The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-03-05
The New Yotls Election Frauds.


pointed to make IN investigation Of the
frauds practiccd at the Presidential and Gu.
bcrnatorial election in New York last Nov
have completed their labors, and have agreed
upon report The report is necessarily
very vo'uminou. but covers the whole ground
Of the investigation 1t was prepared by
Judge Lawrence The following is partial
abstract of the Committees statements and
recommendations
The Committee say the State of New York
has been prolific in election frauds at various
times, while Louisiana, Maryland, aud otEcr
States have presented many phases of the
same evils; but appalling and startling AS
these have been in our past history, they
are all surpassed in some respects by those
perpctratcd in the election in the State, a q
especially in the city of New \ Gork. on the
81 Of November, 1868. These frauds were
the result of systematic plan of gigantic
proportions, stealthiy prearranged and bold
ly executed. not merely by bands Of degrad-
cd desparadoes. Int with the direct sanction,
approval, or aid Of many prominent officials
and citizens of New \ Iork, with the slrewd-
! ~ cOnCealed connivance OF others. and al
most without an effort TO discourage or pre-
vent them by any OF those in whose interest
| and political party associations they were
successfully executed, who could not fail to
have cOgnizante Of them, and whose duty it
was to expose, defeat and punish them
They were aided by an immense corrupt, and
corrupting official patronage and power.
which not only encouraged, but shielded and
protected, the guilty principals, and their
aiders and abetturs These frauds are so
varied in character that thcy croprchcnd every
known crime against tie elective franchise.
They corrupted the administration of jus
tice, degraded the Judiciary. defeated the
execution Of the laws subvcrtcd for the time
! being in New Iork State the essential prn-
cipes of popular government; robbed the
people of that great State Of their rightul
choice of electors OF President and Vice
President, of a Governor, and other officers
| disgracel the most populous city Of the Uu-
ion. encouraged the enemies of republican
government here and everywhere to derldc
our Institutions as failure, aud 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 New York, and the evidences Ia
ken hv the COMMITTEES, furnish the proof of
all these allegations. Among the most prom.
incnt OF the frauds committed in the interest
VI W. '''' ''s ''''' '''''N
of New Y ork, in connection with the election
in Novrmher, 1865. are these:
FIRST: Many thousands Of aipl.s fraudu-
lcntiy procured or furnished with certificates
or naturalization, illegally or irau'luently
issued, by means OF which they were enabled
| to register us voters, and voted in violation
of law.
SECOND Many hund eds of certificates of
naturalization were granted in the names of
| fttic ous persons, tN he used Wy nAtIve.b0rn
and naturaizcd citizens and aliens in falsely
registering as voters, and TO enable them to
vot" many times a, thn election.
T'uIRp: Many hundred, OF persons voted in
New l ork city from two to four times or
more, each under assumed or fictitious names
'rau'iuleutly registered FOR the purpose
FoURrm: Extensive irauis were committed
in canva,sins tickets, ana names OF voters
we're entered on the p1II-isis, AID Democratic
tickets counted As il voters represented them
voted, when no such persons ;ot,d at all.
FIFrH: 10 accomplish these frauds gross
neglect of duty and disregard OF law. So great
as TO cymce crinin.h purpose. prevailed in
some Of the Courts, while officers aud Demo-
cratic parii.aEs OF almost every grade. either
| hy official influence or otherwise, aided, sane
! toned, or know of aud failed To prevent
! them. The same influences shielded the per-
! rctratorS in neariy all cases from detection
or arrest, and when arrested they have,
! through the agency of Judicial officers and
Others charged with the duty OF prosecution,
escape all punishment,
SIXTH: ThrouIh these agencies the Demo-
cratic Eirctor. of President AMI Vice Prcsi-
dent, and the Democratic candidate for Gov-
ernor Of the State of New Icrk were
ira!u.ently elected.
SEVENTH: And the Investigations Of the
Committee show that existing State laws,
and the mode of enforcing them, are wholly
! inadequate to prevent THESE frauds, hat that
! Congress- has tne power To enact laws which,
| if faithfully executed, will to scmGcxtenu fur.
nish remedies hereafter. There is no law of
Congress protesting to prevent or punish
frauds in voting or conducting e'ecti0us, aud
the penalties relating TO cert iiicates of natur-
alizatiou are by 10 means adequate