, 1876-04-09

not be blackmailed, was written on eVes1
page of the assessment books. The respect
able and substantial people of the city werc
brought face to face with the results OF cleo.
tons controlled by criminals. A genera
purpose to reform the evil was formed II
the West and North Towns this purpose was
triumphant1y accomplished, but in the South
Town, where the greatest outrages had been
perpetrated, where the people were most in.
dignant, the criminal class have defeated the
public will, and, scizing the machinery and
the ballot-boxes, have declared oil the noto-
rious officers Of last yoar reelected, without
reference to the actual vote polled
During the last twenty years theelectionsin
the City of Chicago Except these town afairs)
have been conducted with ordinary fairness.
There may hare been occasional Illegal vot-
ing, but, as whole, the results declared were
in accordance with the vote polled. In 1875,
however, the henchmen Of the Mayot of Chi
cago, and his gang Of adherents in the Coun-
ell, and men employed by them for that pur-
pose, introduced into charter elections for the
first time the stufing of bal1otboxes, the
forging Of returns, the destruction of honest
ballots, and the declaration Of fraudulent re-
suits. The same Illegal machinery of ballot
box stut6ng used in the first week of April in
the contest between tho EVANS and FOLEY
gangs Of criminals was employed in the last
week Of April to carry the election in favor
Of the new charter, under which the
Mayor usurps the Office which he holds,
That was the beginning. The success
with which the criminal class has gov
erned Chicago through that fraudulent,
election, and has perpetuated its rule without
even the form of an election, has rendered it
defiant. It holds the popular will in con-
tempt. A majority Of the Common Council
deliberately deded the people Of Chicago by
prohibiting them from electing Mayor.
With the City Government under its absolute
control, a Mayor and police in active SYM
pathy with them, there is no outrage or
crime they will not perpetrate to preserve
their ascendency.
The city election takes place next week.
The same Mayor, the same police, the same
corrupt majority in the Common Council, e.
ist. Shall the ballotboxes be stuffed next
week in the interest of the WAnREss, the
the WHITES, the LESGAcHEns, the
STou7s, the aluEPHrs, and the O'BE1ESs?
We submit to the people of Chicago the
question whether the right of election is to
be abandoned. Shall the people submit to
the rule Of the criminal class? Shall all
elections pass into the hands Of the ballot
box suffers, and crime become absolute in
its government?
The greatest crime against human society
in this country is the corruption Of the ballot
boz. It is revolution, treason. It il q war
against law, order; against property, against
public peace and personal liberty; war
against social purity, decency, and safety.
It is crime that exceeds all others in enor-
nifty, because directed against ali that is
sacred among men,
It is said there is no legal redress and no
egal presentives or restraint; that the Courts
Fill do nothing, and that the mob is su-
3reme. 1t becomes, therefore, grave ques-
ion for each citizen to consider and decide
That is his personal duty in the premises.