Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-09-12
To the FreemsaaOf Chelsea /:

you. On Tuesday npwas declared to be e.
iected your RepreseI liiie to the next General
Assembly, and wheel III upon in open meet
ing to answer, whetEEA / would claim my seat
under that election, remarked in Substance
that would take time to look the matter over
and endeavor to do my duty. | hope | may be
able to redeem thqt pledge to the satisfaction Of
every unprejudlced mind That there was a
gross and outrageous fraud committed upon the
ballot box, must be evident to every person who
knows the facts That neither the Wing or
Democratic party assuch is responsible for it
or countenance it, must be equally evident to
every candid mind; and any attempt to fasten
1t upon either, as party, with a view to
party capital, or to prejudice their principles,
must be regarded as Unjust in the extreme. The
great body of the mA comprising both parties
are alike honest and opposed 10 any fraud upon
the rights of freemeG# The party 10 which
belong know full wG with what reluctance
consented to become their candidate, and that
my objections were mainly owing to my bnsl-
ness arrangements and sacrifice Of my pecun-
larry interests in case should be elected. Some
of them well know that assured them In case
| was elected, should be able to attend but
small portion of the session without greater sac
rifice than felt called upon to makes and that
only when pursuaded that the party would unite
upon me more fully than any other, could be
prevailed apon to allow my name to be used as
a candidate. On Saturday last our caucus final
y settled upon me- and | then consented to
stand. On Monday night the town committee
had received the returns Of the number OF vot
ers who would vote for me from most OF the
Districts, and the calculation of that estimated
number was 226. On Tuesday morning they
got in the whole and on a full looking over they
settled it 223. The time had been Short but
they said the whole town had been can7assed
and my vote could not fall short of that number.
This was believed to be at least % majority, OF
the votes which would be polled. | refer to c..
| W. Clarke, Daniel Durham and Marshall T..
| Waldo, who were active members OF the town
Committee. On the first ballot, Eilhu Hyde
had as counted, 226 had 22l and there were
five scattering. There were Al more votes
counted III that ballot than there were names on
| the check list. 1t was evident there was fraud
somewhere, and that either Mr. Hyde or myself
were elected by a htge majority. If the Al
were deducted from Mr.. Hyde's vote, then was
elected by 80 majority over all, and if deducted
from mine, then Mr.. Hyde was elected by 81
majority. 1t was evident that the fraud had
prevented the eection.and from the fact that my
vote agreed so we'll with the count of the Com
mttee did not doubt was really elected
On the next ballot Mr., Hyde had by the count
223, | had 26l, and two scattering. The num-
Der Of votes on the check list were 406, showing
so votes fraudulently counted in that ballot. II
the fraud on the first ballot was in the votes Of
Mr.. Hyde, it is evident 10 my mind that the per-
son who had perpetrated it must have seen that
there was no hope of electng him, and the only
chance would be to make the fraud appear to
be in my votes, and thus deprive the freemen OIL
any election. 1t seems to me that no man ir
his senses could suppose that he could makear
election by such vote, or that he could do me
or the party to which belong favor by such &
course, On the other hand it might well be re
garded cunning device to defeat an election
and make the fraud appear to be in my votes by
putting in for ne 38vptes in addition to tile ii
Tor MI. Hydet which had been put in on the
first ballot. The result would leave decided
majority for me Of the legal votes as well upor
this as the former ballot.
| had hoped that the state Of the vote upor
the other tickets might throw some light upor
the subject. give the account as reported by
the authority: For Gov, L. b. Peck 200 G. K
Williams 1876: for congress, ]. P. Kidder POI
VIM. Hebard 200. The Justice tickets run by
the Wings was the highest, but those were moi
run solely on party grounds, and besides, the
wings had printed tickets while the Democratic
ones were written and were not in sufficient
numbe,s to meet the voters wants. 1t is evi
dent that the exciting question with the freemer
was upon town Representative, and the range
of the other tlckeUs throws but little light upor
the ject although they show a small majority
on the side OF the democracy. In view OF this
state of facts the question arose with me thi;
morning what was my duty. trust no one
would be so uncharitable as to suppose woulC
for moment claim seal while had the eas
reason to believe was not the choice OF a ma.
iority of the freemen, or that | would wish Il
deprive another of his seat who had such major
ity. | ascertained that the wing town Commit
tee claimed that they had supposed from thei
count that MIR. HYDE would receive about the
same number which had been claimed ant
counted by the Dem. town Committee for me
If both committees acted in good faith, then {
portion Of the voters deceived and betrayed one
side or the other No one could rely on wha
they should now say as to the question for whom
they voted and besides 10 obtain such testimo-
ny III Il lcBdl lOTm Wuulu NC luIpoooioiS uulCoS
voluntarily given, as our Legislature have otter
decided that no freeman can be compelled tC
disclose tor whom he voted. II the voters
should be willing to do it, it would not show
who committed the fraud, as those voters who
had deceived one side or the other, could not be
relied upon, and the only effect would be 10 ex
cite personal feelings among neighbors who
only hold an honest difference Of political opin.
ION The evil consequences to community r
my mind would far counterbalance any good tC
be derived; and besides it would be impossible
for me TO attend to it, as many OF you know
had several weeks since fixed on to morrow tC
take Journey to Wisconsin with view to de.
termine the question of my removal there OF
the coming spring. desired that the freemer
might be represented by the one who was real
ly elected by the legal voters, and accordingI,
/ proposed to Mr. EIihu Hyde, this forenoon
that meeting of the freemen should be callet
to be held on the Monday preceding the SEES
sion of the Legislature, and that | would thel
submit to the whole freemen assembled whethe
}. under the circumstances either OF us should TAX
their seat as Representative, and if they decide
in the affirmative, then they should decide whlc
of US, Mr.. Hyde or myself and that would a
bde BY the result and have the matter put i
writing and signed by us both. [ also propose
that we would unitedy endeavor to ferret on
the fraud This proposition he declined, an
hence | am left to determine my own cours
without any reference 10 an amicable adjustmer
of the matter. In view Of the facts in the cas-
and nv business arrangements, deem it my DIT
ty to say to you that unless it shall appear evidel
before the session of the Legislature, that II
fraud was committed in the votes cast for M
Hyde, SO that reasonable men of both partit
will be satisfied Of the fact, have come to til
determination not to claim my seat in the Gent
raj Assembly under my cirtlfcate,and in no evel
to take testimony in the matter as to my right to
seat but to go my journey and perform my bn
mess engagements without any reference to ii
matter Whatever trust and hope that my Pr
litcal friends who sustained their cause so mob
and unitedly in voting for me yesterday, will Al
prove of this course, and that the candid of a
parties will see on my part, sincere desire
restore peace and harmony among neghbors al
personal friends, and give them an opPornnit
instead of spending their time in warning wi
L Al.