Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-12-31

The Oonteated ElaOtion Cases.

did have TO their entire satisfaction. II vas
urged on by the most wild, rampant, and
radical Of the party, claiming all the ''honesty
and decency" in the world. They almost
showed heaven and earth" to elect the coun-
~ especially the Auditor, sheriff, and
Treasurer, and succeeded only I'm electing the
last named In an unlawful and dishonest
way. Their little Radical paper published
weekaft week for more than three months
before the election, whatit called the nPublic
Record ofthe Depocratic Candidate for Aud
itor," which was made up OF oil sorts Of the
worst Misrepresentation and worded, as the
modern HOMER thought, In such ''fine style"
that 1t would completely annihilate HENRY
REYSoLDs, the candidate, or cause the peo-
pie to march to the polls in drovea OF hum
dTeds and vote against the "Public Racord"
nnd;every other man on thetlc But II was
me shnilt RECORD = ad I3t 'Vlnton
Record, that gained t|Ie iof l0us Victory
The Two ARecofds" were weighed in the "pub-
lie" balances, and the 'vinton Record" YVES
found to be deficient in truth and honesty
The people pronounced against 1t. The Rad
icals and their Record, (" having been furnish
ed with o "Idttle book about like the one
left by Old J0AN R0DaERs for his children
many hundreds Of years ago. thought the
voice of the people on the "Public Record"
question might be changed--(even II the voice
OF the people is the voice Of God )--by bringing
the matter before the Court in pursuance OF
the rLlttle Book" but the Court not only de-
cldcd that the "Public Record" was correct,
but completely wiped a small portion OF the
''Litte Book" entirely out Of existence, as the
reader wlllsee by reading the following pro-
ceedings Of the cases which we md were writ
ten at Macarthur, Ohio under date OF Decem-
Der Il, and published In the Cincinnati En-
quirer, and which Is much better than any
history Of tho cases we could write:
AT the present term of the Court
ofCommon Pleas, of this (Vinton)
county, held by Judge E. A. Guth-
rie, several contested election cases
were tried and determined, ,-invol
most of the county offices, filled at
election held in October,-the de-
cision Of which is of vital interest to
. the people Of the whole State.
Daniel Booth was declared by the
Clerk of the Court and two justi-
ces, duly elected Sheriff; Henry
Reynolds, Auditor; Jonathan Brine,
Recorder; and Frederick w.
Haynes, Commissioner, of Vinton
county-all Democrats. Their re-
epectiye Republican opponents,
George Fry, William J. Rannells,
Eldridge L. Hawk, and Benjamin
3 NJ. Walker, contested the election,
and claimed that they wererespect-
lively elected to such Offices, because,
in three townships-Richland
Clinton and Harrison the Judges
ofelection took a recess of about an
hour,at noon to.get their dinners.
the polls being closed during such
time, after proclamation of the fact
by the judges Of the election, they
inviting all who wished to vote be.
fore dinner to come forward then
and vote, In Richland township
all the judges and one clerk went
to dinner to the same house, taking
the ballot box with them, but keep.
ing it locked and in their custody
In Clinton township two judges
and one clerk went together, taking
and keeping the ballot-box, as in
the case of the other tow wnship. In
Harrison township two judges and
one clerk went together, with the
ballot.box, which they kept, as in
the other cases.
After dinner the election went on
until six o'clock, P. NJ. These are
all the facts proved, or attempted
to be proved, in the several cases.
BY declaring the election void in
these townships, the residue of the
votes in the county would elect the
Republicans, and defeat the Demo
Gratis who had been declared elect.
ed.
Judge Guthrie, who is most do.
cided Republican, having, in fact,
always been an Abolitionist, but
who has for some years been recog
niEed as possessing q very superior
legal mind and legal attainments.
and, withal, perfect judicial inde.
pendence and integrity, determined
to rule correctly as to the law ot
every case without reference to the
parties before him, or to mere ont
side considerations:
IT M
HELD: That in these cases there
was no pretense that the recess for
dinner was taken for the purpose Of
perpetrating any fraud, or that any
fraud was committed by any person
in consequence thereof--no pretense
that q single voter offered. or even
wished, to vote during the adjourn
ment; no prctense that, in conse-
quence of it, any voter failed to get
tho opportunity to vote, or was de-
Prived Of his vote; no pretense that
the candidates declared elected. the
contestants, or any Of them advised
consented to, or knew of h. No
pretense that it effected the rights
one set ofcandidates or party. more ore
than the other, or that anv BODY
was affected by it at oil in anv con.
ceivsble way, or that the result Of
the election would have differed a
single vote if the recess had not
been taken; and no pretense that !
full and fair expression Of the will
and choice Of q majority of thelepal
voters had not been had at t6is
election. Such full and fair exnress ]
ion OF the choice Of the majority,
Of the voters, for the several candi.
dates for the Offices to be filed, Is the
sole object of every elact;on M M