Evening star., 1898-06-07
THE SIXTH DISTRICT
The Possible Disqualifcations of the Sitting
Member.
Maryland History Brought in-Candi-
McDoHald's Opponent.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

LAUREL, Md, June Z, 1885,
The recent publications of the possible
disqualification Of; Captain John McDon-
aid, United States army, retired, present
representative in Congress from the
9Th Maryland district, from holding that
office have aroused wide interest in Mary
land. That Capt Mcdonald, being retired
officer of the United States army, and draw
ing the pay of his rank, according to the
statute made and provided in such cases. is
ineligible, under. the Constitution, to also
occupy a seat in Congress is regarded by
authorities in the stats to be clearly estab-
l:shed. He is in the same situation as when
he sat in the Maryland house of delegates
at the session of assembly held at Annapo-
lis in 1882. The statement In The Star that
Mr.. Blair Lee in view of the expressed de-
sire of the people of the 9th district, as
should be their representative, retrained
from contesting his seat was news to most
of the people of Maryland. Capt. Mcdonald
was elected to the house of delegates In
November, 1881, and his defeated opponent
promptly raised the question of his eligibil-
| ity, under the clause of the state constitu-
ton which prohibits senator or delegate
from being the holder Of any office, civil or
military, under the federal government.
The session of 1882 was a stormy and busy
one. There were several contests over the
seats of members and growing out OF the
judgeship elections in southern Maryland.
Capt. McDonalds case slept in the commit
tee on elections in the house until the oth-
ers were disposed Of and when the commit
tee finally took 1t up a report was agreed
upon unseating the captain. His election
was not tainted with fraud and the con-
testant could not be seated, SO the commit
tee proposed to refer the matter back to the
Montgomery county voters The latter pro-
tested against the expense and the useless
ness of sending a new man to Annapolls, IN
all probability at the very close of the ses-
sion. Therefore the contest was allowed to
die in the committee. Capt. Mcdonald made
a good record, but he never afterward ask
ed the support of the Montgomery voters
for the general assembly.
There is general opinion throughout the
district that Captain Mcdonald will not
try for a denomination. He fell heir to
the nomination two years ago because or
the bitter fight between Pearre of Ale
gany and Hagner of Washington county.
This time both these candidates are again
in the field, with, it is said, better un-
derstanding. There is strong opposition to
the captain in his own county. Ravens
croft, the state senator from Garrett, is
also making another effort for the nomi-
nation, and a half dozen other aspirants
have sprung up over the district, including
DIR. Haffner, the Wellington leader of Fred
erick.
1t has been learned from an army source
that Captain Mcdonald has been very anx-
ious to re-enter the service. His friends
at time thought that his army record
and his place upon the House military af-
fairs committee, together with what was
fondly hoped was his political pull, would
eventually put his name in the list of nomi-
nations to the Senate, with the rank of
brigadier general following it. So far,
however, President Mckinley has not taken
kindly to the idea.
In the fifth congressional district Cap
tain Charles G. Gordon, another retired
army officer. whose home is at Bladens-
burg. but a short distance from that of
Captain Mcdonald in Montgomery, has
been indorsed by the colored republican
organization of Prince Georges for the
congressional nomination, in opposition to
Sydney Emanuel Mudd Captain Gordon
has been candidate for this honor for
some years. Last year he succeeded in get
ting nominated for the state senate. He
contested the seat of Senator w. B. Clagett
at the late session of the general assembly,
but the committee on elections, though
composed mainly of republicans, found
that the sitting senator from Prince
Georges. a democrat. had been fairly
elected.