The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-10-01
GUARD THE BALLOT BOX |!

GUARD THE BALLOT BOX!
1t is the duty of every good citi
zen to see that there is an homes
vote At the election held one weel
from Tuesday. The result announced
should represent the fair and hones'
expression of the political opinions
of the lawful voters of Ohio. Here
tofore there have been fraudulent
voting, fraudulent counting of the
vote, and false and fraudulent re.
turn of the vote In many CT the vot-
ing precincts. Let ms take one case
for illustration. At the Spring elec-
ton of 1868, in one of the townships
Of Belmont county, the Democratic
Judges of election SO manipulated
the vote in counting it out, that they
certified that q majority of the votes
were cast for the Democratic candi-
dates and that these candidates were
duly elected. But enough was known
to justify the belief that the Union
candidates, including the Township
Trustees, were in point of fact elect
ed by the ballots cast Proceedings
were accordingly entered in the Dis
trict Court sitting in Belmont conn
ty, and that Court unanimously de-
cided, after hearing all the evidence
in the case, that the Republican can
didates were duly elected, there
having been fraudulent count and
false return by the judges of election.
The New York City plan of counting
votes was adopted, as it appeared
from the evidence. A Republican
ticket was taken up by judge and
then the names of the Democratic
candidates read off in the same way
as if it were q Democratic ticket
This case is sufficient to show that
there is scarcely limit to the frauds
that may be committed where Demo
cratic judges are allowed unrestrict-
ed control of all that pertains to the
deposit and counting of votes.
One section of the general election
laws now in force reads as follows
The judges of the election shall, if
requested, permit the respective can
dldates, or one or more, not exceed
ing three of their friends, to be pres
ent in the room where the judges
are, during the time of receiving and
counting out the ballots.
We now and here desire to call the
particular attention of Republicans
throughout the State to this most
important duty, namely, tie duty OF
having Republican candidates or one
or more political friends Of those can
didates present at every voting precinct
in Ohio, from the time Atat tie first
ballot is depositsd, until tie time that
the last cote rs counted out. Under
the Law which we have cited, each
candidate, whether on the State or
County ticket, has the right to be
present in person. or to be repre-
scented by three of his political
friends, within the room where the
Judges of election are seated
Where written proxy has been Civ
en- to another by a candidate who
cannot be present IN person, it is not
within the power of any judges TO
exclude these friends of candidates
from the room where the ballot box
is kept, or prevent them from scru-
timing everything that is done by
them. Now, it is but the commonestl
aud most necessary precaution
against fraud to detail earnest and
fearless Republicans in every ward
and township for this duty of guard
ing the ballot box, and watching
closely the counting of every bsllot.
To be willing to trust Democratic
Judges to preserve the purity of the
ballot box, indicates ignorance OF
the principles of the managers of
that party that is stupid and deplora-
bic. More than FIVE hundred fraud
uieut votes we're cast at the October
election last year in Columbus, thro'
the connivance and with the assist i
ance Of Democratic Judges of elec-