Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-02-27

WIZ SontoopanV party
Judges of the election in the various
districts of the State and wards of the
cities, on their oath that the returns
were correct, and those voting were lie
gal voters. Governor Turney passed
upon the returns for Members of Con
gress, State Senators and Joint Repre-
sentatives in the Legislature, and said
they were all right. The same officers
and judges at the various voting places
in the State, who sent up the returns
for Governor, sent up the same returns
for Members of Congress, Senators and
Joint Representatives in the Legislature.
He said On his oath that from said re
turns the various persons having the
highest number of votes were elected
to Congress, to the Senate and Legisla.
ture, and signed their certificates and
put the great seal of the State upon
them. Oh, consistency, thou art a
jewel. But he needs the hog" The
Democrats say some people voted in
East Tennessee without paying their
poll tax, and Evans must be kept out.
1t is true the same fellows voted for
Members of Congress, Senators and
Joint Representatives in the Legisla-
ture, and he commissioned them, but
that is gray horse of another color.
Suppose Governor Turney should have
had ten majority on the face of the re-
turns; would there have been any fuss
or trouble in the Democratic camp.
Oh no. The Constitution would have
meant just what it says.
Not the Speaker of the Senate shall
open and publish the returns and the
person having the highest number of
votes shall be Governor, but-the ma
jority on the face of the returns are for
Evans, and that alters the case, and,
in that case, the Constitution don t
mean what it says. They need the
hog" In every State of the Union
where this question has come up, it has
been decided as the Republicans con-
tend for in this case, in Wisconsin,
Nebraska, Connecticut, West Virginia,
Alabama and California. In Califor-
mia, the Democratic candidate was
elected Governor by small majority,
but the Republicans elected both
branches of the Legislature. Their
Constitution is similar to ours. The
Republicans claimed that fraud had
been committed in the election of Gov
ernor and wanted an Investigation, but
the Republican Legislation said no,
that the returns showed on their face
that the Democratic candidate had q
majority and the Constitution said he
must be Governor, and inducted him
into the Office.
But our Legislature Gays that while
the Constitution says: Evans having
q majority on the face of the returns
shall be Governor, it don't mean il
when the Democrats "need the hog"
The New York Nation" one of the
leading Democratic periodical in the
United States says:
Democrats and Republicans have
just been put to the test in the matter
of surrendering Governorship to the
opposition on narrow majority, and
the Republicans make the better show
ing. On the face of the returns the
Republicans elected their candidate
for Governor in Tennessee by few
hundred votes, while the Democrats
retained the Legislature. In Califor-
mia, on the other hand, the Democrats
secured small majority in the con
test for Governor, while the Republi.
cans control the Legislature. In Cali.
fornia the Republicans have promptly
surrendered the Governorship to the
man who was elected, while in Ten
nessee the Democrats are keeping out
the man whom the people elected, on
the pretence that there were frauds
which the Legislature must investigate
and propose to have the Democratic
incumbent hold over pending such al
investigation. There is absolutely nc
defence for this course, and it only il
iustrates the fatal capacity of the Dem
ocratic party for laundering"
That is the difference between the
parties. The Republicans would no
violate the Constitution to keep one
out that the returns showed was elect
ed. The Democrats violated the Con
stitution to keep one in that was no
elected. This bill provides that com
mittees must go over the State anG
take proof as to alleged frauds in thu
late election, and when they return
they vote on the evidence they tool
themselves. The Legislature gets u,
the case, takes the proof, and the1
votes on it. Would it not be a nice or
rangement for contest for a seat il
Congress to have committee, but ou
of Congressman, to take the proof an(
Congress adjourn until the committe,
get through, and then come togethe
and vote on the case that Congress ori
ginated, was there ever such miser
able farce in any State of the Union
just think, the Legislature to pass
bill to investigate the election of Gov
ernor and him to sign the bill that i
to keep himself In. The same Legis
lature who said upon their oaths tha
the Constitution where it said the can
didate having the highest number O
votes on the face of the returns shal
be Governor, did not mean it, bu
meant that the Speaker of Senat
should not open and publish the re
turns, but it meant if the Legislator
did not object. That same Legislator
is to vote on thereport of committe
of their own appointing. know Evan
feels that he will be fairly treated
But as the boy said Tin horn" VIII
believes it? persume not man il
Tennessee.
The Senator from Shelby said b
was surprised at the construction pu
upon the Constitution as l had been
judge. say to him that when l wa
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