Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-10
TIE comnERcrAL yorE.

dltltre OF money IN the purchase OF Voles
for the Republican candidates in the State
elections in Pennsylvania, Ohio and In1i
ana month before the Presidential cleo.
ton came of. It was the free and corrupt
use ofmoney that carried these STATES fol-
the Republicans, and thus turned the scale
for Grant in the election the following
month. This is one ofthe worst features
of cur elective system, and it is growing
worse each year. In some of the States
merit and qualification stand no chance be-
fore money and mediocrity. A Saratogs
correspondent of the Troy N. " Press
furnishes some instructive facts in this con-
nection. Referring to election in the
State Of New York, and particularly in the
nineteenth congressional district, this cor
respondent says:
"The successful candidate of either part y
for the past few years has rot expended less
than $50, 900, either in the Senate or Con-
Qress, unless there was q division in the
party, as in the case of the election OF Car
roll TO Congress. Isaiah Blood was elected
to the Senate in 1869 after spending 100000,
which be had no hesitation in admitting.
He defeated T. G. Younglove only because
Younglove's pocket-book would not hold
out. as it had been depleted in five contests
for the Assembly In the first district Of Sa-
ratoga county, when he had been success
FIJI at the Expense Of a nice fortune. Wag-
ner was Blo0d's success " il the Senate,
and was nominated for lis wealth, against
Isaiah Fuller, and was successful at the cost
Of $4,000.
"In the first district of Saratoga county,
George Wes5 ran in 1870 against Isaiah
Fuller, and was defeated by over 800 ma
jority, after expanding, as be fully admits,
SIT 600; but he was met with money, al
though it nearly ruined his opponent. The
next year West ran against William T.
Odell, of BallstOn, and defeated him by
one thousand majority, simply because
Odell spent no money. No Democrat
could be found in the district who dared
match or could meet West with money, so
Odell was nominated and east Y defeated by
$40 to $40 per vote. West was again nom
mated for the Assembly this fall, simply for
bis money, not because be has any standing
in the Republican party or any friends.
No Democrat was fool-hardy enough to run
against him, and be had the course to him
s-lf Next fall be will, no doubt, from one
of the parties receive the nomination for
he Senate, and woe be to his opponent,
even if it is Wagner, for if 100000 would
not elect him, 500 900 would, and even
that would not hurt him, as his yearly in
come is over 100000.
"This fall D. b. Judson ran against II A..
II. Hathorn, of Saratoga Springs, for Con-
gress, and after expanding about $4,000
was defeated by over 5000 majority, at a
cost to Hathorn of about 100000. The
district being Republican, it would, as
against HathOrn's money, cost Judson
100000 to be elected. The sum expend-
I'd by the Congressional candidates repre-
sents about one-hslf the money used to
corrupt voters; another fund of an equal
amount is gut up by the county and assem-
nly candidates. The Congressional candi-
date, when be is ready TO put out his mon
", calls around him the county and assem-
bly, candidates and talks business ''on the
square," and is particular about the share
of expense, even to the dollar. The amount
# the corrupt fund in this district, this
fail, put up by the candidates, amounted
ID rot less than 100000, and may
be divided as follows: Democr ATTIC
corrupt fund $4,000; Republican
corrupt fund $4,000. There was
not an election district in this Congressional
district where q voter could not get all day
from $40 to $40 for his vote, Not over
$4,000 out of the S160 900 is stolen. The
poll drivers are of all classes, from the IN
exceptionally religious and moral man to
The miserable bay--oOn l0afer, for it has be-
come so common 20 buy woes that II is no
longer regarded 20 eDdangering yODr re-
speciality or stand ) in the community,
and so on election day you will see side By
side the deacon and the gambler, the elder
and the lOsier, carrying on their nefa-ious
tgaffic in debasing the elective franchise IN
til about oae-tour,h Of the votes are IN the
market.
"Ghe Republican party contains the lars-
est class Ct wealthy men, who have become
suddenly rich out Of the profits Of the late
war, and are liberal in distribution Of iG On
election, SO that N large majority Of IL
stances they are successful.
s'isaiah Blood Was elected by nearly 1000
maj lrity in district strongly Republican.
The same with Senators Lord, of Monoe,
Moron, of Clinton, add Morgan, of POUCH
ke psie. The people ere astoLisbel when In
1869, Lord, Blood, Norton and Morgan
were elected to the Senate, end changed
the political state Of that body the first
time for many years; yet it cost those four
men $500, 600 to TevolutioniZe the Senate.
Ii is well known that Boss Tweed could
command a majority of the Legislature, in
bis business days, from fifteen to thirty, and
yet when the election returns were received
be found that he had been successful, but his
plumber bad been reduced half q million, land
it took ore qurter of q million more to keep
those elected right during The session, land he
oftentimes was even then obliged TO go in
to the Republicans to make up for the breach
of faith of some of his own. There is no
danger of the present Senate turning Tweed
out, for there are too many of his old
chums left there to control its action. This
article shows 10 what a state corruption
has brought us. There is only one RENE
dy and that is to pass a law DISTINGUISHING
forever any man who sells mis- vote. Tie
law should be easy of execution, and each
county should have aRn officer salaried to
carry it into execution. About one-flurth
of the voters of the nineteenth congression-
al district would on the very first election
be DISTINGUISHED, and after that the auction
Of votes would be less, and the merit and |
qualification of candidate would take the
place of money"
This is very dark picture Of the cor
ruption of New York politics aud |
it finds lis counterpart in many |
portions of the North. This is more pecu-
iarly an outgrowth ofthe corruption engen-
1ered by our late civil war, than Of any
Thing else. The men who made great for
,unes out of the unfortunate unpleasant
ness" have been INSCRIPTIONS in the use
IF their money when Office was the stake
The ca'pet-baggers with which the South
las been cursed, have introduced this cor
.upLing influence in our elections, for the
of continuing their hold on the
,fices they have monopolized for a num-
Der of years; and they have played their
,ame well, for they have had the right sort
# material to work upon. Unless the
orrupting influence Of money shall be re-
moved from our elections, it will endaEger
f it does not enguf the Republic in ire
rievable ruin.
Tuu Cincinnati Too,,,ayc;nJ saue. EIIt 10 |