Evening star., 1945-02-25
Capital Sidelights
BIZ viii P. KennedyF

Pinckney B. s.. Pinchback from
Louisiana presented credentials both
for q seat at large In the House and
for Senator in the Forty-third Congress
starting March 4. 1878. He had signed
his own credentials. being Lieutenant
Governor and Acting Governor-but he
never was allowed to take either seat.
The House contest continued until the
final day of that Congress. March 3.
1875, when his rival took the oath and
the pay for the entire Congress. The
Senate seat remained vacant during the
entire Forty-third and Forty-fourth
Congress-while Mr.. Pinchback con-
tinued to assert his rights-and the suc-
cessfvl candidate james B. Eustis Of New
Orleans. who subsequently was elected
January II. 1876, for the six-year term
beginning March 4. 1873. was not per-
mitted to take the Senate seat until
December 10, 1877. in the second session
OF the Forty-fifth Congress. Then, four
years and nine months OF the sk-year
term had expired.
A dual government then existed in
Louisiana, and the certificates for rival
candidates were signed by Coy War
moth. Mr.. Pinchback and william L.
McMillen were the opposing claimants
for the Senate seat. Their contest con-
tinued throughout the Forty third Con-
gress without settlement. In the Forty
fourth Congress 1t was renewed, but on
December IA, 1875. Mr.. McMillen was
permitted to withdraw his credentials
On March 8, 1875, the Senate adopted
q resolution that Mr.. Pinchback "be not
admitted to seat" The Committee
on Privileges and Elections had twice
reported in the Forty-fourth Congress
that Mr.. Pinchback was entitled to the
seat upon credentials presented from
two elections. The committee, after
these decisions, was instructed to re-
port upon the credentials of James B.
Eustis and held that, inasmuch as Mr..
Pinchback had clear title, there was
no vacancy. The Senate refused to
adopt the report Of the committee and
declared Mr.. Pinchback mot entitled
to the seat" by q vote of 80 to 20. In
the special session of the Forty-fifth
Congress March s to March II, 187D,
on March the credentials of Mr..
Eustis were taken from the files and
again referred to the committee. The
committee reported on December I,
1877. two days before the first session
Of that Congress closed, holding that
the Senate's action in the case Of MI.
Pinchback was final adjudication, and
. resolution was adopted declaring that
Mr.. Eustis was entitled to the seat.
Abraham Lincoln was against the
Army practice Of Furnishing a soldier by
withholding his pay, and when the Army
failed to act on his recommendation
for relief, he settled the matter with q
three-word admonition to the then
Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton,
March l, 1864. Lincoln stated the case:
"A poor widow, by the name Of Baird,
has son in the Army, that for some
offense has been sentenced to serve a
long time without pay. or at most with
very little pay. do not like this pun
ishment Of withholding pay-it falls so
very hard upon poor families. After
he had been serving IN this way for
several months, at the fearful appeal Of
the poor mother. made direction that
he be allowed to enlist for new term,
on the same condition as others. She
now comes and says she cannot get 1t
acted upOn," Then the President con-
cluded his letter to the Secretary OF
War-"Please do it,