Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-12-11
Recent POliticaI History.
From the New York Nation.

The monstrous frauds by which New
York and New Jersey were carried against
Grant, and which were intended to carry
Pennsylvania also, are perfectly notorious.
Their magnitude is such as to make it diff
fcult to believe in their existence, and al
most impossible to overcome their effect.
Their existence is not, however, seriously
disputed. Mayor Hoffman denounces
those who attempt to punish or prevent
these frauds, but carefully abstains from
denying that they have been committed.
He could not look any man in the face
while he did SO. No politician pretends
to deny them. These frauds may be briefly
summed up thus $4,000 persons were
naturalized in this city, of whom 10000
to %, 900 never went near the courts, and
not more than 10000 to $4,000 at the out
side were ever sworn or were entitled to
their papers. At least 10000 fictitious
names were registered in the cities of New
York and Brooklyn; the number was
probably greater than this, but could not
have been less. In single ward votes were
cast upon more than 1900 fictitious names.
To deter Republican challengers, one of
the mast conspicuous was knocked down
in the middle of the day, and as nearly
murdered as it was in the power of his
assailants to do. Seven thousand of the
vilest roughs in the two cities were ap-
pointed by the sherifs to arrest challeng-
ers and to force in fraudulent votes. The
fraudulent naturalization papers were
scattered over the State of New York, and
greatly reduced Grants majorities in the
interior counties. Votes upon fictitious
names, however, could only be cast iMthe
large cities, where it is impossible to know
all the faces at poll. Without these the
State could not have been carried for Sey-
mour, although the majority for Hoffman
is probably large enough to dispense with
this aid
It will naturally be asked why such acts
are not punished by legal process. The
answer is simple. The District Attorney,
who alone can prosecute, and the local
judges, who alone can try charges OF this
nature, either are directly concerned in
organizing these frauds or are indebted for
their positions to those who are thus con-
cerned The few decent judges who are
left on the bench have nothing to do with
such crimes in the regular course of their
duty, and they rightfully abstain from
going out Of their course to reach such
offenders, for if they did, the party man.
ayers would speedily supply their places
with right men, and justice would be
utterly unknown in the city. The result
of the whole situation is that election
frauds, committed for the benefit of the
dominant party, are absolutely unpunish-
able, except where they happen to violate
statute of the United States, and thus
come under the cognizance of a Federal
Court With impunity thus guaranteed
to them, the amount of fraud committed
by the Democratic politicians is limited
only by their lack of ingenuity or want
of time.
The Tammany Ring have now achieved
the principal object for which they have
carried on the Presidential election. They
have the Governor of the State, and they
hope to buy up enough members of the
Legislature to carry through all their
merely financial schemes. Next year they
believe that they will be able to secure the
Legislature, so as to break down the laws
which now keep the police out Of their
hands; and this being done, New York
city will be wholly at the mercy of Tam
many. Law will be administered by per-
iurers, property will be guarded by thieves,
and life will be protected by assassins.
These may seem extravagant expressions,
in the judgment of persons who are not
familiar with this city; but they are not
whit too strong to depict the probable
future Of New York. We have now
Judges on the bench whom no man would
believe under oath. We had, under the
rule of Fernando Wood, a police
notoriously in league with the prin-
cipal burglars Of the city. We
have a District Attorney who, in a
case where all the evidence that was pub
lished showed a deliberate murder, ac-
cepted plea Of manslaughter, and a
Judge who fined the murderer sac cents.
We see tremendC us scheme Of fraudulent
voting carried on without disguise, and q
respected citizen stricken down in broad
day for daring to interfere with it. We
know active politicians who have done
their best to murder scores of men, and
we know that they are never punished un-
less they happen to attack man Of great
er political influence than themselves.
The police are the only protection remain
ing to the honest citizens of New York
and now the loss of the Legislature for a
single year would throw the police into
the hands of Tammany Hall. When that
is once done, it can never be undone, for
New York city will ever after give $50, 900
majority as easily as it now gives $4,000,
and the Governor being thus secured, his
veto will prevent any change.
Much anxiety Is naturally expressed for
the future prevention of such mongtrous
frauds as those which have Just been per.
petrated. Our hopes in this direction are
very moderate. The Governor elect can.
not, of course, sign any bill which would
| iniure those to whom he owes his election
The Legislature cannot pass any party
measure oyer his veto, There oan. there