Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-03-30
NON PERSONA GRATA.
Yet Congressman Breckinridge Can
not Be Expelled.
Tssm Is shni aal Ne viii sen ss Aiisssshsr
Out 81 4.

WARRINGTON, March go Especial. -
When the report spread about the capitol
that Mr.. Morse Of Massachusetts had in
his desk two RESOLUTIONS ready to Introduce
a. soon as the Dteckinridge trial ended
one for cxpeiliDg the defendant and the
other for Inilder measure Of censure-it
excited rive pointed comments. One was,
ut would look better II he got some Dem
ocrnt to do that" and the other, "Oh.
everybody knows whit Morse ISL Later II
was stated that some other member had
this matter IN charge, and there was only
q smile at the proposition But when let
tiers multiplied asking members to act and
the resolutions Of the Social Purity society
were reported there were some serious dis
cuss;on1 an to the law OH such subjects
and, ~ usuel, about ns many opinions Is
lawyers.
No Law 70 Cover the Case.
The older members agree that there IA,
strictly speaking, no law on the subject
and have not been precedents enough to
establish rule, and therefore the case Ii
to BE- classed with questions OF "reasonn-
bic time" probable GAUGE, due dill
gencen and the like where fixed rule is
impossible and courts and juries have
great discretion. OF course members have
been expelled for various reasons, such as
treason, bribery, sale Of cadetships, as
sauIt On other members, ETC., but there ~
10 decisive precedent Es to the charge OF
gross immortality. In two cases which
were deliberately argued the lawyers OF
both houses differed widely on the qnes-
ton whether q crime or crimes committed
by member before his election disquali-
fed him for taking his seat
On this point the prevailing opinion IL
that constituents must decide, and that 1t
Ii always to be assumed that man has
reformed. In the case OF Bowen OF South
Carolina the bigamous marriage took
place In this city and while he was mem
Der. In the once famous case in the sen
ate It was not clear that the second mar
riage was bigamous or that the divorce
had been obtained by fraud. In the more
recent case Mr.. Roach was objected TO
because IL was taken that he had perpetrat-
I'd fraud on his constituents and had
dono nothing in the way Of reputation for
his original offense. In the Ohio legisla-
ture Of 1878 it was clearly proved that
Representative John O Conner had desert
cd from the army and had served full
term In the Michigan penitentiary for bur-
glary, and that he was once notorious
among craftsmen as Three Fingered Jack.
Nevertheless the prosecution had to rely
upon clause in the state constitution and
tho fact that he had not received from the
governor of Michigan remission OF disa-
bilities, so his election was declared void
eb initio and the seat vacant, though he
had voted for Eve highly important meas
ures which had received but one majority
each.
Pollard Touched the Button" Etc.
All these cases arc interesting, but not
in point. It is further alleged that all the
acts complained Of were done before MIR.
Breckenridge was elected to the present
house, and that this gives him immunity.
So fur, therefore, as opinions have been
given they may be- summed up thus: He
will not be here much longer, and If not
absolutely insane will keep very still for
the rest Of his term Pollard has touched
the button, and his constituents will do
the rest. Nevertheless his friends con-
tinue TO publish reports that his district
sustains him, aud Tat he is already sure
Of majority Of the delegates to the nomi-
mating convention--reports which only ex-
cite derisive smile among southern mem
bers, coupled occasionally with emphatic
remarks about a Republican lie
1t Is pleasure to record that the relief
society of Washington has closed up its
work and dissolved that all the churches
and social orders report less rather than
more restitution than usual ut this season
and that NIL the gnycties Of after Lent
are up to the average. In fact, few waited
for Easter All the theaters seem to be
crowded; all the festivals and other enter
tainments In aid Of various orders ARE well
patronizcd; all the excursions are immense,
and visitors are numerous. As one in
stance ont Of many IS schoolma 'Wns Of
Cleveland came in body. Bridal parties
are as frequent as usual, and the hotels do
not complain OF lack OF patronage. It is
true that western or southern member
occasionally calls attention to the fact that
most Of the visitors are from the east, and
that people In his section have no money
to come with, but il it not always true that
a majority Of the visitors are from the ad
jacent and eastern statesa
The temporary evil bids fair to result in
a lasting good. Rents have been reduced
materially and Washington Is now cheap
er place to live in than most northern cit
les. Members OF the committee on foreign
dnaiIG AASV Will aNNN1tiOA W VIC AoSS sAsHe
the world is just now nearer to condition
Of universal pence than it has been for 40
years. and 1t is alleged that last Sunday
was the first Faster since 1853 on which
no armed forces were in hostile movement
in any part Of the world. 1t would require
too much research to determine the truth
Of that statement.
Aching For n Chance.
Those eastern and far northern Democrats
who allowed the clause on state bank taxa
ton to get into the Chicago platform are
now taking lesson from the Dickensian
circumiocution office--..how not to do it. y
II will DO remembered that the PROPOSE
ton to repeal the 10 per cent tax on the
currency Of such banks was killed In the
banking and currency committee. but 1t
il eermane as an amendment to another
bill. Mr.. Cox Of Tennessee has made it a
speciality and is confident majority OF
both houses are ut heart for it. The silver
Republicans declare they are .sjust aching
for chance to jump on It." They have
been out Of harmony with their party just
long enough to gct restless and eager for
some issue OH which all can act together,
md this will just suit them. As the Pop
nlists want hut one Kind Of currency and
that national and IA legaltender, and rs the
xocta,-,, vln,nsrrNt ara Suligfantialiv with