New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-23
VOL. XXVIII..... NO 1868
WASHINGTON.

poGUs NATURALIZATION CERTIFICATES IS
SIZED FROM THE CITY AND COUNTY COURTS
Proceedings IN CoNGREss-wHY THE
COPPER BILL WAS vEToED-THE TENURE
OF-oFFICE ACT.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THB TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON Monday, Feb ~ 1907
The Special Committee of the House, appoin'eu "
make an investigation Of the frauds pracuceu ' 'no
Presidential and Gubernatoria election III
last November. have completed their IaDors' anu
havo agreed upon report The report is necessarily
very vouminous but covers the whole ground Oh tne
investigation. 1t was prepared by Judge Lawrence
and will be made to the House by him tomorrow
The following is very full abstract of the Commit
tees statements and recommendations:
The Committee say the State of New-fo mas DeeD pro
life in election frauds at various umes' wnho
MARYLAND and other States have presented many PHASES
q, the same evils; but appalling and startling as tnese
have been I'm our past history they are all surpassed IN
ome resnects by those perpetrated in the general cleo
zion IN the state and especially in the City OF NewYork'
nm the "a of November 1868 These frauds were the TO-
,nlt OF O systematic plan OF giganuc proporuons'
stealthy prearranged and boldly executed not merely
nv hands of degraded desperadoes but with the deot
sanction approval aid OF many prominent ocas anu
citizens Of NewYork. with the shreWdly concealed
of Others almost without an effort to DIS
courage or prevent them any Of those in whose interest
and political party associations they were successfully
executed who could not fail to have cognzance OF hem
and whose duty 1t was to expose, defeat, and punish
them They we're aided byan immense corrupt and cor
ruptpR official patronage and power, which not only en-
eouraged but shielded and protected the guilty princ
pals and their aides and abetters These frauds are so
varied in character that they comprehend every known
crime against the elective franchise They corrupted
the administration Of justice, degraded the JUDICIARY ue
- aus
the dme-being in New-York State the essentiaI
prpcples OF popular government ; robbed
the peope OF that great State OF their rghu choice OF
electors of President and YcePresdent OF Governor
and other officers dsgaeed the most popuous CITY OF the
Union encouraged the enemies OF republican government
here and everywhere to derde our institutions as
failure and endangered 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 Newfork,
and the evidence taken by the Committee furnish the
proof Of all these allegations Among the most prominent
Of the frauds committed in the interest Of the Democratic
party in the City and State Of NewYork, in connection
with the election in November. 1863 are these:
FIRST: Many thousands Of aliens faudulenty procured
or were furnished with certificates Of naturalization IL
legally raudulenty issued, by means OF which they
we're enabled to register voters and voted IN violation
oflaw.
Second Many hundreds Of certificates Of naturalization
we're granted the Of fictitious persons, to be
in falsely registering voters and TO enable them TO
vote many times at the election.
Third: Many hundreds OF persons voted in New-York
city from two forty times more EACH under assumed
fictitious names frauduenty registered for the pur-
pose.
Fourth; Extensive frauds committed in canvass
ing tickets and names Of voters entered the poll
lists and DemOcratctckets counted las voters repre-
senting them voted when such persons voted at all
F: To accomplish these frauds gross neglect OF duty
and disregard Of law, so great as TO evnce criminal
purpose prevailed Of the Courts, while officers
and Democratic parsans Of almost every grade, either
by official influence v.C vice aided sanctioned or
knew @: aud leI oo prevent them The same influences
shielded the perpetrators nearly all from detec
ton or arrest aud when arrested they have through the
agency Of Judicial officers and Others charged with the
duty Of prosecution, escaped all punishment.
SrA Through these agencies the Democratic Electors
Of President and VIeePresident and the Democratic
didate for Governor of the State Of New-YOTk were
fraudulenty elected
Srenh And the Investigations OF the Committee show
that existing state laws and the mode OF enforcing them,
are wholly inadequate TO prevent these frauds but that
Congress has the power enact laws which, faithfully
executed viii extent furnish remedies hereafter
There is no law Of Congress protesting to prevent
punish frauds In voting conducting elections and the
penalties relating 10 certificates Of naturalization by
10 means adequate
In the Supreme Court only one Judge, George G. Bar
the other Courts than one Judge exercised tho
Jurisdiction though 1865 in the Superior Court it
mainly done by Judge John H. MeCuDn. The highest num-
Der naturazed in day. in the Superior Court was Oct
IL 2l09 and in the Supreme Court by single Judge, in
day, Oct l9, 1885, From oct 70 the 23d inclu
ve this Judge ordered daily average Of oyer7ls certf
Gates of citizenship Although every county ofNewYork
there County Court In permanent session. authorized
natuIaze aliens yet for many Daturali
nations for various counties are effected in the Courts Of
NewYork City. The Supreme Court, for the first IN
is history, engaged in the work Notwithstanding the
fact that the annual average number Of nauralzaons
the City, In all the State Courts only s2O7 yet
there printed by the New York Printing Company,
the order Of the Clerks Of these two Courts their
deputies between Sept 1e and Oct 49, one hundred and
ice thousand blank applications for and sirfine thou.
sand certificates Of Naturalization, of which there were
FOR the Supreme Court, from Sept. ls TO Oct.
"a, stSeHyfpe thousand blank applications, and
nirtyfaiae thousand certificates Of naturalization,
and for the Superior Court htrty thousand applications
aud thirty thousand certificates, showing purpose TO IS
sue, required, sirltnine thousand cerRfeaies These
we're not all procured at once, but different daya Or
dered from time; in the Supreme Coprt "a ooo
certificates being procured late Oct 2O aud in the
Superior Court 10000 late Oct But this does
not seem TO have supplied the demand Various natural
izatioD committees and offices, established under the
control Of Tammany Hall, supplied with several
thousand naturalization blanks to be used In the
courts, which printed for these offices.
The fees Of the clerks Of the courts the applications
which passed through these Offices, arranged by red
tickets, TO be subsequently paid by Tammsny Hail. OF
which Over forty thousand furnished to Tie Committee
These preparations for extensive naturalization
consistent with any legitimate pHrpose For the Supreme
Court which never naturazed before Oct up TO that
day fOrtyre thousand blank applications and fourteen
n0u'and certificates procured and although this is
nearly four thousand than the records show to
have been issued, yet Mirty thousand additional blank