented
before a special session of the Supreme
Court which the Governor called to decide
the question, the court to sit either at the
end of this or the beginning of next week.
Chief Justice Beasley said this morning that
the Governor had not yet communicated
with or spoken to him on the subject either
directly or indirectly. As the matter might
come before him as member of the Su-
preme Court, he declined to speak further
about the matter. When told that the
Republicans claimed that the Supreme
Court had no jurisdiction in the
matter he smiled and said that was one of
the questions which the court might be
called upon to decide. And no judge could
study. When the Attorney General arrived
at his Office this morning he was besieged by
a number of interested persons who wanted
to knowwhen he would begin proceedings. Mr..
Stockton said that no conference had been
held between the Governor and himself.
They had agreed that the only proper and
expeditions way to settle the matter was for
the Supreme Court to review it and give a
speedy decision. In regard to the course to be
pursued he was not prepared to say.
The stature provided that special
term of the Supreme Court could be held
with the consent of the Chief Justice and
his associate Justices He intimated that
whatever view the Republicans took of the
matter it was plain both to himself and
the Governor that the welfare of the State
demanded that the case be adjudicated upon
by the court with the least possible delay,
and that the necessary proceeding would be
begun at once
Attorneys General said in closing, sto bring
this matter to the attention of the court at
once.o
A lawyer who stands high In the profes-
sion, said: ''The Attorney General can go to
judge of the Supreme Court on petition
setting up that certain men claim to be
Senate and ask for permission to file an
requiring those men to show by
what warrant they claim to be
such Senate. Usually if the applicant has
the least shadow of case the permission is
granted In this matter the Judge applied
to would not care to take the re-
sponsibility of deciding for himself
whether the Court has jurisdiction
in the matter, and would in all probability
refer the matter to the full bench of divi-
sion. There, If the court should decide that
it had jurisdiction, the writ would be issued;
all questions of fact must be tried by a jury,
as the court can only pass upon
questions of law unless the Re
publicans and Democrats will, agree
upon statement of facts to be submitted as
the only facts which can be considered. If
they cannot so agree as to the facts the case
will have to go to a jury. This would cause
considerable delay, which is just what the
democrats WANT