New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-12
THE CASE OF CONNECTICUT IN BRIEF

THE CASE or CONNECTICUT IN BRIEF
The World rejeiccd over the Democratic
victory in Connecticut, at the election OF the
Sd of April last; and The Herald echoed the
verdict il not the p@ans. Those may best
laugh who win; and the time seems btting loi
a summary of the causes of lilarily.
I. It was distinctly charged, in responsible
way, both in Connecticut and New-York, three
days before the election, that Gov. English
was engaged in negotiations with notorious
members Of the Tammany Ring OF this city
to carry the election by some one OF the well
known Tammany appliances; and dispatch
from Gov English, furnishing strong colrob-
olative proof of the negotiation, was produced.
It's authenticity was denied, but we Still stand
ready to prove it, whenever the Governor will
have the kindness to give us an opportunity
for securing process to compel the attend
ance of witnesses.
9. On the morning of tho second day after
the election, the most careful calculation we
could make on the retuIns showed the vote
for Governor to be, for Marshall Jewell. 45,'3o ;
for James l.. English, 1854: exclusive OF the
vote of six towns that gave English II majority
last year. Subsequently the returns, IN certi-
fled, gave English trifling majority.
3. IL was presently discovered, in the minute
examination to which the cloSeness OF the con-
test led that there were discrepancies and
other reasons to suspect error in the returns
from the towns of Cheshire and Enfield, and
from tho Fourth Ward of New-llayen. The
Republicans believed these sufficient to turn
the scale in favor OF Jewell, or at least to
bring the votes for the rival candidates so
near each other chat The few scattering ballots
would prevent either from having clear
majority, and so throw the election, under
the Constitution of Connecticut into the Re
publican Legislature.
4. The Democrats resisted every step toward
an investigation of the d0ubifnl retnrB3-in
their local press, here in New York, and IN
the Legislature. Tho Republicans ~ steadily
courtcd investigation.
8. when thcy secured it,, through an order
of the Legislature their Committee, fairly
chosen, and acting with all tho facts and wit
nesscs before tlIcm found,
o. That in Cheshire the Democratic Regis
trar directed the subtraction of % votes from
the acknowledged number cast and counted
for the Republican candidate, on the ground
that % men whose ballots had been accepted
were not duly qualified voters. OF the % thus
specified it was proved that one did
not vote at all, and there was no proof that
Che other % voted the Republican ticket,
which had been therefore rnwarrantably weak
cned by the Withdrawal Of their number from
its aggregate vote. 1t WAS thereupCn decided
that the % wrongfully deducted here from
JEWELS vote should be restored
e. That in Enfield. the Endorsement on u
package of straight Democratic tickets mum
bcring 70, was inadvertently read upside down,
and counted as 96, thus giving Gov. English 20
more votes than were actually cast for him.
Both parties agreed as to this error, it was
noted by the Moderator on the face of his
original return, and there has been no dis
pute about it since.
g. That in the Fourth Ward Of New-IIaven
100 straight Democratic tickets were fraudn-
lcntly placed among the ballots during the
counting. Subsequently, the clumsy cheats dis
covered that, in case of recount this must be
detected, by comparison with the tally, and so
sought to conceal the fraud by withdrawing
100 Republican tickets. The crime was de-
tccted by the gross contrast shown between
the vote on tho State ticket thus doctored,
and that, in another box, for Representatives,
which had not been tempered with. 40 votes
were returned for Jewell, and the whote Re
publican State ticket, while 1t was not
denied that the Republican candidate for
Representative received 534, and for Board
of Relief 500. The Committee then sum-
mOnod the voters before them as wit
nesscs, and, thanks to tho stable charac-
ter of the population, and the profound
interest felt in defeating the audaciOu5
fraud that had been attempted, fire
hundred ard torty-tow electors came
before the Committee, and seyerally
swore to having voted for Jewell! The fraud
ulcnt abstraction of at least Is ballots was
thus proved beyond peradventure; and, with
this light upon their path, the Committee
found little difficulty in securing evidence fully
warranting the report that precisely an even
package of 100 had been taken.
6. The several corrections thus established
being made, the vote of Connecticut for Gov
crnor was proved TO have been cast, a7,f73
for Jewell, i7,373 for English and III scat
tering, leaving Jewell elected by an absolute
| majority of SO on the popular vote.
That il the whole story. All honor to the
| State that was noble enough to reverse the
| current of Democratic victory, and sagacious
enough to defeat secret villainy as well rs
| open and manly hostility! AID now let us
| commend to our late rejoicing Democratic
! friends II careful study Of tho returns FROM
| Connecticut!