Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-06-07
THE RECENT MUNICIPAL ELECTION
IN WASHINGTON.

That class Of conspirators who have recently
received so signal defeat in the sold Domin-
ion, " affect to find ample matter for triumph in
the issue of the election held in this city. 1t is
said that " drowning men will catch at straws, I"
and this adage is well illustrated by the conduct
of those whom the verdict of Virginia has stamped
with shame and confusion of face. 1t will be our
purpose briefly to show that the result of the
election here affords them no other cause for con-
ISOLATION, save that which may be derived from
the partial and evanescent success of fraud and
violence.
The majority for the Know-nothing candidate
for mayor year since was 436 votes. But Mr..
Maury, the opposing candidate was gentleman
Of great and well-deserved popularity. He ran
far ahead of his party strength, as was clearly
shown by the vote for aldermen. Upon this vote
the Know-nothing candidates received an aggre-
gate majority Of 743. Now, how stands the con-
trast with the election held last Mondayi
The majority for McCalla, Know-nething can
didate for collector, is 29l-being loss Of las
votes on the majority Of last year for mayor, and
Ais on that for aldermen. If, however, we look
TO the vote for aldermen, we find their present
majority some Alb votes, being loss Of $50 on
the vote Of last year. II is clear them that their
party has lost ground here at least three or four
hundred votes since last June.
| This view is based upon the acceptance Of the
late election as a fair and Just trial of strength
between the two parties. But, in truth, it was
by all accounts the merest farce ever enacted by
a set of INSCRIPTIONS men. IL was evident from
the outset that the Know-nothing party meant TO
succeed by "fair means or foul" In the first
place, out of twenty-o Judges of the election,
they appointed nineteen of their own party, and
refused TO allow any one Of their opponents to be
| present at the counting Of the votes The appre-
tensions excited by this most unfair course have
been fully confirmed. Men were turned away
from the ballot boxes, we are informed, on
the most frivolous and vexatous pretexts.
Men who had voted here for many years,
and even natve-bom citizens, found their
votes challenged by the ruffians Of party, and
their ballots rejected by the judges. A large
class Of naturazcd citizens entitled 10 vote, ac-
cording 10 the decision OF the Circuit Court,
found their votes at once rejected by the Know
nothing luminaries who were the judges of cleo
ton. If man found that the assessor had va
ried single letter in spelling his name on the
register, he was turned away from the polls
We presume that not less than three or
four hundred legal veters were by these means
deprived Of the right Of suffrage. In the
Third ward, we learn that about one hun
dred voters were prevented from voting by
the closing Of the polls at seven o'clock. The
Know-nothings had cast their vote by previous
arrangement in the morning, and their judges by
their dilatory manner wearied out the day. In
this ward at the previous election s44 votes were
easily cast, and the voting finished about FIVE
O'Clock. This year the judges managed TO take
in only about 10 votes, and at the close of the
day shut the windows upon upwards Of one hun
dred legal voters. Now, we pity the man i in
tellect who is unable TO understand the motives
Of such proceedings. We hear that legal means
will be rcsorted 10 to remedy this gross invasion
Of the will Of the majority. n fair election
could be held here, we do not doubt that de-
cided majority would attest the devotion of the
people to the cause Of civil and religious liberty
But there IL a view Of this election which is
very important, and, so far as we have seen, has
not been taken by the press. Washington is a
Wing city by majority Of probably not Jess than
twelve or fifteen hundred. When the election
was held here year since, the direction Of Know
nothingism, as a political movement, was not
generally understood The Wing party had not
identified itself with il party, and risked its
fortunes upon its success. The result was, men
here took ground without regard to party aims,
ard large number Of Wings were found to be
the most active in support Of Mr.. Maury and in
opposition TO the Know-nothing movement.
Since then Know -nothingisn has fully developed
its antagoHism TO the Democratic party, and il is
clear that it is a war Of determination between