Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-10-31
NEW YORK ELECTION.

The evidences Of the purpose OF the DEN
ocracy of New York to evade or disregar
the election laws at the coming election
that State, and create reign of terror an
fraud at the polls, have compelled ffes'
dent Grant to send troops to the vicinity o
New York city to aid if it may be neces
sary in securing fair election. For thu
despatching soldiers the President Is as
sailed by the democratic papers as tyrant
violator of the laws and the constitution
and appeals are made to the worst passions
of the democratic party in order to stir VI
the mob spirit and resistance to the au
thority OF the government. What are the
evils of a New York election is briefly tolt
in the following summary from the repor
OF the select committee on the frauds o
1868. made to the House of Represents
tives, in which they furnish the proof te
sustain the following allegations
/. Many thousands of aliens fraudulently
procured or were furnished with certificates o
naturalization illegally or fraudulently issued
py means VI WulCu ShCy WSAC S'iesSASN ~ 20
lister as voters and voted in violation OF law.
2. Many hundreds of certificates of natu'
ralization were granted in the names OF ficti.
tious persons, to be used by native-born and
paturalized citizens and aliens in falsely reg
istering as voters, and to enable them to vote
many times at the election.
g. Many hundreds of persons voted IN New
York city from two to forty times or more
each under assumed or fictitious names, fraud
ulently registered for the purpose.
4. Extensive frauds were committed in can
wasting tickets, and names of voters were en-
tered on the poll-lists, and democratic tickets
counted as if voters representing them voted,
when no such persons voted at all.
S. To accomplish these frauds gross neglect
of duty and disregard of law SO great as to
evince q criminal purpose prevailed In some
of the courts, while officers and democratic
partisans Of almost every grade, either by OH
cial influence or otherwise, aided, sanctioned,
or knew Of and failed to prevent them. The
same influences shielded the perpetrators in
nearly all cases from detection or arrest, ant
when arrested they have, through the agency
of judicial officers and others charged witt
the duty OF prosecution, escaped all punish
ment.
6. Through these agencies the democratic
electors of President and Vice President aud
the democratic candidate for governor of the
State of New York were fraudulently elected.
Z. And the investigations of the committee
show that existing State laws and the mode OF
enforcing them are wholly inadequate to pre-
vent these frauds, but that Congress has the
power to enact laws which, if faithfully exc
cuted, will to some extent furnish remedies
hereafter.
With the evidence before 1t to sustain
the above allegations Congress enacted
amendments to the naturalization law,
making its regulations more stringent, and
providing against fraud at the polls. and
also passed an act providing penalties for
illegal voting, for those who obstruct vo-
tiers in the exercise of their rights, and
giving the United States courts jurisdiction
concurrently with the State courts over
cases arising under it. For the purpose Of
seeing that these laws are properly enforc-
ed and the election in New York fairly
conducted, three or four thousand troops
have been ordered to the vicinity of the
city. They will not be at the polls, nor
called into service while the election is
going on unless the laws are INSTRUCTED
and the roughs and repeaters undertake to
ply their occupations. They are not to
overawe the honest voters Or prevent a
fair expression of the popular voice, but to
protect and secure an honest ballot. No
persons fear them except those whose bust
ness is to defeat fair vote. In accordance
with his duty to take care that the laws are
faithfully executed the President has or
dered them there. He has usurped no
authority, taken no understandable step,
but has simply done what his oath and
duty require him to do. The liberty which
the democrats are so exercised about losing
is the liberty to vote from two to forty
times at one election. to cudgel, brain,
pistol and terrfy voters from the polls, to
smash ballot boxes. make false returns,
and do whatever may be necessary in the
line of rascality and audacity to give the
election into the hands of the democracy.
These are the liberties for the fear of losing
which the democratic mob is melted to
riot, and the apoplectie Dedlocks Of the
party "snort and stare and exclaim,
then upon my honor, upon my life, upon
my reputation and principles, the flood,
gates of society are burst open, and the
waters have a-obliterated the landmarks
of the framework of the cohesion by which
things are held together" Let those who
disregard the laws look out for the conse-
auences. Rebellion is not very popular
since the surrender of Lee. We must have
fair elections let the cost be what 1t may
The better part of the democrats Will sane
ton the measures of the President, ano
those who uphold riot and fraud will flno
themselves abandoned by their own party
as their leaders were in the recent demo.
cratic rebellion.
The Boston Journal says some of the de-
tectiyes of Boston, who were at Grafton
Wednesday and made a thorough inves'iga-
ton sof the affair, have formed this theory il
regard 10 the robbers. Saturday night las