Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-17
The Abuse Of the Suffrage.

abuses permitted at the polls in this city.
The polls in the Third and Fifth Wards were
8 disgrace to a civilized community. Judge
Tyler publicly rebuked the Democratic IL
spectors in Ward Three for opening and
reading his vote in defiance of the law print
ed on the face of the ballot box but despite
this reproof these inspectors persisted in
opening votes all day long whenever the
rsbble deemed the voter under sufficient sus-
picion Of being what they term "a traitor
to the party" Repeated attempts were made
to vote men aliens to the ward on othcr
mems names. The vigilance Of the Repub
lican Inspector, Mr.. Smith, frustrated the
most fragrant Of these attempts, but it is
hardly possible that al such scoundrels were
defeated. One fellow came up with gang
of that sOIt Of clsmorous rufhans for which
the polls'.0f the Third Ward are famous and
was about voting in the name Of one Poyet
or Paysy, when Inspector smith. who has
large acc uaintance IN the ward. asked the
rascal if he was ready to swear that the
name be wished 10 vote in was his own
name, and he finally admitted that At iu0s not
his noa., md that he hred IL the torn q
HIiISl0n That man should have been an
sianfLy arrested ly the direction Of the in
spsctors The police officers present are
usually bullied and hustled in this ward
at the will OF this turbulent crowd that Is
a. we'd 10 pres around the boxes, TO il
timidate voter. to fJrcibly see their votes
and replace them with ballots Of their own
whenever these votes are found unSatisfac-
t.ry A respectable laboring man, who. on
Tuesday voted IL the Third Ward, remark
q afterwards 10 friend OF mine that be
,uii no; DO il aga.u, for that - it was too
much 10 ak 10; q man 10 wrangle and fight
hi- say thro1gh q crowd Of abusive lrisl-
u.ru IL 1Idcr 70 vote fJr the man Of his
choice. that is, there was no protection
fJr II decent. quiet man a. our poll.
V. D. Morrison, after voting in the Fourth
Ward. q which be j. resident, then rofed
10 lle Third Ward under the name Of Nor
H. JJha Grayeiin, E minor l. years Of
|
( b. father VIA a.sd .oN Saturday and was
buried ;nc ia, before election 4 minor
named Kelly ohrre. hls vote in the place Of
I Michsel Curley A fellow named Hallahan
also tried to vote II Curley'- name. Moses
Shortsleeyes, qtI.' r9nHg hiaself, attempted
10 vote for Henry Shortsleeves, and man
named Premier, "ho did not 90 up 10 tie
Third Ward mil ate in the afternoon.
found that his name had already been voted
upon. The case Of Edward Hayes has al
ready been referred 10 IL your paper. At
the Fifth Ward polls Alderman" Sutton
was permitted 10 III on the inspectors table.
ana 10 hector and how at any voter he zee
ognized as Impossible to fear y cajolery.
Now, Mr. Editor. there is a remedy ior
this 1t j. the business Of the Mayor 10 sec
TO It that perfect order and decency J. pre-
-erved II the immediate vicinity OF the ba.-
lot box space should be cleared for a;
least fifteen feet on all sides Of the ballot
box. and kept perfectly clear Of everybody.
saving the clerk aud inspectors. and oHe
man Of each party TO check the voters ior
the information Of the canvassing commit
tees outside Erery r0tsr should be obliged
10 pas through this open space without
aiudrance, aud unaccompaniei by any next
friend o. watch 5r intim date him and
from Alderman Sutton ~ all persons. saving
those Ne have named, should be expelled
from ,ar Inspector table and obliged 10
RESPECT che rights u the voter and the
>an,t - .i ,rc ballot ba1. The c9nduc; Of
ID. i...c. a, OF elections when they are
ia is: lc,lcl. is weak and rcole,. in the
extreme They seem to take no pride in
their t1ee. and are either silent or ab~en,
when III, J are needed 70 remind Aldermen
ami other ii-1rderly persons that Ibey are
cut ui place and interfering with the d.
csnei-- the occasion.
Finally. We should ike to know ~ what
rigti DO ,hs Board q Aldermen expungs
q voters nane from the check list Of Ward
One. when Alderman sinclear declares that
lie sleeps IN Winoo,ki? Mr. Sinclesr Wa
soubiles, honest il his belief. but i, the
right &c vote . cheap thing that without
warning a man shall lose it On the aver
ment Of any one Alderman
Ia tie N-nuae Of last evening We fnd the I
following tribuie I, Alderman" Sutton
Having fought such fight, If deceucy
i one u tie characteristics q his oppo- I
nents. they should give Sutton praise for /
the work he did lie has more persona. I
magnetism than any other man in the I
Ward ana viii nJ- ho allowed 70 die in III
way
Let D. Tor a moment consider the Kind Of
work .Cr which the public j. expected
to praise Aim When the check list was II
course Of preparation and revision before
the Board Of Aldermen We submit that
Alderman NlttJn va member Of Boa-i
OF Arbitration, to pass iupsrtally on the
evidence whether OF no a legal claim 70
vote "as clearly established How did lie
conduct himself We answer, - a partisan
- INSCRIPTIONS and . indeiensib.e that
Ia. action Wa, constantly repudiated by the
Democrats Oh the Board. Alderman SINAI
ley more than once reprimanding him ior
hIs outrageous cOnduc; and behavior This
was hi work before election.
The name Of Charles james was brought
before the Board Of Aldermen. 1t was shown
that james had already applied to the
City Clerk to place his name on the list and
he lived IN the Second Nard
j0'n.s hensst was hustled out of the room
BY sutton squad nd did NOT oppeor PEI
.oAaly before the Board, and yet, in face Of !
he evidence Of several respectable persons ,
hat the man had announced his residence a
. the City Clerk a Ward Two. the name a
u Jane. ~ hiy 0tcH a5sJ.cs, was aliowedto
emsln where it had been reported By SUIT
or, n Ward tire, simply because Sutton
ath need Of hin. Alderman Smslley
etused 70 vote in this case And tins
ames. although challenged at the polls.
oted for sutton IN Ward Five. on {
aesdAy last. This rascal ought also to y
e arrested and punished, and II this sort Of ].
licked lO0seuess i longer permitted at the =
oil and be.ore the Board of Aldermen. =
arlington viii soon be what the Seqfna =
~ u L., Democratic Git.
Yours truly, VOTER =
81. GEoRGL.-The -leighing, which has n,
zen Of such great benefit TO farmers il ~
lis section Tor the pas; week or more. has in
tally disappeared, and now we are hob N
ing about on wheels. We are living in o.
'pes Of another brief season Of snow. aT
Farmers are having quite a demand for p,
y Of late, but low prices and the bad de
ads hardly warrant taking it to market Pl
The excitement Of last Saturday was a va
naway. 4 handsome span Of horses at an
.l,d . ,,,.z. - : nj