The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-08-07
Il Political Forgery.

The legislature Of Connecticut. now in
session, has passed an elaborate bill TO reg.
ulate the registration Of voters and the elcc
tons. Its principal object Is to prevent the
issue Of fraudulent naturalization papers TO
aliens, and to make it impossible 10 vote
moro than once. For three or four years
past the elections in that State have been
VIGOROUSLY corrupt. In oil the cities, but
In New ilayen most openly and on the
largest scale, SO many ffnudulcnt votes have
been cast as to destroy public confidence in
the ballot box. .r
There seems to be nothing unfair in the
bill in question. II lias been vigorously
opposed in both houses Of the legislature
and every provision carefully debated yet
nothing has. been shown In IL which tends
in any way to favor any party, class or sec.
ton ut the expense ot any other |; nothing
which is inconsistent with the simple aim
to mike and keep elections pure. The
machinery for this purpose may be In TACT
a little cumbersome; but the efforts Of Its
opponents have not been to simplify and
perfect u, but 10 make Il odious and destroy
il. Il seems impossible to explain This OH
any other supi,os,tion than that they do not
wish fraudulent voting to cease.
The efforts made by the minority In both
houses to def; ut this bill reached almost the
extreme OF factious purtisansbip. They
were met in determined spirit and II 10
probable that the majority, in pressing the
bill TO its inal passage, and cutting OF di!a'
tory motions Of oil Kinds, made some arbi.
trary and surprising rulings on points OF
order. But Il passed both houses by the
constitutional majority, bot by sirict party
vote, and was sent TO the office OF the SEQ.
retry of State IN due course. .l '..
Tho democratic party, having unsuccess'
fully opposed the bill in the legislature, dc
noinced It in extravagunl languages In their
press Some OF their papers threatened
violent resistance to any such law. Ia por.
ticular. the mora unscrupulous members ot
the party in New Haven, where the boldcs'
and most extensive balIot.box "ing' has
long hourished, with the Register rs their
organ, openly promised that they would
prevent It's enforcement In that city.
II was Expected that the INV would be
vetoed by Governor English, but the legis.
lature remained in session prepared to pass
1t again. the Constitution Of Connecticut
requiring only reconsideration and
second passage, and not two.thirIs vote
In favor OF bill when returned by the
Governor.
But il was accidentally discovered by one
Of the subordinate officers Of the Legislature,
just before the bill was to he submitted to
Governor English, that it had been secretly
changed in the office Of the Secretary oi
State. The bill was ut Once recalled by the
Assembly. The Committee on Engrossed
Hills were onlered to examine. and made
detailed report of the forgeries, showing
that essential words hal been erased In the
authentic copy, by the lIse Of lemon juice
or similnr acid, and other words written
in their place; und that the changes made
were precisely those which the democratic
minority had in vain attempted TO make IN
the bill before its passage, and robbed Il OF
its stringent md promising provisions
The hill lins been restored to its original
form, and lius again been passed in both
houses An investigation has been begun
Of the crime just committed, hut with no
success; and with little promise in the pres
ent state Of party feeling. Of attaining n ju.
diculIy established result. Meanwhile. the
tactics Of the minority, in their efforts to
make delay in all the official forms Of test.
ing The Till, and especially TO impede and
tanper with the subordinate officers of the
Senate and Assembly, have been such rs
seem fairly to make them responsible for The
forgery attempted.