The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1871-11-09
Election Frauds.

We publish that part of the present
ment of the Grand Jury of Grimes
county, which bears upon the late
election frauds committed there. We
considered it our duty under the cir
cumstances TO give this report room.
Our private adVices state, that sworn
statements Of some of the best citi
zens Of the county have already been
placed in Col. Gidding's hands. These
statements go to prove the frauds COM
mitted by the registrar, DR.. R. n.
Mills, and among them is one signed
by 3 Judges of election themselves.
Th.se and other documents, which will
go to prove that the frauds and init
midations charged were committed
alone by Mills 0nd his police, will be
ready at the right time.
PREsENTMENT CT THE GRAND JURY Of GRIMES
COUNTY
To the Hon. j. K. Burnett, Judge Of tie 30h
Judicial District:
The Grand Jury for Grimes county, duly
elected, empannelled and sworn, would res
pectfully present: That, 10 the discharge of
their duties, they have had before them
large number of witnesses, uOLn White and
colored, from all srctiuus Of tue county, WI O
all concur in the opinion that the utmost har-
mony, quiet and peace prevail in all parts Ct
the county, and that violations OF the penal
law are not more numerous than would be
found to exist in any part Of the UniGn in a
territory embracing the same number of
people. They have diligently enqaired into
the conduct of the people prior to and dur
ing the late election for q member TO Con-
gress, and find that no one was prevented, or
that any attempt was made to prevent the
free exercise of the right of suffrage by any
citizen of the county. Some Irregularities
and violations of law have been found in
parties not able to attend the polls, who sent
their certificates of registration and voted by
proxy. This resulted doubtless in most in
stances more from Ignorance of existing
right than any intention of criminal char-
| aCter to violate the election laws of the State.
Nor are we prepared to say it was possible
upon the part of the managers of the cleo
ton to detect such violations of the law.
| Voting by registration at one place in po-
pulous community, living upon nine -hund-
red square miles of territory, 1t would be an
| impossibility for the managers of an election,
where the voting was rapid and continuous,
to identify persons, or even have the time to
make an effort to do so, unless their atten-
ton was especially called to some
particular case. These violations of
law could not occur if the county
we're divided into convenient voting precincts,
and parties were required to vote in their
own nsighborhoods. While such is the opin-
ion OF your Grand Jury in this particular
they would, in addition, say that there was g
gross and certainly wilful violation of the
law upon the part of the registering officer of
the county, DIR. r. n. Mills, in the manner of
holding the election, and which he only
changed upon the earnest rCmonstrance and
protest OF citizens, in this, that the said reg
istering officer, assuming leading control OF
the mode and manner of voting, refused to
have any clerks of election appointed aRd
qualified until large number of votes had
been cast and deposited in the ballot boxes
and refusing, in addition, to allow friends oi
the coutesting candidates to be present, las
the Executive of the State had proclaimed
should BEL to see that the election was fail
in all particulars, thus wilfully, as it were
closing the door against the detection o.
fraud upon the dearest and most cherished
{ right of the citizen. 1t is in proof before
your Grand Jury, that, upon the counting o.
the votes, seventyNfour fraudulent votes were
} found and thrown out, all of which were cas-
for Gen. VIM. T. Clark; these tickets ranged
) from double tickets up to ten, which wert
2 found in packages securely folded together
These facts forcibly impress your Crane
Jury with the conviction that, to preserv
t the purity of the ballot-box, a return shoulC
/. be made to the system of precinct voting
and that in all elections by the people, oppos
t ing candidates should as far as possible b
:. represented by duly qualified, honest an
discreet friends upon the bench of judge
and clerks of elections. Your Grand Jur
has also euquired diligently into an excite
= ment which is said to have existed IN tn
eastern portion of our county, at Prairi
I Plains, Just prior to the election, and hne
- that it all grew out of the ignorant utter
! snces of freedwoman, or a white man VIII
L claimed 70 repeat her utterances. That
q had no basis upon which to rest, and a.
= though some excitement was created me
mentarily thereby, yet no one, either whit
d or colored, was molested or disturbed; tbs
the community was in fact, then as now,
perfect harmony, ard the excitement of tt
& moment one only of astonishment and eI
= quiry by both white and colored citizens (
to the cause. Nineteen-twentieths of oI
Is people from this neighborhood, as well I
Ie elsewhere, were at the polls and voted.