Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-10-31
The Charges of Election Frauds.


The Charges o. Election Frauds.
The following from the Philadeph a Ledger, in re.
laton to the " stupendous frauds" alleged to have
neen pfacnced IN that city at the late election, will
be read at this time with than ordinary interest
The Ledger, as is we known, is actually as well as
protessedy, an independent paper far as relates TO
craftsmanship in political matters and its statements
and opinions have that additional weight which an
entire exemption from Influences of this kind is SUM-
posed 10 give. While we agree with the Ledger in
ITS condemnation of the too frequent practice of de-
teated parties raising the cry of fraud" to cover
their weakness or lessen their disappointment thus
bringing popular suffrage into dsrepute, it still must
be conceded that several occasions, in different
parts of the country, actual and extensive frauds
have been committed on election days, although not
of the character noticed by our Philadelphia cotem
porary. The election laws of Pennsylvania and of
most of the States are so searching and stringent
guarded by so many checks and enforced by so many
penalties-that nc extensive frauds could be perpe
traed either by Importation cooniZation or BY any
other illegal means. by any other disqualified per-
sons, unless upon the presumption that the admins
traitors of those laws not proof against the cor
rupt influences of brides and INSCRIPTIONS partisan
ship. We have far better opinion of our country
than TO give the slightest countenance to such
base presumptions. Solitary cases of corrupt aud
peured judges and inspectors of elections have been
found and will be found again, but in the main the
purity of the ballot-b has been preserved 1t is
not the ballot box, but outside, and far beyond the
reach of the ballot.box where the fraud of intmida
ton and the fraud OF violence have been committed
| 1T IS OF such frauds committed at Baltimore,
New Orleans, St Louis, Louisville, and Cincinnati,
| by the knives, rifles, and revolvers of organized
gangs of ruffans, that we complain, and which must
be effectualy prevented if look TO the bal
Iot-box for fair and honest expression of the public
voice.
But to the Ledger's remarks
The CHARGES OF ELECTION FRAUDs--Copying
after the partisan papers of Philadelphia, the jour
nails of distant cities are declaiming against the al
/ legged frauds mritted in election last Tuesday
Some of our own journals, without examining the
vote and the respective gains of the parties ret
crate the same charges, the tendency of which is TO
bring discredlt upon popular suffrage and ultimately to
deprive the people of this guarantee of their liberties
1t 1t is once made manifest the people not to be
ruse in elections that elections cannot be conduc-
ted fairly, and that the ma orty may be always
cheated out of their choice by corrupt and dishonest
practices, 1t will not take many years TO dscredt
this popular mode of choosing rulers, that ii will
be universally regarded with contempt, and its de-
c:sons be neither respected acquiesced in by
large body of fellow citizens The result will be
the adoption of some form of election which will ex-
clude the CT the people altogether; or a civil
commoon will follow at every election, in which
the strong arm will be necessary sustain the ma
J0rly of votes before the defeated party will submit
to the popular decree These results are serious en-
Ough in anticipation to make pause before we in
duge in charges recklessly made without shadow
of evidence or entertain unfounded suspicious which
a moments examination of the facts will remove.
The charges of fraud in the election on Tuesday
last appear TO be based entirely upon the increased
vote of the city The aggregate official vote for the
two candidates for mayor in May last amount to 81
$40 The aggregate official vote for the two candi-
dates for canal commissioners Tuesday last was
68663, or an increased vote OF 1868. In Popu-
lation of half million Inhabitants which Phade-
pbia possesses it will not be pretended that this vote
reaches the fair proportion of persons entitled TO that
privilege 1t is not more than two. thirds of the num-
Der of persons legally entitled to that right. New
York casts less aggregate vote than Philadelphia,
y and has for many years, because New York has a
d higher relative foreign population not entitled to suf
frage. 1t will be remembered that an exraordina-
ry excitement preceded election and extraordi-
nary activity used by all parties to bring out vo-
i tiers. third party was In the field, which brought
out persons who do not usually 60 to the polls; and
moreover the increase of votesis shown through
r out the State and in counties a much greater
increase than in PhiIadel phia. There is nothing
. them in the increased vote which is suggestive OF
fraud Let US see whether the proportionate gains
of the two parties there any reasonable ground for
. suspicion.
. The vote on Tuesday last for the democratic can
didate for canal commissioner was as follows:
S TaSs DEM, in May last ssSs3
Democratic increase .:.....:.. 6,5O4
: The vote for the fusion candidate for canal com
l. missioner on Tuesday last was as follows:
For Moore, A, in May. 25,445
y Fusion increase. Observation-Disclosures. 7,349
. This comparison shows that the 1883 increased
d vote over May is very nearly equally divided, tn
union ticket having only 845 more votes of the in
r creased assessment than the democratic ticket l
the increased vote is indicative of fraud one part
# appears to be justly chargeabe with 1t as the 9th
err 1t will not do for the defeated party to charg
. it all upon the other, when it's own vote exhibits
a relatively greater increase. But do not belev
that fraud had anything to do with this result |
is the natural effect of the extraordinary efforts mad
m bv the various parties to bring out all the votes
:. their precincts Previously concocted schemes Q
70 cheating could not turn out relatively so equal IN the
results Why, then, refer it to fraud, which woul
involve both parties in attempts to get possession
n. the government by criminal practices, and Woul
ht show such decentralization of the people IN poltca
ID matters as to make the preservation OF popular IN
IN stu,ions scarcely worth the trouble !! Would
IL not be more creditabe TO the people and TO popula
c government 10 suppose it 10 be the result OF cause
legally proper in themselves and sufficient to Produc
the result when such causes brought into actlV
operation ? If any citizen knows enough OF sue
matters to be able 10 charge fraud in an election,
n ought to go into court OF justice and endeaVor
IT. prove it, If be does not do so, he shows that be ha
Ii. no snch evidence and his charge is untounded. l.
us one and all do what can to preserve the purit
he ami honesty of elections, and avoid discredin
them by unfounded charges as we'll as by frauduler
n p aces
tie EKve a word or two to add to the above
az ~ the black republican papers affect to be amaZ
es at the very large polled in Philadelphia on Il
on l4h they entirely overlook the amazingly large vo
M poIIcd by their brethren in Maine few weeks ag
al Philadephia it seems with population of five hui