The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-11-03
To the Democratic and COnser.
v0tfve Voters Of the State
OF lndlf&na:

You prior to the approaching Presldentla
election, not for the purpose of discussing
the principles that underlie our institutions
or developing the policy that should gov
ern in the administration Of public affair!
(these you understand and appreciate
nor for the purpose of exposing the cor
ruptions of the present Federal Admins
tration, and its departures from the patt
in which our fathers trod, when guided by
the lights Of the Constitution ard the law;
(these also are known and deeply felt by
you); but rather for the purpose of arous
ing you to full appreciation of the dan
gers that surround us as a people, and by
the most earnest words we can command
to urge uuon you the duty of making one
more effort-an effort worthy a great
peoplc-to save our institutions that sup
port public right, and shelter individual
liberty.
The advantage gained by the Admins
tration party in our recent State election
was achieved by such means as will no,
allow the good men of that party to rejoice
and ought not to cause us encouragement
That the most stcpendous frauds were
practiced, is not denied by any candid
man even of that party. That such frauds
were Systematically prepared is apparent
to u.s. 1t is the first time in the listory
Of our State, when fraud in an election has
been Systematically practiced on so exten-
sive scale. Instances have occurred
and have been judicially exposed, as in
Morgan Rush, and Fountain Counties
where frauds against the Democracy were
open and shameless-but were confined to
those localities Now, they have been
made to extend to almost every print where
railroad facilities enabled the guilty par
ties to transfer voters from point to point
So palpable is the cheat that a person not
familiar with our railroad locations can
take map of our State, and by the aid of
the returns OF the late elections, by town
ships trace the routes Of these roads BY
the increase of the Republican vote o-cr
| former years. This increase is the largest
nearest this city. and diminishes as VIC
rcccde from ii; except in few instances
on the border of the State, where it
is apparent the Illegal help came tempora-
rily from othsr States Thus. as the
volume Of fraud increases as We approach
this point. it is eYidcrce that the head
quarters Of the managers and perpetrators
We're in this city: aside from the notorious
I fact that illegal voting Vas practiccd here
to an unheard of extent. The result was
the increase Of the republican majoritics.
as in the counties OF la milton. Hendricks
Marion Henry and Wavne, or the decrease
Of the Democratic maiorties, rs in Nigo.
/ Clay. Vanlcrburgh, Floyd and Dearborn
MANY small prec nets upon railroads show
an enormous increase that cannot &c &C.
counted for by any additions to the inhab-
itants either the day before or the day
after the election 1'he same facts withou:
doubt exist, but are not 40 readily perceiv.
ed, in more populous places 1t is mani
fest that the Republican majority in this
township. for instance. is greater than the
/ legal voters of both parties added together
There are some points at which the frauds
were so unblushing that even our oppo
nents are ashamed Of them, and are
attempting to offer lame and impotent
explanations. as in the instance OF thi:
city, and Hamilton, ViSo, Wayne, and
Ripley counties. In other counties the
evidence is so palpablc that the sanctity
of the balot-box itself was invaded, that
no explanation is attempted but public
attention is sought to be diverted by the
old rogue's cry of thief. thief. This i.
SO as to Delaware, Henry. johnson, &c.
/ But. not content with general charges
let us look to facts. These are readily
arrived at. without swearing witnesses in
a case where the swindle is on so large 3
scale as this BY the statute every either
between the ages Of twenty-one and fifty
years has poll tax assessed to him Ol
course, If all vote. the vote will be greitel
than the poll assessed-but that proportion
should not vary much one year witt
ano:her-nor in different counties in tn,
same year. In 1860 when, without doubt
the full strength of each party were bro
out, there were, as will appear by th'
statement below, one hundred and ninety
nine votes cast for governor, for each on
hundred polls assessed THAI is, votes cas-
263694, polls assessed2O3O9S. In '62 ther
were one hundred and sixteen votes cas-
for Secretary of State for each one hun
dred polls assessed; that is, 246, l63 votes
ana 2O9,342 polls assessed The return
of polls assessed for 1861 are not ye
made of the counties to the proper Office
we will therefore compare the assessmen
of 1868 with the vote Of the present year
Some Of the counties have returned TO
1864, to-wit Farnklin, Shelby, Lake
Pulaski, Tippecanoe, and Lawrence, IL
each of which falling off in the number
of polls. since last year, is shown; 66' II
all Of said counties. The official returns
oftbe recent election, for all counties
are not in; Perry, Jackson, Lawrence
johnson, Vermilion, st. Joseph anc
Whitley not having been received.
The Counties officially ii give 2o3.55s,
Those not in will give about 2o,'Uo 2S5.55
The polls a cssed in 1863 were BOG &c;
This would give about one hundred an,
thirty6ye votes cast for Governor for eacl
one hundred polls assessed. 1t will b.
observed that the polls returned in lo6'
we're less than in 1862. This IS to b
accounted for by the large number OF mel
talon ofT to the army so tar as tn,