The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-18
A SWEET STATE OF THINGS.

Fr0fn the N. Y. Tribune
We find ourselves again and again irresisti-
bly, impelled to contemplation of the social
charms which attend the exercise of the right
of suffrage in the City of Brotherly Love-the
city which, alone upon the continent, was
founded upon the pleasing doctrine of non
resistance. Heretofore whenever an awful
example of the evil effect of demagogical
Democracy was wanted by the suburban and
rustical newspapers, our own New York was
brought out to be pilloried; and we bore the
blushing hon@rs of battery with such graceful
modesty as we could muster. But we begin
to feel that as scamps, rascals, ruffians, re-
peaters, and scoundrelly defenders of the
rights of men, we are simply and shamefully
nowhere.
The history of the meeting of the Board
of Return Judges in Philadelphia last Thurs
day (in the Morning Post newspaper), is a
marvel and mystery of clamor and confu-
sion, of shouting and shooting, of turmoil
and tussle. 1t being settled that a lawyer
should be heard on either side in regard to
the validity of certain return, William B.
Mann, Esq, and Lewis c. Cassidy, Esq,
were summoned When Mr.. Mann arrived,
there was a Democratic" mob about the
door, and he was in exactly the opposite con-
dtion of which Sterne's startling complained
he couldn't get in Finally he effected an
entrance. Then the besiegers began to bat
ter the door. Then the great McMullin,
with others, stormed the room; and among
them was Nolen, an eminent dispenser
of spirituous refreshment. Then spit
toons were hurled upon one side. Then
revolvers were discharged upon the other, and
Nolen fell badly wounded. Then there came
what may justly be termed little hell upon
earth. There were small physical fights going
on outside the house, and the great forensic
fights within. 1t was spectacle as shameful
as any which has ever been exhibited upon
this continent or any other. There were
fights going on in Chestnut street. There
were fights going on in other streets. At
these station-houses they were locking up
men for illegal voting-at others those who
attempted to prevent it. We have no heart
for details here and now. 1t was like the
breaking up of Goldsmith's club-''all dam
blood-tire-w whizz-blid Il -tit-rat-trip not.
nonsense, and rapid confusion" !"
That in Outrages like these there may be
some blame upon both sides, knowing, as we
do, the infirmity of human nature, we are not
disposed to deny. But whoevefswould know
to whom the chief part of the trouble must be
fairly assigned must watch the comments of
the "Democratic" newspapers. They are not
agerieved by the riots, but by the attempts
to suppress them made by the authorities:
vet the only quarrel which honest patriots
can have with these attempts will be with
their comparative tardiness and inefficiency
Alderman McMulhn, John c. Nolen, et al.
are scoundrels who are to be deferred from
utterly inexcusable violence only by the fear
of being shot But if they are to understand
that alive they are to be honored as de-
Tenders of liberty, or that dead they are to be
eulogized as martyrs, then, at least in the
great cities, the holdin of elections will be
simply farce more ridiculous than any ever
presented in the theatre. 1t is q
matter of history, it is susceptible of plain
proof, it has been judieially demon
strated over aud over again, that in Phila-
delphia the ele, ton riots and the election
frauds must be attributed TO parcel of
utterly degraded seoundrels (some of them in
broadcloth) who have deliberately sought to
maintain power by fraud aud violence. Now,
what are you going to do about it ? Are re-
spectacle people to be quiet, Submissive, the
slaves of iufiiansy or are they to defend their
ralts : tie hands Of law? Il IS perfectly
notorious that we have hardly had fair elec-