Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-28


the troops; and this assault provoked a ere from
q portion Of the troops, by which many per.on.
were killed md wounded, including, unfortu-
nately. some Of the spectators The rioters then
fed and about thirty of the intruders from Balti
more escaped in the earliest afternoon train OF car
for that city, which departed hence at thrce
O'Clock.
The brief narrative here given Of the occur.
rences al the polls Of the first precinct Of the
Fourth Ward has been deemed necessary by your
committee in order to enable the Board the better
TO Judge or the nature and extent Of the violence
ana OF the attendant Irregularities OF the commits
sloners OF election al that precinct The evideuce
Twill be observed, duplicates in the crime Of
fomenting and participating in these disturbances
members OF only one OF the political parties Your
committee, however, unwilling TO believe nor
DO They mean TO convey the inference that the re-
Spectacle portion OF that party are responsible for
the outbreak or for its initiation. Good citizens
jealous OF their own rights, can desire nothing
but full, fair, and free exercise Of the election
franchise There Is not word OF testimony
showing that any member Of the American party
was hostilely assailed by its political adversaries
and your committee has sough testimony indis-
criminately from members Of both parties They
had no power TO compel the disclosure Of evil
dence, except from persons holding Office under
the corporation, and consequently some OF those
who were invited TO appear before the COMMITTEE
do from apprehension, as they alleged, of injury
10 their persons or business. In no case, however,
where such persons have informally disclosed TO
the chairman such information as they possess
has IL been inconsistent with that which has been
obtained from other sources, and is herewith sub
mitted for your examination.
With an earnest desire 10 obtain the evidence
OF some OF the persons who have given currency
To denials that any serious riot took place or that
any lawlcss intruders from Baltimore were pres
ent. your committee invited and were favored
with the presence of the alderman from the Third
Ward, who, on the I'D OF June. offered for the
consideration OF this Board series of resolutions
denunciatory of the measures adopted for the
restoration and preservation Of the peace, on the
md hat 81. a.
the suggestion Of the presence OF armed iutruders
was mere pretext for inviting the Intervention
Of military force. But this gentleman, II will u,
seen, uneQuivocallv testified that lac was not pres
ent at the polls of the diStaThed precinct. and
that he knew nothing Of what occurred there eH-
cept on the information OF others, whose name
be declined TO give TO your commiutee although
he 'Tas Informed that the object i'm seeking to
learl them was with the view Of obtaining test
mony in support Of the counter staiements which
by way OF inuendo or otherwise. have been -
freely circulated throug bout the country on anon
ymous authority. None Of these persons have
made themselves known 20 your committee: and
Judging Of the results arrived at by the Grand
J ury, who state in their presentment that they
have examined, in connection with this subject.
one hundred and twenty-five witnesses Il NAV lie
safely inferred that none OF the persons protesting
to have knowledge which would exhibit the fact,
In d different light have ventured TO appear be
fore the Grand Jury, as they might safely and
have done if they had deemed their
statements essential to the elimination OF truth
ana Tie ddmlnlstrdtlon OF Justice. IL Is not
probable, therefore, that the evidence obtained
by your committee justly and truly exhibits the
facts OF the case, except 50 far IL H. deficient i'm
the important particular Of not disclosing who
originated this conspiracy against the public
peace and good character.
The polls of the first precinct Of the Fourth
Ward II will be observed, were closed on two
occlnions during the election-the first time for
half>A hour, and the second time for an hour and
half during all Of which time the commission
Frs were absent from the place OF voting, and
part of the time separated from each other
w hatever might be urged In justification Of the
bet Of the commissioners in closing the polls on
he first occasion, there is nothing Of which your
can conceive that viii Justify the clos
ng Of them i'm the second case, when. according
20 their own testimony, quietude prevailed ali
around and about them, except SO far as that
,uiet was disturbed by the clanors Of the mob I'm
ITging the commissioners TO this unlawful act.
Two Of the commissioners and the assessor testi-
" that they were closed agreeably TO an under
Standing with the mob but this is not admitted
by the other commissioner. According TO his
estimony the pretext for the act seems to have
Deen the application TO our municipal election at
he instance Of the English born citizen who was
cting as one of the commissioners, of a law en-
lcted by the Parliament of Great Britain for the
egnlation of elections in that Kingdom, and
which was wholly inappropriate 10 an election I'm
his country, for the reason that in England an
election is continued for more than one day, and
( at any time il be interrupted by mob IL can
De adjourned 10 the next day, so long az il shall
De interrupted, until the entire length of time
prescribed by law for the holding of an election
hall have been consumed in the actual bust
less OF an election free from riots or other
Tiolent interruption whereas in this city, where
he law requires the election 10 be begun and
completed on the same day ifthe public authorities
nay not interfere by force, military or otherwise,
o secure the voters free access TO the polls. a
mail portion Of any party might arm themselves,
'ut in their own votes, take and keep possession
II the polls until the hour arrived for closing
hem. and thus make j mockey of the inestima-
Die franchise on the freedom and purity of which
depend the safety and the liberties of our country
Besides. the emergency which the public author
ties Of this city were required 10 meet on the day
)f the last election, is, so FAR as your committee
Ire informed, without parallel in this or any
,ther country. There is not Of record, within the
knowledge of your committee. any examples Of
armed invasicns by inhabitants Of distant and
foreign municipality with a view to control the
elections of another municipality, In which.
electors, the iutruders had no interest whatever.
such was the invasion Of this city on the LIST Of
June last IL was literally an invasion Of hos
lie nature, and the authorities were justified ina
tefcdtlng and expelllng the intrudeTs by the EN-
Dloyment of any amount or description of force
which they deemed necessary TO ensure their de-
eat and expulsion.
The commissioners erred. therefore in closing
he polls and in applying this English enactment
ID an American election
The commissioners further erred in making a
defective return; for, although they had twice
closed the polls during the day, they state, both
in the return which thew made 20 the Mayor and
in that which they made 10 the Register that in
obedience TO law, - IRE lid on Monday, the first
Of June, ooHr.ne oWTSsirsS al the house of e. W
Appleby, in said ward, and then and there, hav-
ing severally taken the oath prescribed by law.
= held an election from fhe hoxr Of O'Clock
~ the morning 10 seren O'Clock IN the ereHiHg,'
&c.
These returns are contrary 10 the facts, and arc
impeached by the evidence Of all the commits
sioners whose signatures they bear.
Another iTregularitv consist in the return Of 4
larger number of ballots than there are names II
voters recorded. The number of votes returned
is $50, whilst the names recorded amount TO but
49,. The difference il not very great, 10 he surc,
but il amounts 10 one half of the majority re-
turned for the sitting member, and Indicates that
some votes at least got into the ballot box ia ai
improper manner.
The commissioners also Charcedble with
in not having duly certified and sub
scribed their names To the list of names of per
SONS whom they have returned as having voted
on the day aforesaid.
The returns are consequently imperfect I'm all of
the important particulars mentioned, involving
violations of law upon which arises grave quea-
ticks Us to the legality Of the election at this pre-
ciGct.
But these are not the only irregularities requir-