Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-11-21
In Advance,
NUMBER II.
Tie Baltimore Frauds.

Henry 7. Brooks, Esq, IL the following
address to the voters Of the Fourth Con
gressional District of Maryland, states his
case in calm, plain and straight forward
manner; and discloses a state Of affairs u
! Ids district of so seaf4ul a character IS te
fally warrant, We think, Congressional IL
i tervention
10 THE VoTERs OF quE FOURTH Co.'S
GfEss OVAL DIsTR1cT.-A sense Of duty
eoaoels me to contest the right of the Hon
Il. w. Davis to the seat III the next Con
gress to which he appears to SOME 70 have
been elected on the 4th inst The proper
legal notice will be given to HIM 4 de-
cent respect Tor your opinions induces ne
to.mako q brief public statement CT the req.
sons which determine me 10 this course
On the day of the election | visited most
Of the ward polls comprised in the district
in wtrich was candidate for your suf-
tfages. My observation convinced ne thar
the extraordinary arrangements made iot
that occasion had failed to accomplish their
primary oljeet-that Of securing to all class
es of citizens the right to vote. In most
of the wards the special police abandon
ed Che polls early in tie day, having found
tl3t they were unable to afford that protcc-
ton to citizens of one political sentiment
which those of contrary views seemed to
find in some power above the law | OBJ
served throughout the district that the po-
litical opponents of the party which had
the honor to represent had provided them
selves with tickets bearing uniform red
stripes, 50 as 10 be readily distinguished
from the other ticket.
Owing to this fact, end 10 tie occasional
assaults at the polls sA9giagy as | thought,
an organized and well concerted plan
throughout The district for the intimidation
of voters, ceased to regard the affair as
any test Of the political sentiments Of our
people. received, during the day, state
rcnts from large number Of persons IS to
the harsh treatment which they had reeeiv-
ed, and their inability to deposit their
votes.
| received assurances from the most roll
able sources that Illegal voting BY minors
and residents of other wards had taken place
at most Of the polls, and that in numerous
instances persons intending TO vote one tick
ct had oee9 compelled by fear to vote the
other.
At the 18th 9afd polls ! ebserYel tic
only appearance Of such a contest It's might
be termed m election, aud yet have the
amplest testimony. think, to show thar
the voice Of that ward las beep alike stiaed
with the rest BY Illegal aud fraudulent
+ means, The evidence at my command is
not confined to the members Of one political
partv To the homer of the community, le
+ it sid volunteer statements have been
made 10 ire by men holding sentiments IN
extreme political antagonisn 10 my owu.
expressing their desire to rebui,e in any
form the scenes which they have witnessed
The duty which have to perform is profit
less. and disagfeeable one 70 me, Ny iu-
.erest in = . 30 more than that of every in
diyiaual eitizen. am satisfied that Con.
gress has not the power to dispossess nv
opponent Of his. seat and confer it upon me
hep would | accest it if they had but be-
leye that they have the power to declare
that conspiracy existed to stihe the real
Voice of the people by fraud, force, aud IN
timidation, and iE accordance with that de-
claration to vacate the seat. In my iudg-
ment, | have ample evidence to warrant the
exercise Of this power.
It IS ease, rejoice TO know, unlike any
other which has arisen in the history Of our
i contested elections, and involves tic vital
considerations of maintaining the purity Of
our elective franchise, and preserving the
form of government committed to our
charge. Thousands Of disfranchised ciii-
zen5 desire to lay their grievances before