Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 June 1858 — Bright and Fitch Confirmed. [ARTICLE]

Bright and Fitch Confirmed.

At the Called Session of the present Senate, which commenced on the 4th day of Biarch, 1857, Messrs. Jesse D. Bright and Graham N. Fitch presented what purported to be credentials entitling them to seats as Senators from Indiana. They were met at the threshold by a remonstrance, signed by a majoiity of the members of the State Senate of Indiana, comprising one-branch of the Legislature by which they claimed to hare been elected, denying that any such election had taken place, and protesting against their admission to seats. The laws "of Indiana require a concurrence of the Senate with the House in appointing a meeting in jbint ballot for the choice of United States Senators, and no such concurrence was ever had. The Senate never assented to such joint ballot, and only a minority of its members attended the joint ballot, which, having been agreed to for another purpose, was most dishonorably perverted to an attempt to choose Senators. \

The facts within the case lay within a. narrow compass, and were easily comprehended. In case of conflict or doubt, Indianapolis, where the pretended election was held, was within two days, by' mail, anitwe hours, by telegraph, ot Washington. S® there was no excuse in the circumstances of the case for keeping the matter in suspense for more than three weeks at farthest. And yet the political friends ot Messrs. Bright and Fitch, who constitute a strong i and unscrupulous majority of the Senate, have been over fifteen months hardening their hearts and faces tor the outrage of pronouncing those gentlemen rightfully chosen Senators from Indiana! From month to month, the minority have brought up the question and insisted that it be disposed of; but the majority have persistently shuffled it aside, to the grievous wrong of the pretenders and lof Indiana, if they were indeed elected. At | last, in the dying hours of the long session, I after Messrs. Bright and Fitch h ive been j serving continuously for more than six { months, they are confirmed in their seats by a party drill and a party vote. This voter is ; directly in the teeth of that bv which the j same party unseated Mr. Harlan as a-Sena- ! tor Iroin lowa. In Mr. Harlan's case, the ; Democratic Senate agreed with the Whig {House in designating a day on which a joint ballot should be held for tbe choice of a United States Senator. The meeting was accordingly held, but no choice effected, when the joint ballot adjourned over to another special day. Oil that day, the Democratic Senators, learning that a choice was likely to be effected, refused to attend. VThis was rightly held by the majority of the Whole Legislature not to vitiate the joint ballot already formed by tie' concurrence of the Senate. So the business proceeded, and Mr. Harlan was chosen. The United States Senate, upon a contest, decided that he was noi rightfully chosen, because a majority of the Senators deserted the' - joint ballot duly convened. So, Mr. Harlan was sent home, but immediately re-elected; ami now the men who sent him home have decided that Bright and Fitch are duly elected! —/Yrir L orh Tribune.