The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-15
Thursdays Proceedings.

The House Thursday. by the very mar
row margin Of two votes, unseated Mr.
Crawford, of North Carolina, Democrat
and seated in his place Mr.. Pearson, Of
North Carolina, who was a member of
the Fifty-fOurth and Fifty-fifth Con-
crosses. Mr.. Pearson is the third Repub-
Ican TO be seated by the present House.
Both the contestant and the contestee had
their innings on the floor yesterday, and
Mr. Linney, Of North Carolina, wound
Up the debate with a picturesque speech.
The votes were very close. The minority
resolution, declaring the sitting member
entitled to the seat, was defeated by one
vote. Mr. Jack, Pennsylvania Republi-
can, voted with the Democrats on both
roll-cals. On the first vote fifteen Repub
licans were absent and impaired, and on
the second twelve were absent and IMPAIR
ed Among these was Mr.. DriScOll, of New
York, who refused to sign the committee
report Mr.. Noonan, of Chicago, and Mr..
Daily, Of New Jersey, two Democrats, who
went away without being paired, could
have kept Mr.. Crawford in the seat.
When the debate on the election contest
was resumed, Mr.. Pearson, the contest
ant, was given fifty minutes in which TO
address the House in his own behalf. Mr.
Pearson had a large chart erected in the
area in front of the Speakers chair, which,
he claimed, illustrated the manner in
which the black vote in his district had
been suppressed.
Mr.. Pearson was followed by Mr.. Craw-
ford, the sitting member, who defended
his right to the seat in an hours speech.
Mr.. Crawford declared that 10000 people
in the Ninth North Carolina District
were on trial They had q right to say
who should represent them in the House.
| Prior to this election, Mr.. Crawford said,
no man had ever charged fraud in the
Ninth COngression District of North
! Carolina. But Mr. Pearson, he said, sell
| dom knew defeat. He charged that Mr..
Pearson had so trimmed his political sails
| that he had not lost vote in a national
| election since 1850, when he voted for
! Hancock HE voted for Cleveland twice, -
said Mr. Crawford. "and supported me
| against Senator Pritchard when ! de-
| feated him in 1892"
While referring 10 Gov. Russelrs at
! tack upon Mr. Pearson. Gen. Grosvenor,
of Ohio, interrupted to ask if the Dem
ocrats of North Carolina had not threat
ened TO impeach Gov. Russell.
That is an assault upor the governor
of my State which | resent" replied Mr..
/ Crawford.
The looic Of what desire to know IS
| this" continued Gen. GrOsvenCr, was
rot Gov RusselIs attack on Mr.. Pearson
made during the adjournment Of the leg
islature to conciliate the Democrats"
Il object" Tetorted Mr.. Crawford, "tC
the Republicans washing their dirty liner
in my time"
In concluding. Mr.. Crawford said, ad
dressing the Republican side: Il shal
await your verdict conscious that you car
do me no harm with the people whose
commission ! hold"
Mr.. Linney Of North Carolina, con
cluded the debate with characteristic
speech IT, favor of the claims OF the con
testant In referring to Gov. RusselI'
letter he characterized II as "an ex-part'
statement Of mad governor.
| For he is mad" said Mr.. Ltuney, 'mal
I as a March hare. That he is a great MAJ
| intellectually / admit, and that he Is
I good pOIitiCiau while working In the rank
/ avow But he cannot stand prosperity
| As soon as he Is promoted he Kicks on
of the harness and plays the devil IN gen
| eral. He is afraid Of his own shadow
He is in terror OF the Democratic organ
ization Of the State, and Will 30 anythini
To keep suspended the sword OF DamOcles
, I which hangs over his head.
Later. Mr.. Linney produced some fig
ures 10 show that II was the black dls
tricts which returned Democrats TO Con
Z gress, not Republicans. Take Mr.
Kitchin's district for instance" sal
he. II claim l come nearer reI
resenting the white people Of Mort
Carolina than he does. / claim / an q
much OF a white man as he Is, Ny hand
! are smaller, my feet are smaller. IL
; complexion is clearer than his is
. At the conclusion OF Mr. Linneys Ie
marks. the vote was taken upon the m
noF.ty resolutions declaring Mr.. Craw
ford. the sitting member. entitled - r
: tain his seat. When the roll call was CON
pleted IL showed a majority OF one 10
p The resolution. Intense interest 7aS mar
o ifested Mr. Tawney. the Republica
: whip stated that Mr.. Fitzgerald, II Ma:
, / sachusetts had voted, although he va
= paired with Mr.. Lowering. Of MassaCnU
| sets.
? on account Of the closeness Of the voi
b the Speaker ordered a reca9itaiaJion {
Z / the roll call. At the end OF the FocapiJt
Z / Iatlon. Mr. Tompkins. Republican. ~ Ne
/ York. hurried in with his oYercoat cyt
! his arm. and offered 20 vote, but as %
/ was not present when his name wa
| called he could not vote under the Tul
: | The Speaker ordered the tally clerh
u again 10 foot up the totals. An error va
+ discovered that tied the vote, l2S 10 u
The resolution was. therefore, lost Late
: Speaker HENDERSON saGounesd that u