Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-09-22
.1,ExA.GAzETTE &vIRGINIA ADVERTISED
anlnfamOus Plot Exposed.

NO
formal ingenuity the plot OF Cameron's hench.
,nsn Nack.y Mann, and kenble, to detraud
the voters Of Ohio aud Indiana at the approach
ing election. The scheme is kuowo 10 all its
details. and We do DOT say word about it
which cannot be proven beycnd doubt. The
conspiracy is marked by such dabocal inge
putty that It seems AZ first glance like vision
ary romance, but careful examination will
convince anyone that unless previously exposed,
il was 50 cunniogly contrivtd as almost to defy
detection. L. k: all great works Of art, it is
marked by simplicity. and all who know any
thing OF the history Of Pennsylvania know that
hAckey, Mann, and k,mble are masters 10 the
art Of fraud.
Failing in his plan to dragoon the South,
Cameron determined to have Indiana aud Ohio
at all hazards. He needed tor the job, nc or
dinary wol kmen, or preutice hands, but the
most skiltul 10 the black arl of cheatery; men
whom hc knew, on whose boldncss aud dash iu
ylaiuy he could rely, and who as yet had never
failed. So he summoned his old aud trusty
paiS--his fellow pupils under hi, father--and,
with bis counsel, the infamous scheme was per-
icced, and put into operation. 1t was agreed
that uot word should be written, SO that 20
evidence might remain. The essUn of the
Addition, Division aud Silence" letter was
not forgotten.
Twenty FIVE men were picked out, supposed
to be the most reliable tor such work 10 the whole
State of Pennsylvania Each man was given
his isirsiructions separately, SO that 90 one might
know the destination of another, or the details
of his mission. Two chiefs we're chosen, each
to communicate with selected member of the
State Committee Of Ohio and Indiana. Under
the orders of these chiefs each subordinate was
to take charge OF a designated district and se-
lect the judge or Inspector OF election to carry
out the scheme iu each. The scheme In detail
is The selected judge or Inspector, after or
during the voting, drops given number OF rad
ic4l ballots 10 the lot to be counted.
The count disclosing by comparison with the
total of the poll list an excess Of ballots over
lawful votes, the question arises what to do
vi the deficiency. After hesitation, the re-
publican election officer will propose, with ap
parent fairness, to settle the excess by with
drawing an equal number Of votes from each
side. For ,xample, the excess being ten, TO
throw off i've democratic and i've republican
ballots. This proposition seems, on It's face.
talr, and the democratic inspector, unless un-
usually suspicious or keen, is very likely in the
hurry aud excitement of canVasslng the votes to
agree to the 1cuu st rat ber an vtiate the poll or
coutess hat a fraud has been Committed through
his neglect. So the ten votes arc withdrawn, i've
90 each side, but the ten votes frauduenly ln-
troduccd still remaln 10 the count. An average
change OF ten votes 10 each OF the 5S2 p0lllGg
precincts of ludlaua would make fraud OF
$50 votes, and the same operation 10 each or
the l,3OO precincts of Ohio would make a
change OF 5000 votes. Of course wherever
the Rlug Agcnt iouud a dishonest or stupid
democratic official, many more than ten Votes
would be introduced. ln some places the
scheme would fail altogether. But the conspl
rators are counting on an average fraud by this
plan OF ton votes at each poll, or Is 20O votes
in the TWO States. This is their exact ca!cula
tlou. 1t does not matter whether the votes are
dumped from the boxes before counting, or
each vote be taken from the box siogly, there
will be in either case ample opportunity during
the day to introduce the fraudulent excess.
Neither does it matter whether the votes are
withdrawn by equal selection, or by chance. "A
Slight difference 10 the size or folding OF the
ballot, or in The texture OF the paper, will cna
Die the instructed expert TO withdraw none OF
the fraudulent ballots Even if number be
Withdrawn fairly and indlScrimluately, there
Will he naturally as many iu proportion OF dem
ocratlc aS republican votes withdrawn, aud the
votes traudulcutly introduced will always telln
the count
This scheme of fraund is at once simple and
effective. lis apparent simplicity marks the
dcvcSh ingenuity of the design. Ii will not
do 10 desri>c or und2rrate it, for it is by pre-
cl>eiy such plots that the vote of Pennsylvania
has been ialsifed for many years by the very
men who are 10 this conspiracy now. 1t Is not
confined TO Ohio and Indiana; but extends to
all the Oc,uhcr States.
10 defeat it be sure of your inspectors, ap-
point the best men iu.the prcciuct watchers at
the poll, and watch carefully the doiugs aud
tec"rd of every suspicious stranger.
This is not the only scheme Of fraud, but op'
"nc sample OF many.
There is nothing that trained cunning can
devise which will not be restored to by the rad
lca,> 10 their desperate effort to retain power,
aad cncat the couutry into voting for them 10
November by fal>ityiug the results in Octob Der.