The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-06-09
The Address Of the Democratic Members
of tIic ICrjsIaturp.

lation to the Philadelphia registry law,
in the hope and with the belief that it
will arouse attention to the palpable
violation of the right of a large mum.
Der of our fellow.citizens to voice in
the selection of their election officers;
to the opportunities for fraud, corrup-
tion and forged returns il affords; to
shed ii contains; and to the desperate
character of the men who perpetuate
their own power by these means des-
pte the wishes and the ballots of ma
jority of the people of that city.
The act of assembly known as the
registry law was passed on the 10th day
of April, 1860. The provisions thereof
applicable to the rural districts are es-
sentially different from those applica-
bic to the city of Philadelphia. An en-
tirely different system was created
therefor. Under the latter, the board
of aldermen or justices of the peace for
that city were vested with power to se-
lect three canvassers for each election
district therein, whose duty was to make
out the lists of voters and who had
power conferred upon them to strike
from said lists or add thereto at their
pleasure, and such action was TO be final
and could not be appealed from. The
board of aldermen also appoints the
officers to hold the elections in each |
election division, and by the law they
were directed to appoint the judge, one
inspector and one return inspector from
the political party which polled the ma.
jority Of the legal votes in the election
division at the next preceding general
election, and one inspector and return
inspector from the political party which
poled the next highest number at such
election.
1t will thus be seen that this law for
Philadelphia took from the people of
each. election division therein the right
to select their own election officers, and
vested in tribunal whose duties, un-
der the constitution and laws, have no
relation to that subject. Under the
registry law for the rural districts the
assessors elected by the people make
out the canvass lists and complete the
registry, and the people themselves
choose their election officers in each
election district. The law for Philadel-
phia is, therefore, directly in conflict
upon these two important points, with
the law for the other parts of the State.
1t is, in this, destructive of vital prin-
ciple of local elf-government, and
tramplos on a right which has come to
be organized as fundamental Ameri-
can principle. Why were these great
powers taken from the people of each
+ division and vested in the board of al
, dermen? The answer is found in the
fact that that board was partisan in
character, and could be depended upon
/, to exercise its authority in the interests
q of a corrupt clique.
The majority of the board of alder
mon constitute the board and that ma.
jority has power to appoint all of the
election officers, as well those to which
the majority are entitled as those Of tht
majority, yet at the organization of tina
q board in 1869, its members by solemn
n resolution at the suggestion of the cour
v gave to the minority of the board th
! right to choose the minority of tn,
:. election officers. In this they acte(
q Justly, and tacitly admitted the injus
tice of this grossly partisan law. Thi
act of fairness has been rescinded b,
/, the action of the board, and the Repub
y lican majority now appoint majority
J. of the canvassers, the Republican elec
tion officers and the Democratic election
:, officers. Under the dictation Of corrup
u and desperate men, this power ha
grown to be most fruitful source of i'm
" purity in the elections of Philadelphia
% Men are appointed as canvassers VIII
. know no law and recognize no system
of morals, but the success oftheir part.
s and the attainment of their own selfisl
ends and those of their designing lead
" ers. They without hesitation strik
from the registry lists the names c
l. voters who are duly qIaliiled, and ad
thereto the names OF those who hav
u no shadow of right 10 vote.
u No legal power exists to prevent thes
'o Infamous wrongs. One member of tn
81 legislature holds his place to-day be
lS cause the names of one hundred an
u forty-eight legal voters of his distri'
'e were struck from the registry withol
70 authority of law and for purely partisa
'" purposes.
u, " In the selection of election Office
Va the board of aldermen take especial Cal
~ tochOose astute and uncrupulous Repu
ie licans who will do the bidding of the
u' party friends, and almost invariabl
'' select illiterate, weak and corrupt me
as Democratic election officers. In mar
80 cases they violate the plain letter of Il
',u law by appointing Republicans instei
80 of Democrats. One of the officers of Il
Az recent Republican State Convention W
" a man who had been appointed and hi
"" acted as democratic" election oflic
~ at the last election.! BY the electi'
>" of shrcwd and unscrupulous men upC
one side and Of incompetent or CORFU
ible men upon the other, the door
ins fraud and wrong is widely opened, a
ks the purity of the ballot is utterly {
of stroyed. Such has now come to be
NO case in the city of Philadelphia, a
oil. the voice of her people is stiAed by
inf wilos and Vaccinations of lawless N
arm acting under the forms of an uni
inc State. Canvass lists are "doctored
in ballot boxes are stuffed returns are
ro. tered, forged and manipulated, {
are fraud and violence in their worst for
ich are lesorted to in order to maintain
IAN political supremacy OF desperate {
ich evil men.
out The true remedy for these wro
,ed. consist in restoring to the people
cto. rights taken from them, and in max
are the general law applicable to the
3 to Of Philadelphia. We We're power
tO effect This in tha nrl sent cOnlitiO