American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-11-02
How the Administration Carried Phil.
adelphia.

The surprise of our more respectable
opponents is as great as our own at the
vote in the several points which were the
seats of the late election frauds. Few
thinking men can see without alarm the
gigantic proportions of this corruption
and the wide generalization that is the
consequence. We notice in some Radical
papers the boast that Democratic votes
were obtained tor Hartranft. They were
obtained by means that reflect like dis
grace on givers and receivers. Not sim
gle real Democrat, we venture to assert,
voted the Radical ticket from any discon-
tent with his own. Buckalew and Thomp-
son and Hartley were men identified with
their party, and representatives of its
principles. Some Democrats who are
discOntented with the Presidential ticket,
were only the more anxious to mark their
preference for the State candidates, and
to swell their vote. The men who were
brought over were the traffickers i'm poll
tics, who deal in that article and are
always at the service of the best customer.
To talk of their political principles as
guiding their conduct one way or the
other would be a joke. But the.tlemoraIi-
zation in which such men trade is not the
work of the Democracy. The introduce
ton of huge pecuniary temptations into
our political system and the lowering of
the general standard of political moral
ity is the work of Radicalism. Its candi-
dates for high office, backed by money
and Endorsed by moneyed men and mon
eyed institutions, are of so low character
for integrity that they Illustrate every
well-meant effort to preserve the old DEM
Ocratic standard of fitness for Office.
Those well-meant efforts in this city have
always been baffied by the most impudent
corruption and fraud. The intelligent
Republican voter who yesterday scratched
a hld MOI frnu inl- hoI hi
nullified by that of Julius Caesar. a col
ored gentleman, imported for the purpose
from Washington City. This business of
repeating not only took new scope, but
new forms in Philadelphia. Respectable
citizens were persOnated before they got
to the polls. If they were Democrats
they we're ea Radicals wet they %eee adj
mitted, and thus two votes we're
pOlled for one name on the registry.
The Federal Judge of this district, Judge
Mckenna, appointed Supervisors respect
ably recommended by the two parties in
this city. But instantly the United States
Marshal appointed a desperate crew of
Radical ruffians, who assumed that they
had authority over the Federal Supervis-
Ors. This went so far that in the Tenth
ward, United States Supervisor Barron.
highly respectable citizen, was dragged
out of the precinct house and imprisoned
by deputy United States marshal. and
the election went on without that super
vision which the Federal Government as
sumed the power to make. Another
phase of fraud was the carrying out of
the one for which several Radical officials
prepared the way. by forging the pretend
ed letter of MIR. Randall to Colonel Nc
Clurc. Following up their suggestion,
the Radical election officers again demand
ed the production of naturalization pa
pers from voters who had already shown
them TO cavassers, and had been regularly
placed on the list of voters. But when
the naturaliZed citizen came to the win
dow to put in 4 Democratic vote he was
called on to show his papers again, which
were instantly pronounced to be invalid
and his vote was rejected. 1t was a repe-
tition of the fraud Of 1869. There were IA
vast number of eases Of citizens who had
been illegally stricken from the list. For
~ such cases from the Second and Third
wards were bi ought into Court on Tues
day by one lawyer. Mr.. Samuel Davies.
The Court decided thar it could not grant
any redress within three days previous to
the election. But it was within those very
three days that the names had been lille
Sally stricken of. This was the dodge by
by which the whole jurisdiction of the
Court was taken away, and it was a new
and original "dodge," that showed the in
genuty and legal skill of its inventors.
They were undoubtedly learned In the
law"
can it, live under a system of fraud i'm
which the highest officials take leading
parts. and make fitness or conduct in Of