Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-25
CORRUPT ATTEMPT TO CARRY
ELECTIONS


The story about giving temporary
employment to large number of able
bodied voters in the navy yard at Ports
mouth Just before the election in New
Hampshire. and their discharge imme.
diately following that event, is told by
the Boston Post as follows:
-Four days after the election in New
Hampshire the Federal Government
discharges nearly 1000 men from the
Portsmouth navy yard. There is no
attempt to hide the astounding fraud
and corruption of this infamous bust
ness by even the veil of decency. These
men were hired to vote the Republican
ticket, and having voted they are no
longer needed this season. The open
and shameless character of this attempt
to thwart the will of the honest voters
of New Hampshire should condemn the
Administration and its party to hope
less minority. In the few weeks pre-
ceding March 10, the navy yard was
crowded with useless workmen. The
shops were filled with men who did not
know the use of the tools they were sup
posed to handle; the yard was occu-
pied by gangs engaged in recip-
rocally doing and undoing need
less work. All were marched to
the polls and voted for McCutchins, and
discharged on the pay day next follow
ing that on which they earned their |
money. This was done in the face of |
stringent enactments against interior
ence in elections by officers and en-
ployes under the United States Gov
eminent, and the responsible perpetra-
tors of the fraud are the Administra-
ton that claims to "know no Will but
that of the people" and the party that
stands pledged, in score OF sounding
resolutions, to purity in elections and
economy IN government. But for these
openly purchased votes in Portsmouth,
Gov. Weston would have been elected
by a substantial majority on the popu-
lar vote The people of New Hamp-
shire, in common with the rest of us,
have the privilege of paying the cost
of this system of corruption. The
taxes which they contribute tocarry on
the National Government are used, IN
der authority of the President and Sec
rotary Robson, for the purchase of
votes to offset the ballots cast by them
selves. They are compelled to pay for
their own Acknowledgement. A more
distinctly criminal misapphcation of
public money cannot be instanced.
Vessels needing repairs lie at the docks,
the two sloops of war ordered by Con-
II he |
alton made for the benefit Of the navy
is exhausted, and all Mr.. Robson has
to show for it is a thousand votes
for McCutchins, represented by
as many discharged men lying
around thestree of Portsmouth. The
used in this manner as a cor
ruptiOn fund to overwhelm the legal
voters of New Hampshire is estimated
at more than S250,000. After New
comes Connecticut. and
there are already indications that the
same disgreceful plan viii be put In op-
Grafton at the New London Nayy-yard
IN that State. There is a rapid and
wholesale transfer of men from the
Brook n yard to New London, with a
arge increase of the working force at
that place. Another S250,000 will
probably be taken from the taxes of
the people for the purchase of Admin
stration votes in Connecticut, and
since appeal and protest are alike use :
less, the only resource Of the outraged
md plundered citizens is to repeat the
rebuke of New Hampshire and defeat
1t the polls the party whose unblush-
ng frauds have come to be its only re-
lance IN popular elections"
Had a gang oil negroes been en-
9loyed by some Southern planter and
marched to the polls and voted as :
hese white men were, he would not '
'nly have been indicted but heavily c
med and perhaps imprisoned. In