The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-23
ELECTION FRAUDS.
How New York was Carried by the
DemOcrots-JUdge Lawrence's Report
TO Congress.


10 Congress.
Judge Lawrence has prepared volumlnous
report upon the New York election frauds of
last November. He will present ii to Congress
to-day. judge Lawrence says:-
But appalling and startling as the frauds
have been in our past history, they are all
surpassed in some respects by those perpetrated
in tue general election in the State, aud espe-
cIally in the city, of New York. These frauds
were the result OF a systematic plan OF gigantic
proportions, steathily prearranged aud boldly
executed, not merely by bands OF degraded
despe1 adoes, but wirh the direct sanction, ap-
plovBl, and aid of many prominent officials
and citizens OF New York, with shrewdly con-
cealed conniVance of others, and almost WITH.
out an effort TO discourage or prevent them
by any of those in whose interest aud political
party associations they were successfully
executed, who could not fail to have c)guzance
of them, and whose duty it was to expose, de-
feat, and punish them
"They were aided by corrupt and Corruptng
official patronage and power, which not only
encouraged, but shielded and protected the
guilty principals and their aiders and aoettors.
These frauds are so varied IN character that
theo comprehend every known crime against
the elective franchise. They corrupted the
administration of justice, degraded the judi
ciary defeated the execution OF the laws, sub
ve1ted for the time being. in New York State,
the essential principles Popular government;
robbed the people of that great State of their
rightiul choice of electors for President and
VCe.President of Governor aud other
officers; disgraCed the most populous city of
our Union; encouraged the enemies of repub.
lican government here and everywhere to
deTide our institutions as failure, and endan-
gered the peace of the Republic by an attempt
TO defeat the will OF the people in the choice Of
their rulers.
The events of the past year in New York,
and the evidence taken by the committee fur
Eish proof of all these allegations. Amongst the
most glariDg of the frauds committed by the
Democratic patty in the city and State of New
York, in connection with the election in No.
vember, 1868, are these:-Many thousands OF
aliens fraudulently procured or were furnished
with certificates of naturalization, illegally or
fraudulently issued, by meaus of which they
were enabled to register as voters and voted ia
violation OF law. Many hundreds OF certificates
of naturalization were granted in the names OF
fictitious persons, to be used by native born and
naturalized citzers and aliens in falsely regis
tering as voters, and TO enable them to vote
many times at the same election.
REPEATERs.
'Many hundreds of persons voted in New
York city from two to forty times or more, each
under assumed or fictitious names, fraudulently
registered for the purpose. Extensive frauds
were committed Ill Canvassing tickets, and
names OF voters were entered on the poll lists,
and Democratic tickets counted, as if voters
representing them voted when no such persons
voted at all.
GROSS NEGLECT OF DUTY.
"To accomplish these frauds gross, neglect of
duty an disregard OF law, so great as to eyince
criminal purpose, prevailed IN some OF the
courts, while the officers and Democratic parti-
sans of almost every grade, either by official
influence or otherwise aided, sanctioned or
knew Of and failed to prevent them. The same
influence shielded perpetrators in nearly all
| cases from detection and arrest; and when
arrested, they have, through the agencies OF
judicial officers and Others, charged with the
| duty of prosecution, escaped all punishment.
Through these agencies the Democratic
| electors OF President aud Nlce-President, and
| the Democratic candidate for Governor OF the
No, Vnr l., frnn Hu10 tlyy ala
| and the Investigations of the committee shO v
| that the existing State laws and the mode OF
| enforcing them are wholly inadequate to pre-
vent these frauds; but that Congress has power
to enact laws which, if faithfully executed, will,
| to some extent, furnish protection hereafter.
| There is no law of Congress protesting to pre-
vent or punish frauds lii voting or conducting
| elections, and the penalties relating 80 cerud
Gates of naturalization are by no means ade'
| quate.
"The largest number of naturalization paper>
| ever granted in one year IN New YORK city
| before 1868, was in 1856 when only l6, 493 were
| issued, while in 1853 there were Al ll2 issued
| In October about 1000 were naturalzed by ou
courts The Superior Court, on October III
| issued 2lO9 papers, and one Judge issued 300 OF
| October 10, and averaged 7l8 per day Gurint
| October The Republican Naturalization Com
mitee procured papers tor only 2OS5. The NeS
! York Printing Committee ordered, betwee
September l6 and October %, blauk application
| Ializatiop, 5000; III addition to this, Othe
presses were running on blanks for other Demo
| cratic omnittees."
The report quotes the specific evidence G
natural zatiOn certificates traudulenty procure
| or issued in October 1868, to persons neve
| appearing in court. One witness sWore tina
one hundred aud fiuy were sent to the Demo
cratic Club at Peek. kill and used. Papers wer
issued on fictitious Gamcs and used by repeater!
Frauds in issued papers were not confined
New York, but extended over Orange, Ulster
Monroe, West Chester, and other counties.
"AmOng the frauds prachsed under tn
Naturalization laws were false personation c
applicants for naturalization, perjury of wit
Desses under assumed names, fabrication
| applications Tor naturall cation, and others /
| support OF them, with the names OF apple ant
and witnesses forged; granting of certificate
of naturalization in fictitious names, and 0
applications regular In form, but without tE
preselce Of any applicants, aud 10 persons nj
| entitled TO them: applicants for natuTaliZatio
or those protesting to represent then
with their witnesses, were sworn i
groups, sometimes larger and sometime
smaller, and Without any separate exam natio
merely occasionally, but habltualiy, is prove
, beyond controversy.
oBsTRUCTroEs TO THE COMMITTEE
'IThe committee say that obstructons we
, | throw n in the way of this Investigation by II
| judges of the Supreme Court aud Cle X, Charl
20 =. Loew. In Mr.. Loew's office the whole nur
p | her of blank certificates received was 80, OO
D | issued as RECORDS show, lOO7O; blanks on hau
1862; leaving unaccountad ior, ZLOos' M
8 Leyerson testified that in OCTOBER ne was III ~
e room formerly used as sherii's once. III y
8 basement of the City Hall building, Ia whi'
a the court was held and clerks were engaged
filing up blank applications: Inc conlhlVl
l. | estimate from what is proved, that slXtY-elg
It thousand three hundred and iorty-three fraud
e lent certificates were issued In New foi
ID Ulster Monroe, Westchester, Rensselaer,, ~