The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-18
TIE CONTESTED ELECTION CASES.

TaE decision rendered bya majority of the
Court of Common Pleas on Saturday, on the
contested election cases, is document of
great interest and Importance. In the fall of
1868 the Democracy of Philadelphia organized
and perpetrated the most gigantic election
frauds ever attempted in this city, Rendered
desperate by repeated defeats on the one
hand. and encouraged and emboldened by the
MD received through Andrew Johnson's
treachery and the active assistance of the
whisky ring on the other, they made the nost
desoerate and yillainous efforts known in
orr uoGtical annals to achieve at once city,
State. and national ascendancy. At the out
set they began by creating voters out of
newly arrived emigrants without the slightest
regard to the requirements OF the law, aud
without even q serious effort to prove in
satisfactory manner that the necessary con-
ditions of citizenship had been fulfilled. II
is known that forged naturalization papers
were in circulation, that men were suborned
to swear to the continued residence of emil
grants with whom they were totally unao-
uuainted, and that the Supreme
Court issued six thousand certificates
of citizenship in a period SO brief that
proper investigation of the questions in
volved was totally impossible. AS all difficult
ties arising from length of residence were
practically surmounted either by perjury,
forgery, or the neglectful manner in which
naturalization papers were issued, it can
scarcely be doubted that the Democratic city
ticket received from this source alone more
votes to which it was not in justice entitled
than its entire majority. And yet, the main
defence of the respondents to the charges
based on the innumerable frauds of other
descriptions is that they were not permitted
in all instances to reap the full benefits of the
false naturalization branch of their iniqui-
tous campaign Unfortunately, it was not in
the power of the Court of Common Pleas to
inquire into the validity of the naturalization
papers which had been so hastily and in
many instances, improperly granted, but it
very wisely and justly disregarded the demand
of the respondents that the vote of certain
Republican divisions should be thrown out
on account of the rejection Of these tainted
certificates.
1t was not merely by men in buckram of
foreign birth that the Democratic leaders
u
the bona fide citizens of Philadelphia. Gangs
Of personators were organized from among
our own Democratic desperadoes and their
kindred of other cities, and they voted at not
only one but a series of polls under Demo
cratic management, and in some divisions
they voted not only once but on repeated oc.
casions. 1t is part of the judicial history of
the election that not only this glaring species
of fraud, but nearly every other conceivable
description of partisan rascality, was con-
nived at and encouraged by the Democratic
election officers of certain divisions. They
had evidently been selected in consequence of
their known skill and unscrupulousness in
aiding and abetting frauds ON behalf of their
party, and setting out with the determination
to yield full compliance with the behests of
their fellow-partisans, they disregarded all the
essential requirements of the law, and admit
ted every vote offered for the Democratic
ticket, without reference to its legality. For
abuses of this description, which had been
growing worse and worse in certain divisions
for series of years, there could be no other
remedy than that applied by the majority of
the court, of throwing out the entire vote
substantial justice in regard to the contest Of
1868, but to teach the rascals who are at
tempting to override the popular will that
they can derive no permanent advantage from
similar frauds hereafter.
The right of the Judges to adopt this strin-
gent remedy is manifest, not only from the
tenor of Judge Brewster's decision, but from
the weak manner in which it is combated by
Judge Ludlow. In acknowledging that the
entire votes of certain divisions have hereto
fore been thrown out by the Judges in this
city as well as by other courts, he grants the
whole case, without weakening it in the
g slightest degree by his accompanying state
ment that the previous reflections of votes
presumed to be legal did not affect the result
The only thing at issue is the principle, and
if this is fortified by precedent as well as
reason and justice, the magnitude of the in
terests affected by it heretofore is of no mo
ment. If rule is good for the disposal of {
case involving the title to petty office, it il
equally good for the disposal of all the politi
cal prizes in the Row.
While there is no lack of confidence in the
proposed new District Attorney, Mr. Glib
bons. the Democratic incumbent, FurmaI
Sheppard, has displayed SO much ability, in
tegrity, courage, and industry in dischargint
the responsible duties of his Office, that
very general feeling of regret prevails, amoni
Republicans as we'll as Democrats, that tn
T-5.oa aoo;5od I,;o oY,oOnent To be legal