The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-12-05
From Baltimore Republican, Dec. l.
REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE
DEMOCRATIC CITY CONVENTION ON THE LATE
ELECTION FRAUDS.

10 ne Democratic oily Conuentioni
Your committee, upon whom dcvoyed by your res
outon Of the Goth November the reception of reports from
the several ward associations of the city in relation the
Dutrsges perpeaed at the general election held in
this city and whose duty it made also report there
on, in execution Of the duty imposed upon them and
which they have sought to discharge under full of
its high responsibility well Of the responsibility at
tachng TO such recommendations they might make,
have the honor to submit the following reports
That while scarcely ward has failed through its rep
to protest in the strongest against
another form Of open attempted outrage the
part of nothing" judges of election "know-
nothing bues your committee has, In forming this re-
port limited itself 10 review of the reports and the acs
upon which they based Of the first third and fourth
wards, where "know-nohng outrage and rufansm seem
almost TO have exceeded themselves
The report from the First Ward Association shows:
That the removal by the knownothing judges of the
place Of holding the election in that ward to point far
from the centre of the &arda point Known 10
be infested with class of desperadoes attached to the
partyjusty excited the apprehensons Of
the orderovpg citizens of the ward that outrage and
wrong were neutrality-suspicious. which, as Is
shown by the sequel TO the eternal disgrace OF their
rufian authors, but too we'll founded.
That befoe the opening of the polls the neghborhood
throngcd with creatures whose looks clearly indicated
and who unknown TO the peaceable ct-
of the ward, and who awaited only the opening Of
the polls the deeds pf violence and wrong TO
which, to be presumed they were prompted and paid
forced from the polls Every citizen OF foreign BIRTH who
dared approach the polls assaulted beaten in the
most ruflanly manner, and driven off All the avenues
leading the polls guarded by these outlaws and
wherever naturazsd citizen would make his appearance
vending his way peaceaby to exercise right guaranteed
to him by the constitution and the laws OF the and-the
most sacred right of reemanhe only right which cra-
form government politically from that
Of the autocrata right therefore, the free exercise of
which be parted with while would preserve
ourselves the forms of repubcansthe peace
al viii
else of this sacred right were sot upon by ruans who
while claiming rpressntiy those who claimed that
but Americans should rule America" thought it
disgrace of the proud title OF "American that thirty
forty stlwart and wel-armed should attack and
wantonly abuse deenceess and peaceabe citizen Oh
Americans these things be, and hope to escape
the avenging justice OF an offended God
Nor were these outrages, it appears, confined to our
citizens Nativeborn citizens alse
sailed for other cause than their well-known attach
ment to the democratic party Few able to vote with
out suffering something from violence, and many were
forced from the polls without being able again to reach
Them and thus lost their votes'
That before the hour of p the polls Were as effect
ualy closed against the democratic voters il they had
been guarded by armed sodery whilst TO the know
nothingsD free access accorded.
From the report of the First Ward Association farther
appears
That but four hundred and tweny-hrce democratic bal
lots cast in that ward the day of the general cleo
ton while but four weeks previously at the charter cleo
ton and under circumstances not calculated to bring out
the full democratic of the ward there had been de-
posted hundred and hiry-sx votes for the demo-
cratic nominee No doubt is therefore entertained that
not less than -four hundred democratic pre-
vented by brute force and rlianly outrage and wrong
from deposng their baotsand this too tho able
port from which have largely quoted justly remarks
with impunity and without prOyocaon under the eouu
enance and appreciation OF those supposed to have in
terest in with all good citizens in the preserya
ton OF the public peace and in the presence Of the sworn
Your committee would state Ia closing its review of the
report for the first ward that the facts therein set forth
by the adavits OF the parties who have been
grossly wronged and cannot orbear place before You
The following able and emphatic appeal of the report adj
dressed to the sober and rejecting amongst our oiisns
The undersigned do not propose to describe in advance
the effects which physical retaliation for the preparation
Df the unlawful which have sgraced Baltimore would
produce Suffice it that public liberty is manfesty
iangered and that hence il is the duty Of every one who
chershes American institutions who prizes personal
rury and national prosperity and national existence
ITSELF to ebnke in signal manner the fell spirit which
riots in turbulence and blood"
The report from the third ward shows that great rregu
ares characterized the proceedings at the polls in that
ward the occasion of the recent general election
lst It appears that large number OF nauralzed ci-
sens were upon very frivolous preexe, refused by the
know-nothing judges permission to vote
I'd That at least in one instance navcborn citizen Of
the United States who unfortunate to bear his
fathers name" Shuh was insulted by being told by
knownothing judge that he must go and get out his
papers, and was not permitted TO vote.
3d. That several naturazed citizens had their papers
taken from them and destroyed, and were then driven
from the polls
4th. That of the know-nothing judges was
peatedy after examining the papers of natrazed voters
being satisfied they legal voters to open his
hand present two tickets and ask which he had given
him.
9TH That the votes Of various parties well known not to
be entitled to vote in the wards received by the
" know nothing judges.
9Th That upon counting the ballots, in the balotbox
there found ify-one ballots than there
registered the poil-books whereupon the DEM
ocratc Judge and clerk refused to sign and have not yet
signed the return.
From the report of the fourth ward it appears that the
polls in that ward the of brutal outrage and
ruanism similar those enacted at the first and third
ward polls and list of legal voters who
assaulted beaten, and driven away from the polls by
organized band OF knownothing outlaws is furnished
In view of the facts presented by these several reports
sustained by the testimony Of the parties wronged and Of
other credible witnesses your committee feels itself called
upon Illuminating is the necessity TO declare to you TO
liberate opinion that the voice of the majority of c
zens stiHed nullied, by "knownothing" fraud ruff
fanism and outrage at the recent general election that
pure ballot-box and free thereto would have
suited in the election Of every candidate presented by the
democratic party for the surages of citizens and
your committee, impressed it is with this convictions
would be the you have reposed in il ii IL
should hesitate to offer for your consideration such recon-
mendations spring obviously and necessarily from that
conviction.
We would therefore urgently recommend that such Of
candidates have manifosty been defeated by the
outrages which have referred, the FIRST third and
fourth wards shall contest the election of their opponents
We would further recommend that every legal voter who
had been refused permission TO vote by Judge OF cleo
ton shall Immediately bring suit against such Judge and
that your convention pledge itself to defray all the ex-
penses attending such suit proceeding forthwith collect
a fund sufficient therefor
In closing this report your committee would fein adj
dress few words OF encouragement TO the friends Of the