Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1869-10-07
[From the o. 8 JCurnsl, Sept 2sl "a
GUARD THE BALLOT Box'

GO AMI IGAA bAAlAAOI &bOA
, 1t is the duty of every good citi.
zen to see that there is an honest
vote at the election held two weeks
from to-day. The result announc
, ed should represent the fair and
: honest expression of the political
opinions Of the lawful voters OF
Ohio. Heretofore there have been
, fraudulent voting, fraudulent count
ing of the vote, and a false and
fraudulent return Of the vote in
many voting precincts. Let us
take one case for Illustration. AT
the Spring election of 1868, in one
Of the townships of Belmont coun-
ty, the Democratic Judges of cleo
ton SO manipulated the vote in
counting it out, that they certified
that a majority of the votes were
cast for the Democratic candidates
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
elected by the ballots cast Pro
ceedings were accordingly entered
in the District Court sitting in Bel
mont county, and that Court deci-
ded, after hearing all the evidence
in the case, that the Republican
candidates were duly elected, there
having been fraudulent count and
false return by the judges of cleo
ton. The New York City plan of
counting votes was adopted 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 Demo
cratic tic&et. This case is sufficient
to show that there is scarcely
limit to the frauds that may be
COMMITTED where Democratic iudg-
es are allowed unrestricted control
of all that pertains to the deposit
and counting of votes.
One section of the general cleo
ton laws now in force reads as fol
lows
\ The judges Of the election shall,
igrequested, permit the respective .
candidates, or one or more, not ex-
ceeding three Of their frierds, to be
present in the room where the
Judges are, during the time of re-
ceiving and counting out the bal
lots.
Wenow and here desire to call
the pal ticular attention. of Republi-
cans throughout the State to this |
important duty, namely, the duty !
Of ha0i2lg Repu6lica@ candidates |
or one or more poltticdl Friends Of
these candidates present at cVegy
vot5ng precinct in Ohio, from the
time that the first ballot Is deposit
ed until the time that the last cote
is counted out. Under the law
which we have cited, each candi-
date, whether on the State or coun-
ty ticket, has the right TO be pres
ent in person, or to be represented |
by three of his political friends
within the room where the judges
Of election are seated. Where a
written proxy has been given to
another by candidate who cannot !
be present in person, it is not with
in the power Of any judges TO ex
clude these friends of candidates
from the room where the ballot
box is kept, or prevent them from
scrutinizing everything that is done
by them Now it is but the com
monest and most necessary pre-
caution against fraud to detail earn
est and fearless Republicans in ev-
cry ward and township for this du-
ty of guarding the ballot box, and
watching closely the counting of
every ballot To be willing to
trust Dcmocraticju judges to preserve
the purity of the ballot box, indi-
Gates ignorance of the principles of
the managers Of that party that is
stupid aud deplorlble. More than
five hundred fraudulent votes we're
cast at the October election last
year in Columbus, through the CON
nivance and with the assistance of
Democratic judges of election. The
returns in three of the wards were
notoriously false and fraudulent
No Republican was present at the :
counting of the votes in three of the
wards. If this thing occurs again,
the Republicans of Franklin county
may be set down as preeminent in !
over all their party in
Ohio. But it will not occur again.
Once more we say, let Republican :
candidates, or friends with written
from them, be present
within the room where the ballot =
,ox is kept at every voting precinct /
n this State on the 18th day Of Oc- I
ober. @4 5IEEH IJA