The record-union., 1896-02-27

Senate amendments to the bill ex-
tending the time in which the Govern
ment may enter suit to annul land pat
ents issued upon railroad, wagon road
and canal grants were concurred in by
yea and nay vote-55 to 93.
The resignation of Representative
Cowan Dem) of Maryland. as a mem
Der of the Committee ~ ~anking and
Currency was announced by Speaker
Reed
Loud (Rep.) of California, Chairman
of the Committee on Postoffices and
Post Roads, reported the postal ap-
preparation bill for the year ending
June 80. 1891
The Speaker laid before the House
the bill to extend the time within
which the Government may bring suit
to annul patents to land issued under
any railroad or wagon road grant with
Senate amendments. The principal
amendments were those reducing the
period of extension from ten to six
years in regard to the patents issued
to the list. The amendments were
Discussion of the Van Horn-Tarsney
contested election case was then re-
sumed. Chairman Johnson, in charge
of the report, stated that, in his opin-
ion, vote upon the committees rec
ommendation to unseat Tarsney could
be taken tomorrow.
Tarsney Oem.) of Missouri, the con-
testee in the case, was the first speaker.
Tarsney's argument was in support of
the recommendation of the minority
that a recount be made of the ballots
in the precincts where fraud was al
legged to have been committed. in order
that the House might have all the tes-
timony available in making up it's
Judgment. That testimony procured,
Tarsney said he was willing to let the
decision rest upon what it showed. He
admitted that fraud had been com
mitted in the election, but asserted that
it was not procured by him, nor was it
intended by those VINO committed it
that he should be benefited as a re-
suit
In explanation of the failure on his
part to put into the case within the Pc
riod fixed by law for the presentation
of testimony the evidence of the ball
lots, Mr.. Tarsney said, would live long
after the expiration Of that period,
Knowledge of the commission of the
frauds which they recorded was locked
up in the breasts of the scoundrels who
perpetrated the frauds. No machinery
that could have been put in motion by
either the contestant or himself would
have disclosed it in time for use in the
time fixed by law governing the case as
far as the plain testimony was con-
cerned. The evidence essential to a
full and complete knowledge of the facts
was at hand. 1t was for the House to
determine whether or not it should be
used.
Burton (Rep.) of Missouri favored the
adoption of the majority report If the
investigation showed what the con-
testee claimed it would the case would
not be changed. Another reason why
the proposition to recount the ballots
would not avail anything, Burton said
was because in his opinion, under the
Constitution of the State the ballots
boxes could not be entered to make the
recount.
The adoption of the report of the mi
Eority was urged by Parker (Rep.) Of
New Jersey and Power (Rep.) of Vir-
ginia
The latter was interrogated by John
son as to whether or not he had read
the evidence in the case. Replying that
he had read some of it, Johnson asked
how much. II have read enough to
know that you and the majority of the
committee are all astray in the way you
are proceeding. You have stopped just
short of the facts in the case" Cap
plause). He urged upon the Repub-
hcans of the House the necessity of
avoiding making a precedent that
should return to plague them.
Referring to Burtons expression of
the opinion that under the Constitution
of Missouri the ballot boxes in the con-
tested precincts could not be entered
even by order of the House for the pur-
pose of counting the ballots, Power said
that if the custodian of the boxes, act
ing under advices of attorneys, as was
suggested might be the case, refuses to
produce the boxes II would bring the
officers attorney and boxes together
before the bar of the House" Cap
plause). He said he was not of those
who believed any State could pass a law
which nullified the Federal Constitu-
tion.
But suppose the Supreme Court of
Missouri should differ from the gentle
MANI" asked Burton
'Then I would put the court in con-
tempt with the Supreme Court of the
United States" answered Power.
Prince (Rep.) of Illinois was the last
speaker of the day, advocating the
adoption of the minority report. He
said to count the ballots as requested
by the majority would bring to the
House no new light in which to decide
the case. The record already in its pos
session contained abundant evidence to
justify the recommendation of the con-
test. Without concluding his remarks
Prince yielded the floor.
Speaker Reed announced the resigna-
tion of Representative Cowan of Mary
land as a member of the Committee on
Banking and Currency.
Loud Rep) of California reported the
postoffice appropriation bill for the year
ending June 80, 1896.
At $50 o'clock the House adjourned
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