CASES

OF

CONTESTED ELECTIONS

IN CONGRESS,

FROM THE YEAR 1789 TO 1834, INCLUSIVE.

COMPILED BY

M. ST. CLAIR CLARKE,

LATE CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES,

AND

DAVID A. HALL.

PAINTED BY ORDER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WASHINGTON:

PRINTED BY GALES AND SEATON.

1834.

PREFACE.

In explanation of the following work, it may be necessary, by way of preface, to make one or two remarks illustrative of its plan. The first object was to bring together the entire proceedings of Congress upon each case of contested elections that had occurred since the adoption of the federal constitution; and, secondly, to give to the whole, such a form, that the points deemed important in each should be presented prominently to the reader, and in a manner fitted to arrest his attention. With this view, a summary is placed at the head of each case, intended to embody, in a brief space, the points decided in that case. To avoid error, however, it must be remarked that this summary, or synopsis of points decided, does not in general give the decisions of the House, but only of the Committee of Elections. The duty of that committee is to examine and report its opinion upon such matters as shall be referred to them by the House; but their opinion, though clothed with authority, is not conclusive upon the House: it may be, and not unfrequently is, there overruled. The usage of the committee is, after an examination into the facts of the case, to elaborate a report, in which these facts are set forth with an accuracy hitherto unquestioned: from these, they deduce their reasons for supporting the one or the other candidate, and report their opinion accordingly to the House, both at large, and in the form of a condensed resolution. It is upon this resolution, and not upon the reasons or arguments of the committee, that the House act: and whether they have concurred with the committee in their views of the case, will not appear as a matter of record on their journals. These will only show whether they have accorded with them in the final result, but will not show how far the House have sanctioned the reasonings of the committee. It must be borne in mind, therefore, that the summary is intended briefly to note the points decided by the committer in each case, and does not profess authoritatively to give the judgment of the