New-York tribune., 1870-10-07

ihls IA question proposed n dozen times
day, and to which we confidently reply: ave
shall" We do not mean to say that no
Illegal votes will be polled, but we do believe
that the number of such votes which will get
into the ballOt-bOx will be small compared to
the shoals which have been poured in at the
last three or four elections and that the votes
will be counted and returned substantially as
cast. We base this opinion on a careful
study of the laws, and with full knowledge of
the preparations TO enforce them.
The new laws regulating elections in this
City, both those made by Congress and those
passed by the State Legislature. are far better
adapted to secure an honest election than any
we have ever had and though both State and
National laws are in some respects defective,
they supplement each other, and will, we
believe, be found to be efficient. In the
first place, Congress has made it q crime for
man to register or to attempt to register
without having the right to do so, to person
ate any person, real or fictitious. OF to induce
any other person so to do. 1t has also affixed
penalties for illegal voting, providing punish
ment both for the repeater who illegally regis
tiers or votes, and the inspector who receives
his name or vote. These provisions are elabor-
ate and strike at the root of the whole system
of repeating. In the next place. the act of
Congress makes false canvassing crime.
0ffenses are to be punished by Imprisonment
for not more than three years, or by fine, OF
both. The law provides a means by which
it shall be enforced. Jurisdiction is given to
the United States Judges, Commissioners, and
Marshals. The Circuit Judge is required to
increase the number of Commissioners, and in
pursuance of this law Judge Woodruff has
already appointed as Commissioner q gentle
man who, as Secretary of the Congressional
Committee which investigated the New-YOrk
election frauds, two years ago, is thoroughly
familiar with all the devices the rascals resort
to- 1t may interest the repeaters to know that
this gentleman is the same whom Gen. Butler
selected and brought with him to this city when
he was sent here to secure fair election
in 1864. To this Commissioner, and to all
others, are given the most extensive powers,
including the right to appoint as many per-
sons as are necessary to execute their warrants,
and authority to call not only upon bystanders,
but upon the army and navy, to assist The
President is authorized to employ the National
| forces for the same purpose. The United
| States Marshal is authorized to appoint az
|
they have power, without process, to arrest
for offenses committed in their presence; and
as Marshals will be at all polls, all
interferences with honest elections come
within this provision. Any one interfering
with them, or aiding in the escape
of any person, is liable to imprisOn-
ment. If, therefore, Tammany's inspectors or
Tammany's police wrongfuly interfere, they
will find themselves in the hands of United
! States officers.
Another act of Congress is directed against
| the fraudulent naturalization papers issued so
freely two years ago. Any person using nat
uralization paper procured without his appear
ing in court, or which he knows to have been
wTOngfully issued, OF which was issued to any
| other person, or not in his true name, or any
| person who transfers naturalization paper to
another, or who has in his possession "a paper
| fradulently issued, is liable to two years inf
prisonment These provisions are made ex-
pressly applicable to such papers heretofore
issued as well as to those to be hereafter issued.
Elaborate provision is also made for the pun
ishment of offenders who procure naturalza-
ton papers The substance of il all is, that
any one who uses, or attempts to use, or has III
his possession any of the bogus papers to
which we have referred, is liable to arrest;
and we give fair notice that arrangements
have been made by which all such papers,
dated in 1863 OF 1869, are TO be carefully ex-
amined. We advise those Democratic leaders
who have bundles of them on hand ready for
use to be ready also for the visit of Mar
shal with a search-wanant.
Such, in brief are the provisions of the new
n1 Sfafaa law hat
these laws will not enforce themselves. But
we also know that arrangements are made to
enforce them. Beside the appointment of the
Commissioner already referred to, United
States District-AttOrney has already been or
is soon to be appointed for the especial pur-
pose of looking after offenders against these
laws. The United States Marshal has prepared
list of several thousand trustworthy persons
who are to be commissioned as deputies and
some of whom will be at every polling place.
Under another provision of the law Judge
Woodruff has been called on to appoint for
each election district one person from each
political party, who is by law authorized to be
present at registration, voting and canvassng
to supervise everything that is done, and to
afiX to the canvass any statement he deems
proper. Interference with these supervisors is
a crime against the United States punishable
by years imprisonment. Arrangements have
been made by which the voice of Tammany
will for once not be heard in the selection of
the Republican inspectors.
The State law, in some respects, supplements
the United States laws, though thee is the
great difference that the enforcement of the
latter Is IN the hands of men who mean
business" while the former is intrusted in
| great measure to Ring District Attornev and