Middletown transcript., 1898-11-26
MIDDLEToWN, DEL, NOV. 20, 1895
..sroLEN SEATS IN THE SENATE .

Under the above caption the Phila-
helphia Press Of Nov Esd, contained a
most interesting article and of local in
terest since it included the claims of
Mr.. R. r. Kenney as Senator from
Delaware. 1t referred to the possible
results Of Mr.. Kenney's trial before the
Federal Court of this State, December
9th, matter the TRANSCRIPT has not
discussed and will not now-it being
for Judge and jury to consider first.
But the Press discussed further the
right of Mr.. Kenney to hold his seat
since the Counts of this State have vir-
tually decided lhata third of the Gen.
eral Assembly which elected him we're
not themselves elected, he receiving
their votes and without them could
never have had a claim to election,
that is the eight members from Kent
county who were counted in by the Re-
turning Board in 1896. The Press
holds the election was a fraud-as it
was-and should be void. This is
reasonable and sensible view. How it
can be brought before the U. s. Sem
ate may or may not be question, but
there is certainly a way TO right so
great a wrong. The Republicans do
not need the vote in the Senate as their
majority will be twenty or more in the
next Congress at the close of which the
senatorial term will have expired but as
matter Of right to the eieizens Of Del
aware and as an effort to purify elections
II # is subject subject fer Investigation. What
action the next General Assembly can
take may or may not be another inter-
esting question. The seat belongs to
the Republicans and the present Legis-
lature should Gll it, but the sessions of
the Joint Assembly will be presided
over by Democrat and he may not
coincide with his view. If the Legisla-
ture should fail to elect and the u. s. |
Senate should declare a vacancy then |
the Governor would appoint, and a
Democrat would be named. These |
matters are undoubtedly receiving con-
sideration of Delaware Republicans.
The following is the Press article:
The seat now hell in the United
States Senate by Mr.. Kennev, of Dela-
ware, may be taken from him. If he
should be convicted in the peodipg
trial, in which he is charged with COM
plicity in looting a bank in Delaware,
that would loose him his seat. Il is
true that another Democrat who looted
bank, Roach, Of North Dakota, holds
a seat in the Senate. Eut he commit
ted the crime, though unknown to the
people of North Dakota, many years
before his election to the Senate.
If Kenney ESCAPES conviction in
court he may have to face the charge of
securing his election to the Senate by
fraud. 1t was proven recently before
the Superior Court in Delaware that
the Republican candidates for the
Legislature in Kent County in 1898
were elected. They were turned out,
end the seats given to Democrats as the
result of gross frauds since proved and
confessed. Had it not been for that
crime Republican instead of Kenney,
q Democratic free silver agitator, would
have gone to the Senate from Della
ware.
Is Democrat who admittedly j.,
secured his seat in the Senate by fraud,
when the voters chose Republican, to
be allowed to continue to misrepresent
Delaware5 The seat Kenney holds is
not needed by the Republicans to con-
troll the Senate, but crime should be re-
buked. The people Of Delaware should
be represented by a man of their
choice.
The Republicans have for several
years nOw been deprived of the control
of the Senate by Democratic frauds. !!
Murphy, of New York, get his seat in
the Senate as the direct result of theft,
SO declared by the highest couet in the
State of New York. 1t was the Hill
theft of election returns,
which were destroyed, and the admis-
sion of fraudulent returns, that elected
Murphy to the Senate. For nearly
six years he has held seat that rightly
belonged to the Republicans. Kenney
holds another seat in the Seuate by
somewhat similar frauds. il it were .
not for these two seats held by the ]
as the result of proved
frauds, the Republicans would have
been in the majority in the Senate of
the existing Congress, exclusive of
Silver Republicans" and Of the rene-
gade Pettigrew, AID of the fact that
Oregon had only one Senator. Ii
Can party profit in the long run by e
open-faced fraudsP The result of the
recent election would seem to answer
that question. But that kind of pun
ishment is not sufficient to meet the
ends of Justice,