The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-06-19

the mantle to cover some of the most daring frauds
upon the elective franchise, ever attempted TO be
committed in this country or any other. The reg
stry of voters was required to be laid open for
public inspection and any citizen had right to
challenge a voter, and in that event it was made the
duty of the commissioners to write the letter OPP
posite his name. Upon careful inspection of The
regisltt, as made out in one Of the precincts, the
democrats discovered upwards o! 300 names 0fper-
sons to them unknown, and demanded that the let
ter T. should be written against them. This the
Wing commissioners refused TO do, until compelled
by mandamus from court. And when the O.
lection came on, only about ten voters appeared,
out of about $40 challenged names. More than
800 We're evidently fictitious names, intended TO be
voted by men imported for the purpose, or per-
sons passing from precinct TO precinct under differ
ent Names or what is qnite as likely, to be repre-
scented by ballot, faudulently slipped into the bal
lot boxes by those who had the charge of thcm.-
Doubtless with the same yiglence similar arrange
nents might have been detected in other precints;
for in the resalt it appeared that above 900 more
votes were reported in the northern precincts than
there could have been voters and recent disclO-
sures Justify the becfiha the excess was produced,
not by votes frauduenty girea, but by ballots
fraudulenty put into The ballot torss either Lctore
or after the election fictitious names having been
previously put on the register.
Notwithstanding these mOnstrous frauds, Gov
ernor Porter, the democratic candidate, had de-
cisve majority Of the votes reported Federal
Whiggery was not however, inclined to give up
its power. 1t had majority otlhe senate, and the
term Of Governor Rner was not yet expired. II
that party could detraud the people out of their
representatives in the assembly, it would be in pos
session Of the whole government, at the next SEES
sion ofthe legislature. The county ofPhiladelphia
sends eight members to the assembly. 1t happened
in this case that the majority of the house Deepen
ded upon those eight members. Notwithstanding
the outrageous frauds of the Wings, the Den o.
cratic candidates had a considerable majority oflhe
votes as counted. Certificates of election were,
therefore, given to them signed by ten out Of SER
cnieea Return Judges. Sir of the Wing Return
Judges, however, held "A separate meeting threw
out The votes often Ofthe seventeen election dis
trctS aud thus getting rid OF the democratic ma
ity, made out return for the Wing members
II would seem hardly credible that proceeding
so bareiaced would have been counlenanccd for II
moment, by any one in authority in this flee coun-
try, however unprincped and reckless. Yet the
Wing Secretary Of State, whose duty ii was to COM
muncate the returns to the house, at the time Of
tanning the power Of the state in the hands of his
party, TO withhold the true returns and send in the
false In this desperate resolve he was sustained
by all the leaders Of the Wing party Nor did the
design stop here. by the aid of majority so
secured in both houses, it was determined on the
examination of The votes ioi governor BY the legis-
laturc, to reject enough Of the votes ghea for Gov
Porter, to place him in a minority, declare Gov.
l,i,ner reelected, and carry ON the government Of
the state under this usurped authority. The evil
dence Oflhs design u nund not only in the circun-
stances ci the case, but in published letter oilhe
Secretary Of State, after the results were Known,
advising his Wing friends to "lreai The election as
i hod not happenei.'
The legislature met, and the Secretary Of State
withholding the true returns sent the false ones
both TO the senate and house Of representatives
The senate contuininga Wing majority unlcsitn-
,ng'y admitted the two Wing candidates for the
city aud county of Philadelphia upon these re-
turns, known to be false and fraudulent at the time.
IN the house Of representatives, the true member,
presented themselves, produced the proofs or,hcir
election and demanded their seats. The Wings,
to II man, were in favor ofadmitling their own par
lizans notwithstanding the notorious and palpable
fraud ON which their clnim was based. Finally,
the two parties organized separately, each party
choosing lis speaker and clerk, and each, with the
claimants from Philadelphia county, having u
quorum for business II now became apparent
that the Wings, having governor and senate, inten-
dcd to sustain this usurpation, and go with the
government. Such an outrage upon liberty aud
tie elective franchise, produced its natural result.
The Democrats, like their predecessors in the
presidential election Of 1901, avowed their deter
ninaon not to submit TO the us,rpation, appointed
nr nd III
Of the state 10 rally in support Of their right TO be
governed by their own representatives. The
" higs, more determined even than their Federal
predecessors OF 1901, resolved to sustain their u
'urpallon by force Troops were ordered out and
to Harrisburg Governor Rilncr even
allied on the general government TO put down the
Using spirit OF Il free people, but he called in vain
| he capitol was in possession of the Governor
roOps the people were organizing and arning
throughout the state; and every thing seemed 10
,ortend bloodshcd and civil war. la this state of
hngs two of the Whigs proved to be too homes, for
he occasion, and seeded from their friends in the
rouse of assembly, leaving them wilhou, quorum.
| hus deprived of their power to go on with the
government and consuininatc their usnrpaton I'M
Ter constitutional forms, the Wigs dcnonncing the
cceders as traitors, and the Democrats as rebels,
gave up their design.
After this exhibition, let no man say there is no,
party in the country, who would put down the
'ght of the people 10 govern then selves, by fraud
n b. force, whatever they have the opportunity or
he power and if the same party had then welded
he power of general government and commanded
Is armies, what might not have been the fate of
democratic PENNSYLVANIA
An exhibition similar in principle has lately been
made by the same party in the House Of Represent
ntlves ofthe United States. Members of congress
re elected in New-Jersey by general irkci. AT
he last ceton, one Of the Wing and five of the |
Democratic candidates had majority of the votes.
'ui the Wing returning officers at MillviIlc and
ouil Anboy took the liberty, in palpable viola
ion of law. TO Withheld the votes of those Places,
eaviog all the Wing candidates in n majority. II
'as the duty of the governor and council to examine
he returns, send for any votes not received, and |
i've certificate of election TO those " ho had ma
'ry of the popular suiIrages. Though the gov
rnor was informed that the votes of these places
nd been withheld he refused 10 send for them, and
ave the certificate Of election to all the Wing cam
idaics, although he knew the returns to be fraud
lent.
VII n this certificate nOtoriously uh,,,nnj IA,