Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-03-24
MONDAY EVENING. MAR. "a 1902

IN TUE douse of Representatives on
Saturday. when Mr.. ManD, republican,
OF Illinois, from elections committee
No. l, reported 10 favor Of turning out
Mr. Rbea. democrat, Of the Third Ken
lucky district, and giving his seat 10
MIR. Moss, republican, be prefaced his
remarks by saying that his commi'tse
did not act from partizsn standpoint
Then forthwith he aud his associates
on this committee gave the Hlmslest
reasons for their action and showed
plainly that they had framed their re-
port entirely on partisan grounds and
wished ID turn out Mr.. Rhea because
he was elected under the Goebel law,
although that law was the law oil Ken
tuekv. and Mr.. Rhea had no part IN
framing ii. Mr.. Burgess, OF Texas Tor
ths minority of the committee, showed
how vulnerable were the arguments
advanced by the majority members and
10 protest said:
"There is no need to talk about the
Goebel election law, or partisanshlp,
or anything else, except the law 10 the
case invoked by the undisputed iacis'
I say that this is a question OF the high
est right and the highest judicial opln-
ion that you or shall ever be asked TO
give: and in making our decision 1t Is
one 10 which we ought to remove lar
from us every partisan plea, one In
which every principle Of patriotism
ought 10 we'll up in our hearts and say
let us decide the real law in the case
and preserve the real rights OF States
and the rights OF individuals II the
heavens and parties all fall into piece,
l tell you it is q great question. ii
we shall set precedent OF wlnking at
decisions aud statutes of State upon
the free election of one of it's citizens to
represent her in this House, where
shall we draw the line? If we set fol
once that precedent, when time o.
excitement comes, when time OF par
tissn feeling may come, when there
will not be the good era as there 10 now
men will be driven along and along
and along until the rights OF States
and OF individuals will be lost 10 q
mere centralized power under the
direction of the men who are then run
ming it. l tell you l feel ss If this case
involved as much for the Stats OF Ken
lucky as any of the great trials through
which she has been called to go, and
God knows they have been many and
severe enough. l feel as II L would
like to say to her, out OF my heart, u
fear, thou grand old State, thou ar'
about to be wounded in the house oi
thv friends. Surrounded by represeD'
tatives OF sister States whose stars
blend with thine in the national flag,
they are about TO say that your Supreme
Court decisions are of no value; that
your statutes are meaningless, and that
the election of one OF your citizens can
bs determined by ballots net 10 com
pliance with the laws OF your State or
your court; that though you are gall
liant and brave enough to have men
that would turn out on the same issue
a democrat and seat q republican
that 10 a republican House they are
about / reverse the order OF things and
the decirion of your higher court, and
turn out democrat and seata pretend
ed republican"
But the just and fervid appeal OF Mr.
Burgess will 10 all probability avail
nothing. 1t is on the card that Mr..
Rhea must Ego" and when the vote is
taken tomorrow it Is dollars to dough-
nut, that the republican will be given
his seat.