New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-10-30
DEMOCRACY DEFENDING ACKNOWLEDGED
ERIUnN


DEMOCRACY DEFENDING ACKNOWLEDGED
FRAUDS
On the eve Of Presidential election mon
strous effort to food the polls with illegal voters
has been discovered. The purpose is plain.
The dishonest intent is not denied. The evil
dence is overwhelming What, under these
circumstances. is the course of the Democratic
party7 Does it denOunce the villainyf Does
it manifest the desire all good citizens, OF what
ever political faith, must feel for the preserva-
ton of the purity of the BALLOT Does it aid
In the exposure and help to visit swift punish
ment on the criminalsf
1t seeks TO screen the arrested parties on the
plea that, 0silty as they clearly are, the lac does
not corer their case.
With this false pretence we shall deal in
moment. But we beg the attention of all hon
est men to the position in which, on its own
showing, the Democratic party is thus exhibit
ed. 1t sees n gigantic and debasing fraud in
progress, that threatens TO sap the very founda-
ton stone of our institutions. 1t sees our most
important election about to DO shamelessly
vitated IN our most important city.
1t sees the public enemies who are
committing this crime dragged to the
light of day and put on trial. 1t sees them
proved guilty of the crime and of the criminal
intent In the midst of the general indigna-
ton thus aroused, while reputable men of its
own organization are fastening to join in the
general hope that the offenders may he visited
with the speediest and severest judgment, its
pleading tones may be heard: "Don't convict
"these men don't sentence them; don't con-
"fne them! Stop your shameful persecution
~
'but what is that Of your AFFAIR." The statute
"under which they are arraigned does
"not cover their case Some other statute
may, but not the one on which you are trying
them. Let them 90, and stop your efforts
to deter fOreign-bOrn citizens from voting
VIII reputable Democrats judge whether this
is the tone or the policy Of patriots7 whether
they wish to join in itf whether they can
maintain their self-respect while they coop
crate with those who do
But the pretense und which the Demo
cratic leaders strive to screen the perjurcrs and
peddlers of fraudulent certificates is us fmsy
as the effort is fragrant. The law under which
Rosenberg and others are arrested says:
"nany person shall falsely make. forge. counterfeit,
or cause or procure 70 be falsely made. forged
referred 10 in this act, or shall pass. utter,
true any false forged or counterfeit certificate Of c
OF citizenship 10 any person other than the person for
rgSt belong sS person shn S SO d.mdd "y SS ID
odudgcd guilty Of felony, and. on being thereof
imprisoned and kept 90 hard labor for a period lees
than three or more than hyo years or be- fined in
erection Of the court taking cOgnizance thereof"
1t is not denied that the arrested parties did
utter as true false certificates of citizenship.
1t is not denied that they did sell such GER
tificates to persons other than those for whom
they were originally intended. What, then, is
the pretense that the law does not apply
Why that, in the first clause above quoted
(and in it only, the certificates that must not
be forged are limited to those referred to in
"this act,r and that this does not mean
certificates of Naturalization We do not care to
argue this point; we only state it. To such
paltry pettifogging does the metropolitan
gan of the Tammany Democracy descend, i'll
efforts to protect the criminals who have been
peddlng forged certificates mt two dollars
head
While reputable citizens. and especially our
solid business men of all parties, are almost
unanimous in the hope that the perpetrators of
these naturalization frauds may be brought to
Justice, the Democratic presses boast OF pur-
pose to back them up 10y mandamuses and
threats of arrest against honest Registrars, who
refuse to recognize the bogus certificates. But
the opinion of the five eminent jurists printed
in another column shows how futile will be the
attempt Registrars discharge quasi judicial
duties. They cannot be interrupted in
that discharge by interference OF other courts.
They can order the police to arrest any per-
sons attempting such interference. They must
be satisfied" of the right of citizens to regis
try, and must require such evidence as shall
satisfy them. And in the discharge Of their
sworn duties according to this legal as well as
commonsense Interpretation Of them, they will
be sustained by the opinion of the courts and
the approval Of all good citizens.