Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-06-24
Honest Voting.

THE vehement screaming of the Demo
cratic leaders in Congress and elsewhere
against the law for securing honest voting
is very significant. CLAWS against pick
pockets should be we'll considered said
the gentleman in green spectacles to the
philosopher. Sir, you speak like man
of sense. replied the philosopher. Il
wish you very good morning, SIR said
the gentleman in spectscles; and he de-
parted with the philosophers watch,
purse, and handkerchief in his pocket"
There are gentlemen in Congress who
were very anxious that the law sheuld be
well considered. The interests of political
pickpockets are very dear to them. Mr..
Eldridge thought that the bill for prevent
ing the cheating of honest citizens by ras-
Gals and repeaters was but another illus
tration of " the empire of despotism," as
if there could be any despotism so hope
less as that of packed polls. Mr.. Cox said
that the city of New York was Paradise,
and that the reports of little occasional
unfairness in voting there were the
vile inventions of an effete press. The
purity of the polls in that city is evident
ly in his judgment, surpassed only by the
intelligence of the voters and although
he did not'sAy so, it may fairly be inferred
from the tenor of his remarks that Mr..
Cox left the ,corruptions of Ohio and re.
paired to the shadow of the City Hall and
the new, Courthouse that he might battle
his soul in the bliss of political honesty
and an ideal public spirit.
If there is any subject upon which all
good citizens should be agreed, it is
the necessity of securing honest elections;
and therefore those who uniformly resist
all attempts to that end must be consid-
cred curiously Indifferent to the purity OF
elections. One of the most obvious
methods of obtaining an honest vote is
to register the qualified voters. Another
is to provide for the prompt and sufficient
punishment of repeating" and of all
kinds Of frauds at the polls. That there
are such frauds, and especially in the mat
ter of naturalization papers in the city of
New York, is as well known to those who
call the reporters of them wild slanderers
as it is to everybody else. At the last
Presidential election these frauds were
open and notorious. They were familiar
to all who were active and Watchful ia
the campaign. They were, indeed, SO
conspicuous and fragrant, and the public
indignation was so aroused, that Mr.. Hoff.
man, who was then Mayor, and who was
the candidate for Governor of the party
that was to be helped by the frauds, issued
proclamation day or two before the
election declaring that the charges OF
fraud were "gross and Hnfounded," and
the mere device of the other party. By
the frauds over which Mr.. Hoffman thus
threw the cloak of his official protection
he was elected Governor.
But Mr. Cox, as we remarked, is OF
opinion that the reports of knavery at the
polls are the invention OF knaves of the
press, Heimentioned the Tribune. But
there aresother New York papers, and OF
MIR. Cox's own politics, which have borne
testimony to the corruption at the very
election at which Mr.. Hoffman denounced
the charges of fraud as unfounded, In
the New York World, paper opposed to
the Tribune in politics, Mr.. Cox may read
that even in this paradise of New York,
which has "a cheaper and purer govern.
ment, than Rochesterand some other cities
and "less taxation and crime than Bos,
ton" the editor saw "by what shameless
frauds such oorruptionists of the Ring as
William NJ. Tweed and Oakley Hall cut
down below its level the rightful vote OF
the electors of Horatio Seymour" Re-
Gently, also, we quoted the words of one
OF the most active and conspicuous poll
ticians ofaMr Cox's party, a State Senator
from this city, who, in his place in the
Senate, remarked of Mr.. Cox's political
paradise that "the election system. 4. a.. has
been undermined, and is corrupt as hell. 4"
Thus the purity even of the New York
city elections is not beyond suspicion. Ii
the gentleman in green spectacles were a
member of the opposition in Congress
an intolerable supposition The would
have Justify cheered the noble sentiments
o. Mr.. Cox. He would have loudly agreed
with Mr.. Brooks statement that four fifths
ofthe New York merchants vote the tickets
which Mr. Tweed and Mr.. Hall prepare /;
and with Mr.. Eldridge he would have de-
nounced the despOtism which would pro
tect honest voters against rascals. Claws
AGAINST pickpockets should be very care.
fully considered" said the Worthy Grand