The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-11-07
Bribery at Elections.

The laws Of this state have ample pro.
visions and penalties for cases of illegal
voting, false registration, and bribery OF
voters. The penalty for voting more than
once at any election, or voting at a precinct
where the person is not legally entitled to
vote, or Offering to so vote, is confinement
10 the penitentlary for a term not exceed
ing one or more than FIVE years. The pen
atty for registration in more than one pre-
cinct, or in any precinct where the voter is
not a legal resident, or for aiding or abet
ting others in such acts, is imprisonment in
the penitentiary for not less than one year
False swearing in such cases is declared to
be perjury, and punishable accordingly.
The law upon bribery reads as follows:
II any person shall by bribery, menace, treating,
or other corrupt means or device Whatsoever either
directly or Indirectly attempt to influence any cleo
tor of this state In giving his vote ut any election,
every person 30 offending, and being thereof con
victed shall be fined $500, and shall thereafter be
disqualified from voting at any election In this state
for five years.
Another section Of the law says
Or II any person shall agree to pay to any other
person any money, property, or valuable thing in
the event that any election as aforesaid shau result
In one way, or in the event that any one or more
persons shall or shall not be elected. or shah re
ceive greater number of votes than others, suct
persons shall be liable to Indictment and upon con
NlCliDu lntISOi tuali Ut uutu Al S2SSeu
ing $1,000.
We cite these sections TO show that the
law of the state is not silent upon these
from the proceedings that took place in
this city on Tuesday last. A very large
sum of money was spent on the day of the
election and the few days preceding it in
the actual purchase of votes; these votes
were not purchased for the support of eth
CT general ticket, but for the two offices OF
congressman and alderman. The use Of
money for the purchase of votes is of com
paratiyely recent origin in this city. Ii
has now become an established fact. A
large body Of voters have come to regard
it as a regular Incident of politics, and they
offer themselves for sale.
There are regular agencies in this city
where upon the payment of an agreed
price any candidate for a nomination car
secure beforehand the election Of delegate:
favorable to his nomination. These con
tracts can be had for a single ward, or dis
tric., or the entire city. This practice ha
now been extended to the regular elections
and for a sufficient sum of money con
tract can be made for any number of vote
that may be required in any ward or pre-
cinct. These contracts sometimes invOlY
false registration, repeating, perjury, and
if needed, the corruption of the judges anC
clerks of the election. This is AN expen
siye business; but, where money is IA sec
oDdary condition in an election, the pur.
chase is cheap at any cost
1t isa pity, but it is nevertheless true, that
these dishonest practices have the silent
approval of large portions Of the people,
who tbiak that the election Of candidate
BY whatever means compensates. for all
crimes committed 10 securing his election.
The use of money to bribe voters on Tues
lay was open and ostentauous, and nen