The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-03-12
NEW HAMPSHIRE POLITICS.
A state where Money Wins.

A state where Money Wins.
HOW A NEW ENGLAND GIRL MADE A voT
FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
| Correspondence of the Tribune]
| CONCORD, N. H., March 6.-No one cal
come into New Hampshire with tn
purpose Of informing himself as to it
politics without encountering evidence
of the corrupt use of money to contro
elections that amaze and disgust him
These evidences lie right on the surface
Of things. He cannot overlook them
| The ugly fact that voters are bought q
so much q head stands uneoncealet
before his eyes, and his first i'm
pulse is to turn back from the worl
of exploring the political field anC
go off downhearted. There is no dis
guising the fact-indeed nobody tries tt
disguise It. The evidence does not res
upon the charges OF one party again 81
his antagonist. Both sides admit the
practice. Each accuses the other ol
originating it; each refuses to abandon
1t, and pleads the necessity OF fighting
the devil with fire." According t6
Democratic authority, Of the 86,ON
votes brought out at closely contested
election, about one-tenth, or 5000, are
bribed, This statement t had from 8
member OF the Democratic State Com
mittee, and on repeating 1t at Republi.
can headquarters, / was told that the
estimate was somewhat exaggerated,
but was substantially correct. The
leaders on both sides, while
confessing the practice, deplore It,
but will not risk defeat by abandon
ing it. II this abominable state of
things were found existing in some
crude new community in the far West,
peopled by adventurers, refugees, and
other men of lawless life and loose no.
tions of morality, it would not be SO
surprising; but that the systematic cor
ruption OF the ballot should flourish and
increase, year by, year, in the midst Of
enlightened, high-principled, progress
shall not undertake to account for its
presence here save by suggesting one or
two probable causes.
Formerly, New Hampshire was a
State where political contests were
fought on a high plane. It was one of
the cradles Of the anti-slavery move
ment. Soon after Garrison started the
LiberdtOr in Boston, Nathaniel P. Rog-
ers issued his Herald Of Freedom In
Concord. Rogers planted the gerlninal
idea Of the Republican party-resist-
ance to slavery by constitutional meth
DDS. Garrison would have nothing to
do with politics, and his followers never
voted, but Rogers believed in using the
weapon of Che ballot. In time the Free
Sellers came to water the seed he sowed,
and afterward the Republicans reared
the tree and ate the fruit. For sixteen
years the Republican party held the
State, on the slavery issue first, and then
ON the questions growing out of the war
When these questions began to lose their
power over the public mind, the party
leaders began to supply the want OF an
absorbing idea with money. New Hamp-
shire votes first and votes every year,
and the influence OF the result here
upon elections in other States is suffi-
cient to enable the political managers
to raise large campaign fund away
from home. 1t is always much larger
than is needed for legitimate purposes,
and the surplus naturally goes out in
channels to control the vote In
close townships. It Is alleged that the
buying votes after they lost g election
Of 1871 However this may be, there is
no doubt that they have done great
deal more of it than have the Demo-
Gratis. for the reason that they can raise
more money,
The work Of collecting a campaign
fund Is usually begun by the Republi
cans in Washington A committee. on
which VIM. E. Chandler and N. G. Ord
way are pretty sure to figure, begin upon
5he members OF the Cabinet aLi work
lown to the Department clerks. One
year they obtain $1,000 from the Presi-
lent, and Secretary Robson had the
BAD taste to double the subscription Of
MS superior. Members Of Congress are
.lso importuned, and such contractors
come down" handsomely. After
,hus vigorously passing the hat around
1T the Capital, the committee start
or home. On their way they stop at
he Baltimore Custom House and raise
mother collection; then they go to New
York and there make a handsome addi
ion to their collection; and finally they
20 through all the Federal offices in
Boston. When they reach Concord
hey count the money, and make up
heir minds as to how much it falls short
If the requirements of the campaign,
md the deficiency is raised in the Sta Le
rom public officials, candidates for the
Legislature, and wealthy partisans.
In order to know in what To-
,alities money can be used to the
OeSt auVdnJdRc, Juc OUhUC COIu LulUCcc
nstructs the local committee in each
own to make a careful canvass Of the
own and to report the name Of every
7oter under one of four heads-''Sure
""Doubtful Republicans,
Sure Democrats" and Doubtful
Democrats. Often second canvass Is
made q few days before the election.
The committeeman from such doubtful
owns are summoned to Concord, and
furnished with railroad passes for the
Quincy. They have an interview with
he chairman of the State committee,
md the talk is somewhat after this
ashton: /
Chairman-Well. gentlemen. l am surprised
O hear that your town is doubtful. Inat Ou9ht
lot to be the case. What Is the matteri
Town Committeeman-The fact IS there is
mall majority against us, but we thlnk We coulu
TX it all right If we had a little money.
Chairman-How much money Will IL taKe 70
make the town sure for u.s.
ating it over, and we think it will take about
Chairman-Humphl that's q good deal OF
money for a small town. Here's $500. and if you
AIRY the town we'll send you couple OF hum
lred more.
The local committeeman appropriate
part Of the money to pay themselves for
heir trouble, and with the rest they
ouy enough votes to overcome the hos
- l. L.; k~< S<,