The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-04
SAMSON TO KEEP HIS SEAL
u,rTTLOsEs IN HIS CONTEST BE
e'' FORE THE House.

tsrS of the - /
ua,d Their seats by Virtue of se
walton Law.
n''-,irg,on. Feb. S.-The discussionpf
81 NdS',-7t-5 election case of George ".
d ,s claude a. Swanson, fromthe
| "a. trict of Virginia, occupied n9rly
whole of to-day's session OF the 'use
y !, wv W. an overwhelming vote Mr.. Tan-
w.. lille to the seat was confirn'd py
N House
S.+ Mr. swanson was entitled % hold
t. the minority-Messrs. 7homas,
& n,' and Overstreet-holds tina neither
rarpstt nor Mr.. Swanson wa emitted
.sa seal. Briefly stating the sase, Mr.
an rep.. Of Massachusetts,, fAairman
~, committee, said that MrSwanson
[irs5 tbe certificate of election upon a
.sTrn giving him majority of $50 votes
:. o,.sry precinct concerning the votes OF
s,.b onv testimony whatever was pre-
- to the committees were thrown out
co,lnt Mr.. Swanson would still have
m majority. There was absolutely no
artbmotic known to intelligent men by
~,icb a different result could be reached.
Tso Ground upon which the minority based
"a soir views was that the election law OF
virginia was unconstitutional and there
ne no valid election was held AS to
nix he desired only to say that the House
had voted in two other contests to seat
members elected under that same law, and
NAT all the members of the Virginia dele
cation held their seats by virtues of the op
Grafton OF that law.
Mfr. Jones, dem. of Virginia, made an
4 elaborate arguments insupport of the com
mitee's report Referring TO the cleo
4 tion law. he said it had been declared to
4 he constitutional by the unanimous Gecis-
inn of the supreme court of the state. And
4 The committee had concluded that il all
a tho provisions of this law attacked by the
contestant we're invalid or unconsdtution-
al there still remained undisturbed and I'M
n Affected enough Of the law to make the
election perfectly valid. Mr.. Jones then
Wpnt INFO the matter of the votes in IS
butte. setting forth the details, and claim
ID Cd in confirmation of Mr. McCalfs state
4 msDt that after the rejection Of all the
votes attacked by the contestant, Mr..
Swanson would still have over LOO ma
M. Thomas. rep. of Michigan, present
Cd the views of the minority. He said that
4 Jour questions arose in the consideration
First-suficicncy of the notice of con-
Second-The right of the House to in
Qlre into the validity of the election law
o. Virginia.
Tlird-The constitutionality of the Wal
ton law.
Fourth-Efect of the operation of that
aw upon our system of popular govern
ment.
He devoted most of his time to the two
latter propositions. An analysis of the
Walton law was given by Mr.. Thomas,
from which he declared the law to be a
peryersion of the Australian ballot sys-
TEN.
Mr.. Thomas asserted that the case in
which the supreme court of Virginia had
decided the law to be constitutional was
a e0lus.Ve proceeding, and by the admis-
ion OF the court itself, the constitutions
atty of the law was immaterial to the
leerm nation of the questions submitted
10 1.-two reasons which made the Judg-
ment as to the eOnStitutionality OF the
law OF no binding force or effect.
In conclusion Mr. Thomas said: Il
champion the cause of 100000 Virginia
voters bound hand and foot in political
bondage, with no outlook or hope for the
future, If my contention shall fail a re-
publican form of government will cease
TO exist in Virginia. If a mode of election
can be cOntrVed that will embarrass and
disqualify one class of voters, then it is
possible for some mode of election to he
devised that will disqualify any class 70
whom the constitution has extended the
ilsht of suffrage. 1t is well that this con-
test should take place on Virginia soil
Here where the first English settlement
N America was planted; here, where a
Henry sounded the first notes of liberty
mere where the author of the declaration
M independence lived and died: where
Washington and Lee We're born, the form
tf 10 e&emplty love for a nation, and the
lduer love Tor state-it is well, | say,
mat on the historic soil of the Old Doc
mhlon state this new, EoVel and porten-
uous issue in the cauEe of popular gov
tInment should be fought and settled.
Perhaps no state of inferior rank would
nave attempted this master stroke of in
EenultN 10 establish the supremacy of a
minority, nor would ] directly or even by
lunuendo dsparage this minority. If it
were possible for me to believe i'm the Su-
IFemacN OF any minority il would be in
me lIIustrious descendants of the pioneers
u. CNll liberty, who have for centuries
maze the banks of the James, the Rap
pdHdnhock, the shenandoah and. the Po-
'iudc sacred to home, to Christianity, 10
.loeity ana to civilization. A secret ballot
y me palladium of civil liberty. 1t gives
10 suffrage a. once its glory and its power.
.lound II gathers the force and security
w So'l' tY. Before il opens the grand
of our elective system.
10" Walton law of Virginia is the first
4 Sisative attempt to invade and over
row y. Let il be the last"
MI Gibson, rep, of Tennessee, threw a
" ne excitement into the debate, which
|dI oeon progressing even more prosily
Idh inai upon the average election case.
iie addressed himself to- the remarks by
" Met All IN his speech upon the YoSt-
u.h'f contest: What the republicans
l ne south now needed is TO be treated
Ye4 robust principles. They have been
oIqled to the point of destruction" He
iIled mack the insinuation contained in
H. >aeer ana contumely of the word cod
u.g me recent election, Mr. Gibson
ail- showed q greater gain of republican
XXI IA southern states than in any other
u, ION ol the country-4l per cent. on the
W. rag And the republicans had abso-
tDfs uplmng TO sustain them aside from
' devotion 10 principle. He did not know
,Hal lhe gentleman (AIr. MCCALL had
,1-aAi hN the words robust principles -
iood by, Judging from his record he
s9ahl 10 notify southern republicans that
ynt ol them came to the House with a
ortf TOT q seat he would be inconti-
nly kicked out. "And yet the truth
e pasa.onately declared MIR. Gibson
Ndl Do any man comes here from that
lon with an adverse majority Of a
.5 2dnu. u is absolutely true that If there
tt Oeen a fair election and an honest
S2 o'll.. a.. als majority would be at least a
Cries Of "oh. no from Mr.. Livingston.