The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-08-17
The Frauds in North Carolina.

In January last, there was an exclt-
ing election in Philadelphia, to I'LL a
vacancy 10 the Fourth Senatorial Dis
trict, for which MIR, Gray aud Colonel
McClaro were rival candidates. Gray
represented the Grant party, and
Mcclure the Liberals, Although Nc.
Clure was fairly elected by majority
Of several thousands, the Radical man.
ayers who controlled the ballot-b boxes,
"returned" Gray, in the face of an hon
est vote against him. This was done
after the custom house, post Office, the
navy yard, the arsenal, aud the revenue
offices "had vomited forth their repeat.
ers, their perjured election officers,
their leaders of gangs Of FOUNDERS, their
scionced ballot box suffers, and their
expert forgers Of returns" All those
wicked appliances failed to make ma.
jority, aud the record was thon forged
aud falsifed to "return" il in favor Of
the Grant candidate.
Tho daring character of the frauds,
excited general Indignation, and there
was strong popular demand, in
which most of the respectable Republi.
can journals joined, for a thorough and
searching inquiry, While a committee
were collecting evidence to submit to
the Senate, directly after the election,
"the command came from the Prcsi-
dent (see letter of Colonel Mcclure,
April 20, 1872, tina, there must be no
investigation. He aud his Admins,
tration stood as the bulwark aud shield,
the head aud front of the men, who
struggled 10 desperation TO commit II
double fraud upon the people Of Phila
dolphia, by perpetuating che power Of
the Rings aud reporters, who through
their corrupt combination controlled the
municipal government.
When the question was carried to
the Senate, the Radicals held caucus,
and every effort was made to stiie 10
quiry into these monstrous and glaring
frauds. Cameron demanded the Pres.
idents interference to prevent the ex-
posure, aud he sent an agent to Harris.
burg for that purpose. During two
weeks this pressure was successful, but
finally three Republican Senators, up.
right aud brave men, broke the tram
mels of party and joined with the Dem.
ocrats, 10 the demand for investigation
The country is familiar with the result
of that proceeding. Gray's election
proved to be fraudulent aud Mcclure
got his seat.
We have recalled this experience Of
Radiealism in Philadelphia, in order
to make the application to North Caro-
lima, where similar practices were use
at the recent election. That six or eight
thousand negroes were imported, fraud.
ulently registered and voted, is u fact
which is now hardly disputed. Several
counties wher. the blacks predominant
show much larger vote than the pop.
ulation admits. In that region, the
work was oyerdone and is easy Of de.
lection. But the frauds were not con
lined to these imported negroes. The
New York Herald discloses other opc,
ralions, which are equally outrageous
The law requires proclamation Of the
result of an election to be made BY the
sheriff from the court house door within
a limited time. This legal Formally
was omitted 10 Craven county, and ia
Warren the judges, contrary to law
carried away the ballot boxes aud failed
to count the vote until the day aftel
the election. la the First Compression
al District, where Senator Pool resides
the vote was not counted until 'found
convenient"
Tho irregularities, as they are mild
ly called, all had . motive, and, as ha,
been seen, afforded the readiest oppor
tunity for fraud, which was proved b
the managers, who set aside the Law,
to tampor with the bsllot-box. Skilled
agents 10 such rascality we're detailed
from Philadelphia aud other cites t.
repeat thoir experience in North Car
DINA. The result is before US. Cald
we'll is to be returned" over Merrimor
as Gray was over Mcclure, ia spite oil
an honest majority. The Legislator,
owes it to the people who have thu
been directly outraged, and to the coun
try at large, to order an investigation
so that the whole truth may be known
aud this yillaiuy held up to public re
probation.
When the iuiquitics were charged
against the Radicals of Philadelphia
the Administration organs stoutly de
MED their truth, With the audacity tina
they are nov exhibiting 10 regard l.
North Carolina. And when the fraud
were exposed and the completely 0
Federal officials, shown BY the cleares
proof, not a man of them was remove,
from office; but, on the contrary, tw
conspicuous leaders, of repeating gang
and ballot box suffers, were promoted
iu order to demonstrate the President
fidelity to civil service reform. - Wash
Patriot.
Some Of the Proof of the Fraudulen
Voting in North Carolina.