The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-11-21
secret Ballots.


city spent nearly their whole time during the can
vass in examining the ballots that were scratched
and boldly announced to those present the result
of their investigation. After the votes had been |
counted and placed upon string one OF the clerks
of election and a democrat (now city clerk was
exceedingiy active in looking over the votes and
thus violating taepain prov sions ofthe law guard
ing the secrecy OF the ballot. The democratic
judges permitted this to be done IN violation OF
Law.
s. Leas and B. IL. Kimoall were the judges 1his
time the republicans had amgority OF the poard
and they decided that the ballots should not De
examined as they were year before to satisfy
democratic curiosity. The people can see VINO IL
is that violates the law.
Democratic judges of election allowed the la"
TO be violated, and permitted men OF their own
party who were favortes, to trample down the sa-
cred right of secret ballot and the Argus had not
a word to say at such vilaInous conduct because
the law breakers and law dehets were oil Its Owl
party When republican judges had'the power
they put their foot down on such base actions and
man of either party was permitted to examine
ballots with view OF ascertalning how any man
voted Linton 18Th.
Now mark how plain a tale shall put you
down: When the votes were being counted,at
the presidential election,a question then arose
rs to whether Mr.. MerrilPs name wa erased
from ballot then being counted, the erasure
being so faintly done as to admit OF doubt,
Mr.. Merrill was present, and he thought the
name was not erased, but it was finally de-
cided that the name was erased. Mr. Merrill
noticed the number on the ballot and 1T was
he who referred to the corresponding number
on the poll book and ascertained who cast the
ballot.
The gentleman who cast 1t was very
warm personal friend of the democratic
didate for sheriff. He did not wish to vote
against his party candidate, nor did he wish
to vote against one Of his best and most init
mate personal friends. He therefore voted
the regular republican ticket, declining to
vote at all for the Office of sheriff. For this
act, Sheriff Merrill declined any longer to
employ him, professionally, for the county,
and employed another man who charged the
county just doubl the sum which had former
~ been charged and the board OF supervisors
allowed the bill. We give so much, a
sample of the way the court house clique
punish tat the expense of the tax payers, too
those who don't go down on their knees at
the bidding of that implacable junto.
Other scratched ballots afterwards
under discussion, and democrat, seeing that
Mr.. Merrill had been permitted to look up
the name of the person who cast the scratch
ed republican ballot, did the same thing
Seeing the anxiety of republicans as we'll as
demo crats to look up the names of those who
had cast scratched ballots, the judges put
stop to it, and would not permit any more
proceedings of the sort. Republicans were
as deeply engaged in it as democrats and it
was Mr.. Merrill, republican ofics holder,
who first engaged in what the Union styles.
''such villainous conduct" Truly, as the
Onion says, 1.-The people cla see who it is
that violates the law" au1 we don't expect
TO sec the Union say word against IL" be-
cause the law breakers add law defars were
gifts own party"
The Union attempts to stigma upon
democratic judges, and proceeds to extol the Wiz
tues and purity of Messrs Lyman and Leas,
the republican judges, by saying, 'tbey deci
ded that the ballots should not be examined,
as they were one year before"
The facts in regard to this matter are that,
before the judges commenced receiving bal
lots, this year, Supervisor Kimbsll related to
Messrs Lyman and Leas the Circumstance
which occurred last fall, and said that, e. far
as he was concerned, no person, of any party,
except the judges and clerk, should oe a!
lowed to handle a ballot, and that person,
either Judges, clerks or anybody else, should
be permitted to examine the poll book for the
purpose of ascertaining how anybody had vo-
ted OF course the subject was Mt s. one to
Messrs Lyman and Leas but they cav the
propriety of the COURSE proposed by Supervis
or Kimball and at once agreed with him that
it should not be done.
And in the evening, when the ballots were
being counted. Jim Beardsley attempted to
do the very thing Mr.. Merrill did last year,
and was stopped, by the judges of election,
from doing 1t.
These are the facts, as related to US by
those who were present, aud they show who
it was that attempted to ''violate the plain
the ballot" they show who 1t was that at
tempted Ito trampie down the sacred right
of secret ballot" but we don's expect the
Union to rebuke Messrs Merrill and Boards.
ley for what it terms such villainous con
duet, because the law breakers and law def.
ers are of its own party" Verify 1.-The peo-
ple can see who it is that violates the law"
If the Union desires any more information
on the subject we shall be happy to furnish