The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-27
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS OF THE LEADING JOURNALS
UPON CURRENT ToPIcs-ooMPILED EVERY
DAY FOR THE EVENING TELEGRAPH.
The Carnival Of Fraud.
Etot1 she ", Y, tribune.

AGO. After Vermont and Maine voted, even
the wilfully blind could hardly doubt It, After
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Nebraska
added their thunders, even tue last loop 10
hang a doubt upon" had vanished. 1t was so
plain that Seymour and Blair had not the
ghost of a chance that the World, seconded
by the National INTEL geEcer, stopped trying
TO figure out Democratic gains upon the vote
polled by that party against George Washing
ton or some candidate scarcely less antique,
and called loudly for change Of programme
andvAf candidates. Blind parisans may rail
at these journals but what they proposed was
exactly what should have been done. At that
late day, probably any ticket that could have
been put up would have been beaten; but the
Democratic masses would not have known
that, and might have been persuaded that
they had still q chance. Now, they not only
have none, but they know it. They have the
same prospect of winning that Napoleon's
army had after the charge and repulSe OF the
Old Guard at Waterloo.
General Grant cannot possibly be defeated;
but may he not be cheated out of the return?
An eminent member of the Tammany ring re-
Gently enuneialed the maxim that Gin close
election, good counting is the main point"
and the principle has wide application. The
American people have already in their hearts
chosen General Grant their next President,
and will so proclaim by their votes on Tues
day of next week; but may not different
result be frauduently stuffed into or falsely
counted out of the ballot-boxes That is the
problem whereon the Democratic wire-workers
have been steadily engaged since they heard
from Pennsylvania and Indiana. They do not
really expect to count out General Grant by
the help of ever so much fraud: they do hope
to return Hoffman Governor, and thus per-
petuate and extend the villainies whereby
they have so long plundered the people and
enriched themselves.
Twelve months ago it was notorious that
the devices for fraudulent naturalization
whereby Henry Clay was beaten in 1914 were
not adequate to the present emergency. Few
or no persons formerly received certificates of
naturalization from our courts without aotu-
ally appearing therein and mumbling over
something which was assumed TO be oaths of
remuneration, etc. Even thus there were hun
dreds who voted against Clay who had not
been year in the country. But the present
eXgency of sham Democracy could not thus
be met. Naturalization by proxy began to be
extensively practised as early as 1866. I'm
migrants fresh from Europe, whose express
sions or associations rendered it certain that
they were of Democratic proclivities were
quietly asked by the rumseler whose bar
room they frequented, ''Wouldn't you like to
vote Y'' "Yes; but Pm not naturalized, and
have been but year in the country" Oh
that can be fXed;" and it was A dummy
forthwith appeared in court as an applicant
for naturalization. "What is your name ?'
"Dennis RAFFERTY," How long have you
been in the country ?' "Seven years" etc.
etc.-the applicant and his witnesses answer
ing every question with practised CELEBRITY, and
correctly-only Dennis Rafferty, was not the
name of the applicant, but OF the freshly landAd
immigrant who thus to be made voter.
The certificate being duly made out, signed
and sealed as the law directs, was handed
over to the rumseller, and by him presented
to the true Dennis Rafferty,, who thereupon
proceeded to register and vote as an American
citizen.
But even this was too slow. The Sham
Democracy needed more voters than could be
thus manufactured, and commenced The fabri-
cation of naturalization certificates "0ut of the
whole cloth"-that is, without any swearing
or other proceedings in court whatever. Blank
certificates were made out, signed and sealed,
leaving only the name of the person to be
thereby invested with the attributes of citizen
ship TO be filled in at discretion. Thus the
Democratic majority in Luzerne county, Pa !,
has been swelled by thousands for some years
past; thus was Democratic Senator returned
from the Huntington district of that State last
fall and thus was the Democratic vote this
year in Pennsylvania swelled by many thou
sands of votes, and three Republican districts
made to return Democrats to the next House
of Representatives.
Such crimes are usually diffused and multi
piled till they become too hagrant to be borne.
When recently in Washington county, New
York, we met the county judge, who said, 81
naturalize every applicant who supplies the
proper proof OF his fitness, aud hold court in
different parts of the county to afford every
facility. | naturalize good many-all who
have right to be naturalzed. Those who
have not M axe journey to Troy, where there
is a court that puts them through with GER
tainty and despatch" Thus scores are daily
made citizens who dare not apply where they
are known.
The fact, notorious in Democratic circles.
that certificates Of naturalization could be had
in this city for 81 and no questions asked
finally attracted the attention of the United
States Marshal, Robert Murray, who there
upon determined to ascertain how the thing
was done. So he quietly made his arrange
ments, and in due time had bought, at second
hand, five naturalization certificates for per
sons who never exsted--price 81 each His
agent bought them OF Benjamin j. Rosenburg
Democratic Bureau of Naturalization, No. &
Centre street, now under arrest. Mr.. Rossu-
burg can, perhaps, tell how he came honestly
by them, and how the signature of the County
Clerk and the seal OF the Supreme Court were
honestly attached TO them, though he seems in
no hurry to do so. At all events, clue to the
mystery OF iDiquity has been obtained, and will
be followed up. We invite especial attention
to our report of Saturdays proceedings in
this case, which will be found full of interest.
And we desire here to correct our first hasty
expressions with regard to United States Dis
trict Attorney Courtney. He is doing his
duty in the premises, regardless of its parti-
san bearing, as becomes faithful officer
and true man. His associate counsel for the
prosecution are, of course, doing all that is
within the scope of eminent legal ability and
patriotism. The case is in frst-rate hands,