New-York tribune., 1868-06-24
MERDER IN POLITICS.

In our last article upon the election frauds
in PENNSYLVANIA in 1867, we pointed ont the
advantages of coffee in giving to fraudulent
naturalization papers a color of antiquity agree
ing with their pretended date. As we advance
in our investigations of the Democratic doings
in the XXIst Senatorial District, we find that
the interest deepens from the comedy of coffee
to the tragedy of assassination. When Shugart
had carried the District by the votes of labor
ers upon the Tyrone and Cleariield Railroad,
changed from aliens into American citizens by
the magic of spurious papers, it being apparent
to all men that there had been considerable
Democratic cheating round that board, 1T be-
came prudent to get rid as soon as possible, OF
these fancy citizens. There was no further use
for them, and, whenever it was feasible, they
were run out of the nelghborh0od, ana
even out of the State Some OF them
were sent to hide themselves IN the
woods; some of them were transported
to New-Yorl; but with one OF them nj
least a shorter and sharper method was adopted.
John Casey, a natumlized" NAVY, testified
before the Legislative Committee TO certain
rather remarkable facts He said he was " as
" ignorant as a haste :" that he received natu-
ralization paper from one of the Democratic
wire workers; that he never was natuIallzed
and, finally, that he "voted Democratic" as he
WAS told to do. Now mark what befcll thus
poor, unfortunate devil who was foolhardy
enough to disclose tho truth! Four days al
fer giving his testimony he was found on tho
highway, near Clearfied brutaly murdered! !
Thus the great Democratic enterprise advanced
from larceny tO forgery, from forgery l"
bribery, from bribery to perjury ir"il perjury
to murder! victim who suffers hhisei 10
oct into tho clutches of the Pennsylvania
Democratic State Committee must be careful
how he ndulges himself in the luxury of telling
the truth, even when he happens to be under
oath. Let spectators who intend to negotiate
with the Democratic leaders this Fall remember
the fate of John Casey!
OF course, murder in the long run is rather
risky resource There were 2,2O0 of these ras-
caly naturalization papers distributed by the
Democrats in Luzerne County, and it would
hardly be safe 10 knock on the head the 2,2OO
Door wretchcs who voted upon the strength of
them. This was kind of wholesale massacre
from which even the Democratic National Com
mittee might shrink, and which, fortunately
for them, was hardly necessary. John Casey
was killed in terr0rem, and the 1900 sham cit
liens all took warning and were careful how
they talked of the base uses to which they had
been put. Some of them consented to abscond.
Some of them agreed TO go into hiding Some
of them disappeared under suspicious circum-
stances" whethermurdered or not is unknown
The fact remains, however, that Casey was
assassnated in order TO keep Shngart IN
his Senatorial seat, which after all lac lost.
The khavcry did not prosper; but this viii
not prevent the Pennsylvania Democracy from
trying the experiment again, should the same
circumstances call for n repetition of the bold
iniquity Entcrprising voters who think TO turn
an honest penny in the Pennsylvania market
this Fall will do well to remember the fate of
Casey and of the other voters of the XXIst
Senate District who "have disappeared from
" the eyes of men-whcthcr murdered on not"
Those who buy them like cattle to-day will
not shrink from Draining them like cattle to-
/