New-York tribune., 1871-10-06
FRAUDS At ELECTIONS.

We have, for all but forty years, taken an
active part in the elections of this City and
State. The only two Constitutions in force
during any part of that term were framed by
Democratic Conventions; the Legislative power
of the State has been, for large portion OF
those forty years, in Democratic hands; among
our Governors during those years have been
Throop, Marcy, Bouck. Wright, Seymour and
Hoffman, Democrats. We defy any man 10
instance an act passed by Democratic Legls-
lature since 1880 which was calculated or has
served to prevent, or even diminish, the illegal
Voting notOriously rife. especially in this City.
Yet the late Democratic State Convention at
Rochester gravelY
Resolped That as Registry laws far from prevent
ing frauds in elections, have proved to be Shields I'M
der cover of which they can more easily be consum-
mated, we demand that some other safeguards DO
provided against fraudulent repetition Of votes,
and a dishonest canvass Of the ballots-crimes
which are treason to representative govern
ment and that we approve OF the passage OF the
Constitutional Amendment now pending making bribery
ground Of challenge to the elector, and denying the
suffrage alike to him that receives and him that offers
corrupt inducement.
Comments BY The Tribune.
We have repeatedly asked Democrats to
answer this question" If Registration of the
names of all persons entitled to vote at any
"poll does really facilitate fraudulent voting,
"why should not Registration of Deeds and
Mortgages likewise facilitate fraud in the
sale and transfer of Real Estate 7" The
question still awaits an answer. Who will
give it
A Registration of Voters gives every one
opportunity to scrutinize the list, and object
to any name thereon which he knows not to
be that of legal voter; while, in the absence
of such Registration, one who would vote
illegally has only to fear those who may chance
to see him offer his vote. Of course, he has
but to watch and wait for time when no one
who knows him not to be a legal voter is
present.
A Registration detects fraud wherever votes
are polled in excess of the number registered.
Thus, Haggerty, the voucher-thief, was already
under indictment for polling, last Fall, as an
Inspector, one hundred and fifty votes more
than the entire Registration of his district. Of
course, he was in no danger of being tried,
much less convicted; but the excessive poll
was prima -facie evidence of fraud which
most Inspectors would prefer not to furnish.
That Republicans have found in Registration
no facility for fraud in voting, we do know
if it be otherwise with Democrats, why did not
their Convention point out the defect In the
system, 80 that it might be stOppedf
At the session of 1870, Tweed bargained
with Republican Senators to give them more
efficient Registration in return for their votes
to pass his Charter. (How much boot he paid,
we do not know; report makes the figure a
high one.) The bargain was fairly consummated; /;
and it gave us an bonester and less fraudulent
vote in our City last Fall than for many pre-
| yiOus years. When it came to counting,
Tweed's satellites cheated us out of the only
Assemblyman we had undoubtedly elected,
and thus secured majority, with which he re-
pealed not only the amendments of the Regis
try act which he had bargained for last year,
but virtually destroyed the Registry altogether!
All countries and nearly all States which
have anything worthy the name of elective,
representative institutions, register their voters
In this State the Democratic managers steadily
fght against Registration. DO you ask wbyf
We answer, Because they know that nearly all the
blacklegs, the felons, the vagabonds who de-
light in voting illegally, are oni their side, 80
that every thousand illegal votes polled give
at least eight hundred net profit to their side.
The Tweeds and Oakley Halls. the NOrtOns and
Genets, may run the machine but the Tildens
and Belmonts the Seymours and Kernans,
hold the doors as wide open as possible, and
shout over the triumphs 80 foully won as
loudly and heartily as though they had en-
gineered them. AS Lady Macbeth truly said
of her shilly y-shally husband, they
| would not play false,
And yet would wrongly wins"
and so they hope to win now. We exhort the
earnest foes of wholesale robbery, whether at
the polls or at the treasury, to take care that
they be disappointed.