Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-05-19

level in point Of honesty.-Well, then, the
whole difference between them is this,-that
one party has the means of committing fraud
to vastly greater extent than the other
They have all the officers Of the general gov
ernnsnt and they have told US that they
mean to sell them. Men who have been cam
ddates for that party have told US so; and that
they mean TO employ the public money to buy
votes with, and they have done so. Now sup
posing both parties to be equally devoid oi
principle, it is certainly very fair conclusion
that the party having the means oicorruptlon
do the most ot II.
With respect 10 the gentleman from Johns
ton, who has received SO much abuse at the
hands OF his opponents, why, sir, envy the
position of that gentleman.
Birds pick upon the sweetest fruit; the ene-
my bears down upon the most formidable an
tagonist, and all the rilemen level their pie
ces at Tecumseh have had some experience
myself of personal abuse from political foes.
have had the Antimasons upon my shoul-
ders, and now have the abolitionlsts buzzing
about me. They can do very little harm,
but like a swarm of small flies in sultry
summer evening. they will fill your face and
eyes, and perhaps may stain your collar when
you undertake to brush them off. The whole
party bear down upon the gentleman from
Johnston, because he is formidable, because
he has more talent, more power, and neces-
sarily more influence than any other man in
this community. That is the reason.
But, Mr. Speaker, if there are friends Of the
memoraists who will introduce resolution
for the purpose ola general inquiry, | will
Join with them. never belonged to any So
ciety not even religious one. ] am almost
ashamed that have not belonged to relig-
ious society," but these bible and missionary
societies, &c. always thought they did more
evil than good. But, sir, If society is form
ed for the purpose Of prosecuting frauds in
elections, will join it. What is it coming
to in this State? Are our officers appointed
by the "free vote of the freemen OF this State"
as the oath upon our statute expresses 1t; or
are they not appointed by fraudulent voters?
And vet we stand alone in this State, in pre-
serving the check against fraud, which is Pc
culiar to the freehold qualification. We have
less Of it than any other State in the Union.
| have mentioned the town Of 1'Wcrton. 1t
is fact, that has been stated TO me, that pre-
vious to the last August election, deed of a
farm in this town was given by United
States officer, so as to make about twenty
five voters upon it. Not content with this,
he then sits down as have been informed,
and makes deed of Williams Durfee's farm,
by which twenty-five or thirty more voters
are made, and am told that one OF the can /
ddates at that election was present ut this
transaction.
Well sir, when the General Assembly met
at South Kingstown, we had memorial from
the two candidates Of this party, and which |
intend to make use Of at proper time. They
got up hue and cry about frauds IN Johns
ton, and in the same memorial they complain
that these very votes which had been thus
fraudulently made in the town of Tiverton,
were rejected by the moderator. If COM
mittee were appointed it should not he con-
fined to that town. All profess to be willing
to have an investigation. invite them to in
troduce a resolution to appoint committee
TO go into an investigation of any frauds at
any election in this State.
Mr.. Titus said he had not heard the memo
rial read until called for by the gentleman
from West Greenwich. 1t was in differ
ent shape from what he expected to find it.
As to the town Of Scituate, which had been
referred to by the gentleman from Newport,
he thought he might say that he knew that
they had not fraudulent vote in that town.
lie should be perfectly willing to have all in
vestigation. He was willing to 60 further,
and to say that the committee should be OF an
equal number from each party, and if they
could not agree, they could make separate re-
ports. He agreed with the gentleman from
Newport that the frauds ought to be stopped,
and if individual exertions could not 60 far
enough, he was willing that this General As
sembly should interfere. We don't wish to
nrla fba from oh
One thing was certain, that there was more
'aid about that town than any other. Mr..
B. Hazard. That is because the gentleman
lives IN that town. He thought if an inves-
.igation was had something would be found
out, and the people would be better satisfied
Ihan they now are. The gentleman from
Johnston is man OF talents, and he knows
# he has been Justly implicated or not in the
frauds that have been alleged. Ifhe has not,
no man would be more glad to find it out than
he Mr.. T) would be.
Mr. b Hazard. There was no doubt that
great many frauds had been committed in
III the towns in the State, and the result of |
IN investigation would be to expose the free
men, but he did not shrink even from that
f he had done so, he should have moved an
Indefinite postponement Of the memorial
The gentleman from Sctuate does not dream
of the frauds that have been committed. s
Mr.. Randolph. 1t appeared to him that if
his motion should be granted it would tend
% no good consequence. The object was to
enquire into past frauds, at elections long
zone by, and since which a new law has been
made to remedy the very evils complained Of
1t appeared to be the sentiment of every
member of this House, that one town ought J
,ot to be singled out, but that the investiga-
ion ought to be extended to all the towns a.
ike. To go thro' with such an investigation
{ would employ the Committee for six
months, and produce a volume for a report
What good result would be effected by all