The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-09
The Duty of the Men Whom the SUI
preme Court Has Pretended to Natu-

ralize.
A GOOD CITIZEN, when he thinks he has moral
right In his favor, may take advantage OF
legal technicality and gain his just end; but
when he knows that the law is against him,
and when justice is against him, and he seeks
to evade both by a subterfuge, he proves him
self an enemy of both, and is bad and pesti-
lent disturber of the peace. The recent
decision of the Supreme Court, on the fearful
investigations which have taken place in re-
gard to its mode Of procedure, places all the
citizens who have been naturalized by it in an
anomalous position. Let us see how the case
stands. First, there are confessedly num-
ber-how many none can tell--of the naturali-
ization papers issued by the Supreme Court
which have never even gone through the
foolish and childish process Of being thumbed
by the tipstaves. The twelve which were
captured are but typical of probably thousands
of others like those issued, with the simple
difference that they had been filed up and
distributed. It was peculiar good fortune
that enabled the Court to have those ones ex-
hibited to it, captured before they were dis
tribated or made regularly out. The fact that
these are caught would of itself vitiate and
taint any bona tfde paper. An honest man
with unblemished character would hesitate
about Offering his actual paper, when he
knows it would justly subject him, though
innocent, to suspicion. SO that even with
paper duly sealed and signed, the existence of
these bogus papers would initiate against the
holder. Second, the manner in which the
bona .Jfde papers have been issued is such as
to make any paper obtained in the Nisi Prius
Court an insult and taunt to the man who
holds it. Every man OF them are sub
jeoted to the remark: "Oh, yes
you went to that court because you
dared not 60 to the other' Every man who
tries to vote on that paper merits such a
punishment. Great wrong will undoubtedly be
thus done to honest citizens, but they must
thank the Court and not the public. They have,
however, a chance now to GO into the due
courts Of law, into the Quarter Sessions, Com
mon Pleas, or District Court, and before the
election redeem their good name and exercise
untainted their right as citizens. So that not
only is the holder Of every one of these papers
subjected to the suspicion that he got it lille
gally by theft but also that he got it illegally
through the negligence of the Court. Third,
in addition to these two terrible aspects
in which poor man-one whose fame for
honesty is his capital-will be placed by
attempting to vote on these papers, there is
another which makes every one who seeks
to vote on them, whether he got them from
the Democratic Committee or from the Court,
appear as a scoundrel. The Judges, three to
two, have decided that these papers are ille-
gally issued, and that, too, whether they be
stolen, or issued, as judges Thompson aud
Sharswood direct. They have said that on
Monday next we will officially and judioially
declare these papers void. Now what is the
duty of the holders of papers, be they moral
men or only shrewd men! Why, clearly to
refuse to go to the polls with these papers. If
they 60 they subject themselves to imputa-
tiop, to insinuation, to suspicion-aye, and
to arrest. How will the officer of election
know whether or not the paper presented
may not have been stolen, like hundreds
werei 1t is his right, it is his duty, to arrest
the man who presents it, and make him
show that he is not attempting to pass an illegal
vote. II, after the decision on Monday, it should
be announced that the papers issued at Nisi
Prius are all illegal, then the parties who
voted or sought to vote on them, will, whether
they got them from the Court or stole them
from the Prothonotary, be guilty of attempting
to fraudulently vote, and oH deserUe and re-
csius conviction and punishment Let the people
think over this calmly and quietly. Let them
say to themselves, "Shall l risk my fair fame,
my character, my very liberty, all to aid the
cause of those who have thus deceived meY"
and we feel sure, after reflection, the holders
of those papers will take our friendly advice
and keep away from the polls. II they do not,
It Ia the duty of the election officer to refuse
to receive their votes until they prove that
they are citizens and that the seal is not
forgery. We call, then, on all good men who
have been naturalized in the Supreme Court
to hasten at once to the District Court, and
there be naturalization If you don't, it Is
your duty and stern necessity for you to
keep away from the polls on Tuesday next.
The MOyamensing Hose Company.
WHILE Mr.. Terrence McCusker held the posi-
ton of Chief Engineer of the Fire Department
Of this city, he discharged the duties incum-
bent upon him satisfactorily to the public and
creditably to himself. But at the recent cleo
ti0n Mr.. MoCusker was defeated and Me-.