The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-10-11
An Election Void Thronsb Crime.

An Election Void Through Crime.
The most s'rious work which ever
dCVnlVcd anon the people nf n State
rsl1upnu The citizens OF Pennsylvania
from this duy. Tho exalted position oI
Governor OF chat great Commonwealth
hHs been givCn to u man whose char
acter is tainted with fraud, aud whose
solo prominence arises from tho fact
that he was chosen by the corrupt Cam.
ordn Ring at Harrisburg to do what
official work they might require. He
was tho weakest candidate, considered
in personal point of view, who could
possibly have been selected to head the
Republican ticket. But his very weak
ness was his strength. He was SO des.
titute ofcharatter and position that the
Ring which had mado him felt sure OF
him, and was willing to devote To his
election a fair proportion OF the money
they had stolen from tho public. The
Aumiui4i ration al Washington adopted
him and put in action for his benefit all
the resources OF the government But
even this was not enough. The State
organization of the Grant party, aud
tho national, both agreed that the de-
feat Of Hart rnnrt would be fatal TO them.
They therefore resolved that he should
not be defeated, ard took their measures
to that end.
We do not to-day dwell upon that
outrage and insult to the very spirit ni
law and decency contained in tho par.
don of Yerkes upon the eve Of the elec.
ton, for the purpose of extorting false
affidavit ia Hartranft's favor. This
prostitution of the Executive preroga'
tive Is mere trivial indecency com
pared with the enormous crime which
has been deliberately plotted for a
month, and was yesterday consummat'
ed. There is mott Philadelphia nor Ia
New York, an intelligent man who
does not know the general process by
which the vote of Pennsylvania was
falsifled, and many of them know the
details. The first step was an immense
fraudulent registry, which raised the
voting population at one vast stride
from 100000 to 10000. To personate
the names thus fraudulently inscribed
herds of negroes were hired in Wash
ington and in Virginia, and gangs ol
repeaters under some Of the most no
torious ruflians in New York were en-
gagged to join in the business. This was
of universal publicity. The friends Of
Hartranft chuckled and Dragged over
it. Wellto.do citizens belonging tC
the Union League Club said, no later
than last Saturday. "We will give
Hartranft whatever majority he needs
whether it is 5000, 10000 or 10000
They were better than their boasts
probably because the need was greater
than their fears. Terrified by the ac
counts of Liberal gains in the State
they determined not to be chary of
their votes, and by false voting and
false counting they scored up the in.
credible majority of 10000!
Only last Spring the same crime was
carried through in the same city by the
same men. Col. Mcclure was cheated
out of his certificate of election to the
Senate by the same foul process. He
did not submit to the outrage, but ap
pealed to hostile body, and by ire
fragable proofs regained his seat. The
facts brought forward by him in the
form of sworn evidence have never
been gainsaii. He proved bribery
repeating, and false counting.
He proved the direct illegal and cor
rupt interference OF United States Off
GERS with the elections. The case was
50 scandalou5 and 50 undeniably
majority could not refuse him his place
4Np PNloOiiul VI Out
determined man against powerful
Government conspiracy was ever
seen.
1t remains with the people of Penn.
sylvania to decide whether they will
vindicate their right to selfgOvern.
ment, or submit to grind in the mills
of the bandits who have robbed them
of their citizenship. They yesterday
elected Charles IL. BuckaleW to be their
Governor. A handful of rogues, rep.
resenting the party in power, violated
the ballot-boXes, and substituted for
the elect of the people q creature Of
their Own,a man OF tainted moral char
acter and greatly inferior abilities. TO
submit to u robbery like this, to call it
mere political act and let the matter
rest there, is cowardly and criminal. II
Hartranft takes his seat, there is not
law but anarchy in Pennsylvania. We
ask all sensible men there and else.
WHARF to reflect for moment after the
heat Of the fight is over, and say If
they think that republican government
can endure, If offenses like this are to
be encouraged by impunity to repeti-
tion. Tribune.