Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-01-26
DEMOCRATIC WAYS OF SUCCESS.

The first symptom of the decay and down.
fall of republican governments, says the n. 1 g.
Tribune, always has been the employment OF
violence and fraud to carry the elections, and
thus to Substitute, in place of the voice OF the
citizens, the basis upon which all despotisms
rest. Such was the case in Rome, and such
has been the case in every republic that ever
existed. The choice of the people TINS set a.
side, all the quiet and timid, who form in all
communities a very numerous body, terrified
at these annual scenes of violence and tumult,
soon become ready to aid in abolishing the
whole system of popular elections. They re-
gard, and not altogether without reason, a
usurpation once for all far better than u
surpation occurring annually, and attended
with scenes Of violence and uproar dangerous
to life, and, what they dread still more, dan
gerous te property. They think it better to
be under the surveillance of military force
which the interest of its head requires to be
subjected to certain degree of discipline,
than to be exposed to the unrestraned violence
of a set of rowdies, like those who are begin
ming to play SO conspicuous part in some OF
our American elections, against whom there
is neither protection nor redress; since, even
in the plainest cases, partisan Judges, placed
on the bench by the employment of this same
machinery, are certain either to acquit them
altogether or to let them off with a merely
nominal punishment. The decent citizens,
intimidation is introduced, rapidly withdraw
themselves from the polls. So far from risk
ing their lives and limbs in the effort to get at
the ballot-boxes, they are unwilling to risk
oven their coats. And why should they !?
Even if they succeed in polling majority of
votes, it does not avail them. Cheating In
spectors, fraudulent Judges of elections, un-
scrupulous boards Of Canvassers stand ready,
when force has failed, to supply the deficiency
hv fra an5 nd hus IN 1sr
courage and perseverance of the decent and
patriotic majority. In this state of things, 1t
is not TO be wondered at that the great body OF
the industrious and productive citizens, more
intent upon order and security than on liberty,
should hasten to surrender up the dangerous
and now unaraiiing privilege Of voting, and
should look with complacency on the assump-
tion OF all political authority by some small
self-constituted association like our Tammany
Society, to be superseded in due time by a
single despot like Louis Napoleon.
Our people possessed of a very arrogant
self confidence in their exclusive acity to
maintain their own liberties. But, however
true that might have been of the original An
glo-Saxon stock by which this country was
settled, bringing with it, as it did, the English
habits of respect for constituted authorities
and submission TO the laws, we must recollect
that of late years we have had very large in
fiux into this country of population who have
no other instrument of freedom except vio-
lence, who, in fact, know nothing of freedom,
confounding it with the idea of having every
thing their own way, irrespective of the wish
es, interests or rights of others. Pride, saysa
high authority, goes before fall, and there
are but too evident indications that, unless
this nation arouses itself to desperate exer-
ton to re-establish the purity of its institu-
tions, our fall is near at hand. Violence at
the polls, and, where that will not serve, pal
\ .ln nj
tions have become a regular part of the tactics
employed by the pseudo-Democrati party to
keep itself in power. These frauds, barefaced
and atrocious, are not confined to any particu-
lar section of the country. We sec them now
in Minnesota, as a means of controlling the
State elections and securing TO the party two
United States Senators; now in Kansas, en-
ployed with like object in view; now in st.
Louis, with intent TO deprive the troublesome
Mr.. Blair of his seat in the House of Repre-
sentatives; now in Maine, in hopes of gaining
Democratic representative; and now in the
City of New York, employed to exclude Re-
publican Common Councilmen from their seats.
and to keep the city little while longer un-
der the control of thieves and plunderers.
Nor does this system of cheating confinc it.
self merely to the original elections by the
people, nor is it limited TO the returning off,
GERS of those elections. 1t has been adopted
by those very bodies in which alone lies the
power of applying an adequate remedy to these
frightful outrages. Thus We see the pseudo
Democratic members of the Legislature of In
diana combining together to give false certifi-
Gates as Senators of the United States to a
couple of imposters, and that very Senate OF
the United States, whose first great duty it is
TO guard our republican system against such
attempts to destroy il, making itself a party
to the fraud, and welcoming these impudent
cheats to a seat in their own body. Indeed,
what else could be expected of Senate which
had already disgraced itself in the eyes of the
nation and the world by giving its aid, coun-
tenance and support to the Border-Ruftan in
truders from Missouri, who had driven the
people of Kansas from the polls and returned
Legislature to suit themselves2
But this horrible corruption, this attempt to
substitute fraud, false voting and false returns
in place of the freedom of choice on the part
of the people, has ascended even higher than
the United States Senate. The Federal Ex-
ecutiye Administration has fully come into
this scheme of keeping itself and its party in
power by the use of these infamous means.
The uhole project of the Border Ruffiaa usur-
patton in Kansas, if it did not originate in
President Pierce's Cabinet, was fully indors-
ed and supported BY it; while President Bu-
chanan, intent upon forcing opon Kansas the
bogus Lecompton document, which pretended
to be the draft of State Constitution sane
toned by the people of that Territory, turn
ed Robert j. Walker out of the Office of Gov
ernor because he refused to aid this scheme
by becoming an accomplce after the fact to
the forgery OF election returns.
Compared with this system of fraud, mere
violence at the polls, even though carried to
the extent Of riot and murder, is but a trivial
occurrence. Violence may be repelled. Force
may be met with force. The very atrocity oi
such acts excites the public horror and indig.
nation, and tends to prevent their recurrence
The system of cheating which the pseudo.
Democratic party, after amply trying both vi