Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-02-20
Jacques's Confession.


L. S. Deputy Marshal and Super
visior Jacques has been seized with
the epidemic ofhonesty that now RACES
at Washington, and the effect Of his
revelations is to force the contlibu-
ton Of Louis;anas quota Of Admins
tration Senators and Congressman to
the political chain gang now 50 rapid
ly filling up. There is an ingenious
simplicity about the confession Of this
operator in ballot frauds that affords a
spice lacking even in such testimony
as that of Ames aud York. With the
utmost calmness he speaks Of forgery
and of the violation of his oath Of
office as Of matters quite outside the
pale of crime. In making up bis atfi-
davits for the use ofthe Kellogg party
in setting aside the vote, he drew
equally upon his imagination for names.
upon the poll list, and upon his knowl-
edge of the adjacent plantations.-
Sypher sent him word that ''the Gen
eral was 400 short and this United
States Supervisor quickly sat down
and forged him just 1884. When the
Congressman started for Washington
be hlnted that 1900 more aliidavits
would be acceptable, and the faithful
jacques had them all ready on lis le-
turn, receiving the commendation
''well done Unfortunately Sypher
and Brother-in-aw Casey seem to
to have neglected their pledges Of civ
ing this ready-writer Of afidavits a
place in the Custom House, and unre-
warded zeal has soured to tardy hon
esty. Hence these strange revelations
1t must indeed be conceded that
Jacques contcsses himself no worse
than the rest. His excuse for putting
false names on the registration lists is
that ''all the other Supervisors were
doing it." He .justifies his forgery of
afiidavits with the remark that Con
gresham Sypher and Gen. Kellogg
approved it." He disdains all thought
Of crime in manipulating the votes
when cast, since ''it is the custom in
Louisiana to stuff ballor-boxes and
make false registration" The only
instance in which he admits wrongto
to have been done is Casey's refusal to
reward his efforts with 4 place in the
Custom House; from which we NAV
infer that ''the custom III Louisiana"
favors honor among thieves. But
aside from the revelation of the most
pervading corruption among the lead
ers and agents Of the Administration
party IN Louisiana, aud Of the out
rageous Justification by which the
Presidents friends have secured their
small show of authority in that State,
there is more important phase in
in the sweeping condemnation which
it imposes upon the system of Federal
interference. Jacques is a Federal
official, twice sworn to duty and one
Of those appointed under the Enforce
ment law especially to protect the
purity of the election. Yet he now
testities that "all the Supervisors"
were regularly engaged in frauds for =
the benefit ofthe Administration can
dldates and supervisor Bardwell, as
well as Jacques. acknowledges that
he periued himself and committed
forgery for the sake of 4 bribe Of office
rendered by the Administration can
aidate for Congress and the brother
n-law Of the President. There are
elements Of greater danger in this
-usiness than in either the purchase of
he Kansas Legislature by Pomeroy
u the vendue Of Congress by Oakes
Ames. Boston Post.