Council Bluffs bugle. [volume] (Council Bluffs, Iowa) 1860-1868, 1860-10-24
MOE : D. TME MEgUHLICAM RmAUm&
aM RMaf4AHEHEA&xAs ~
sTATEAENT o. ~. LEHakAN

II Fellow eitizans oil she Fszss fytuxxea.
sIua9 uislxisE s-An opan and sassf 1fre
eaeas frhua haa bsan parpetxasaa d vg,s1,
rights, demanding the ssrious cousidsrnr
saaza d sysey good azliaan. 10 asseaps
has been made Ut coaeaalmaas; no mn
siiasion on dsfaeaneat Of the olkoisl re-
turns on aIe Ia the proper oisoe no tam.
Ipaing with the ballot boxes but bold,
defiant fraud, patent 10 the world, which
can be asceEtained by "a examination Of
the general returns, now on record in the
once Of the Parliamentary at the Court Of
Common Pleas. The fraud il admitted.
Is Is eessedsd all neunza EAas ( was -
Alected but il was determined to give
John u, Butlsr the certificate of his sIee@
! zion, that he might take his seat and this
was accomplished by the presentation OF
2 forged general return, By Mr.. William
Birsys "a seAara iadge OF the harsh
wssds u place Of the true return, which
had been handed him by the ward Judges.
me true return gave me majority of
ooa 70 this ward The false return sub
tgSEssd f6e from my vote, and added fpS5
70 Mr.. Butler7s vote, whereby nav saaiori-
81 was reduced to 229. The fabricated
return i fGggexy. fron beginning 10
end. The figures ere mostly falss. The
ssgnssHEesUx the Judges ara fasxsdsxs q 8
As skkm iadxss wsso ssfe8 VITA ~
biralx pronounce the paper which he pro-
Eincsd : fofgesy, and slsst II il not ts1ssre-
turn which tlsy entrusted hi@ With To-
nsea = ~ fetska see, bis wxsd. asse
return they made out and gave 10 biz
correspoades gwsEh ssss oassiah ssta now
On file In the Office of the Court of Com
1seas Rlnsss An 8srsay zlla@ss lsnussas -
and innocence that theresurn he handed
l1 Tree - 8sykaS 4 ssa
hn pSishy. have oaiy TO say that on
she evening previous prspared an accu-
rate copy of the ofkcial returns of the dis-
sriess aasaazkasstiis sisakxk &zl asms 2 kssssj
him TO check Oh from this paper the re-
turns as they we're fead OF By The Presi- !
dent Of the Board. of Return Jadges, to4
pee kAat no srEus oesarred. GA she fsoy4nEE4}
Ing Of tha meeting Of tka Return Judges, |
. few moaenss Before the session COM
meness i reminded him Of this, and ,hai
ssid fAassf he would see that all was rriqht, \
The return handed IN By As. Rirely was |
false one. an opeR and admitted forgery. |
by which your Representative aleek has |
been deprived Of the certificate TO which |
be was Justly entitled. Mr.. Birely has |
BEEN arrested and the proper tribunal
will determine the question of his guilt
or innocence. Some bold villain has done
this wrong, aRd IN justice 10 yoa vii
sRape 20 eaart to bring him 10 punish
nent, do not 50 much complain Of the
minor tools Of this stupsndous fraud, bat
OF the bold, bad men who eoaeooted Ii
and ! further complain of the Return
Judges who sanctioned it-who denied
me hearing, and by a motion expelled
me from the room.
Ii Mr.. Birely was imposed upon hy come
designing knave. and be Inadvertently
praaented q forged paper, different fronaf
aAe one he k&d reosived, he had Q right
% withdraw ii, and the President ought.
In common fairness, 10 hare entertained
nj protest, aad sent for tina ofieial re-
turns to rectify the mistake or axpoae the
fraud. Suppose the paper preaaated hv
Dir, hireig bad been q play bill or tail,
or's bill ii. might just 40 we'll have been
for Ar. Birelyss allegation Ia that be was
the yiettn OF inadvswsance), had not MIR.
RiEely a right 70 withdraw it, and had
not right to ask for correctien2 The
paper presented by Mr.. Birely YVES q falge
fabricated and forged document, suhsti-
tuted to deceive aRd cheat, for the pur-
pose al giving MIR, Butler the certificate
ot election, and depriving you Of repre-
sentative elect, To correct mistakes il
the universal privilege Of every body of
men, whether ministerial or Judicial, and
the Board Of Return Judges had a right
to correct this paPer~4poA ahe allegation
Of Mr.. Rlrely, thai it was not the papar
he intended to present. Mr.. Birely ad-
nitted the paper to be a forgery, a nd
averred that be had been imposed upon.
and It 1t was not the paper he received
rom the judges Of his ward, the Preai,
Dent OF the Board at Return Judges was
bound to allow correction of the srror.
This Is q plain statement, and an intel
ngent public can judge where the Grimm
ally rests. charge that this great fraud
On your rights vas deliberately projected
and sought to be accomplished Ia the nre'
else way in which il was done, | ohSroa
that the Boarduf Return Judges ssre a.
hoial SANCTION tosthis fraud, whether in !
advestsgEls OF not, by aeayiag, aaas,sase
simpie fight 70 explain and correct an al
eyed mistake. We may be living Ia a
tree country, bat | question Il. In thu
whole cayslsasd globe, enc request 10 be
beard in case of open and palnabla .
wrOng3 Of gross and decided fraud. aoaldi'
be denied. The Board of Return judges .
Imperatively dessaa ms Esxsr8ER to bring
10 their notice bold and infamous niece i;
u ssAiaany. 9his nday hd ufssty taalias.
md party chivalry--bas every haaess mi !
aoaoraale man will pranaanee 1t unfair
Ina oppressive, 1t was base and coward l.
y 10 prevent nay exposing mean and j
,ontemptible fraud, which, while it WA !
Iirled directly at your Represenaaaiye.J !
srikes deep blow At the institutions Of :
TOUR country. II saeh daring frauds can :
he perpetrated, and the viii Of the ueopls !
Iisregarded, the ballot Dor ID no longer
he palladium of your nberties-the de-
enee of your rights rests In the strong
rms of the people.
By such disgEaesfgl acts, the confidence q
{ many d shaken In the purity Of cleo g
Iona and ahoaid this belief become gem 0
rai, the day Ii not far distant when the .
over Of tho government will pass into Z
he hands Of the most infamous and cor Il
upt. Then, indeed, the lessons Of the q
asst will be verified, and 1t will be said =
I our RepubIie /; She periahed-nos by d
Oseign foes hat BY internal corruption. :
Wary respectfully,
VIZ. E. LKHxas.
1
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