The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-05-24

be had otherwise. the judges wee by lntlml-
dalton. and, if necessary, by violence, pre-
vented from performing their duty; or, If un-
yielding in this respect, were driven from their
post, and the vacancy filled in form by per
sons on the ground; and whenever by any
means, they had obtained control Of the Board
the foreign vote was promiscuously poured IN,
without discrimination reserve, or the
slightest care to conceal its nefarious lie
gshty.
Al one of the polls two of the Judges hav-
ing rnanfully stood up in the face oil this arm
ed mob. and declared that they would do
their duty, one portion OF the mob commen-
ced to tear down the house, other proceed
ed to break in the door of the Judges room,
whilst others, with drawn knives, posted them
selves At the window, with the proclaimed
purpose of killing any voter w no would allow
himself to be sworn. Voters were dragged
from the window because they would not
show their ticket vote at the dictatIon of
the mob. and the invaders declared openly at
the polls that they would cut the throats of
the Judges if they did not receive their
votes without requiring an oath as TO their
residence.
The room was finally forced, and the iudg-
es surrounded by an armed and excited crowd
were offered the alternatives of resignation or
death, and five minutes was allowed for their
decision The bsllot-box seized, and,
amid shouts of "Hurrah for Missouri" was
carried into the mob. The two menaced
Judges then left the ground. together with all
the resident citizens, except few who acted
in the outrage because the result expected
from il conformed to their views and because
it enabled the few to rule the many. When
an excess Of the foreign force was found to
be had at one poll. detachments were sent TO
others. where it was supposed they might be
needed.
AT the polls adjoining the one above alluded
to. one of the Judges, a minister of the gos-
pei. who refused to accede to the demands Of
similar mob Of some four hundred armed and
organized men, was driven by violence from
his post and the vacancy filled by them
selves Threats and violent demonstrations
were rife, and another clergyman, for the ex
preston of his opinion. was assaulted and
beaten. The inhabitants of the District, pow
erless to resist the abundant supply of arms
and ammunition, the organized preparation,
and the overwhelming numbers of these for
eigners, left the polls without voting.
In the Lawrence District, where was the
largest camp Of these invaders, speeches We're
made to them by leading residents Of Nilsson
ri in which it was said that they would carry
bavonet and bowie knife, and one voter was
fired at as he driven from the election
ground Finding they had a greater force
than necessary for that poll, some two
hundred men were drafted from the number,
and sent Oft under their proper officers To
other district, after which they still polled
from this camp over seven hundred votes.
In the fourth and seventh districts, along
the Santa Fe road, similar scenes were enact
ed The invaders came together in one arm
ed and organized body, with trains OF fifty
wagons, besides horsemen, and the night be-
fore election pitched their camp in the vicinity
of the polls, and having appointed their own
Judges In place of those who, from lntlmlda-
ton or otherwise. failed to attend, they voted
without any proof of residence. In these
two election districts, where the census shows
one hundred voters, there were polled three
hundred and fourteen V, ties. and the last fall,
seven hundred and sixty five votes. although
a large portion of the actual re idents did not
vote upon either occasion. In the sixteenth
election district, hundreds of men came to-
gether as in other cases. crossing the river
from Missouri the day before election, and
encamping together, armed and provisioned,
made the hercest threats against the hives of
the Judges, and during the night called several
times at the house of one Of them for the pur-
pose of intimidating him, declaring in the
presence of his wife that rope had been pre-
pared TO hang him, and although we are not
prepared TO say that these threats would have
been carried OUT yet they served 10 produce
his resignation. and give these invaders In the
substitution. control of the polls; and on the
morning of the election, steamboat brought
from the town of Weston, Mo, 10 Leaven-
worth an accession 10 their numbers Of seve-
II 4
boat. after depositing their votes. There
were over nine hundred and fifty votes polled,
besides from one hundred to one hundred and
fifty actual residents who were deferred or dis
couraged from voting; while the census re-
turns show but three hundred and eighty-tive
votes IN the district month later. Not less
than SIX hundred votes were here given by
these non residents Of the Territory, who vo-
ted without being sworn as 10 their qualhca-
tions. and Immediately after the election re-
turned TO MIsSouri-Some of them being the
incumbents of important public offices there.
Indeed 50 well was the character Of this for
derstood. that the judges struck out the pre-
scribed form of return, the words "bv lawful
resident voters
We might continue the list of these sicken-
ing details until TIE blood Of every freeman
would boil with Indignation, but ii is useless.
+ One more instance alone we will refer to. In
the eighteenth election district. where the pop
ulation was scarce. and no great amount OF
foreign votes was needed 10 overpower i, a
detachment from Missouri, from sky 10 one
hundred passed in with train Of wagons,
arms and ammunition making their camp the
night before the election near Moorestown.
the place of the polls. without even prete1t
OF residence. and returning Immediately to
Missouri ai.er their work was done, their
! leader and captain being distinguished citi-
zen ot Missouri. but lac the presiding officer
OF the Senate of the United States. and who
had bowie knife and revolver belted around
HIM. apparently ready TO she'd the blood of the