Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-05-03
The Payments to Davenport.

An act Of Congress, approved February
%, 1871, provided for the appointment, by
circuit or district judges of the United
States courts, of supervisors of elections in
any city or town having upwards Of twenty
| thousand inhabitants, on application Of two
citizens requesting such appointment to be
made. 1t was made the duty Of these SUI
peryisors to personally inspect the regisira-
ton Of voters for representatives or delegates
to Congress, and to attend and observe the
elections, and to report TO a chief supervisor,
who was to prepare all necessary books
aud forus, and issue such instructions as
might be required TO his subordinates. The
act provided that the fees for this service
should be paid out Of the United States
treasury.
Under this law Mr.. John l.. Davenport
was appointed chief supervisor Of New York
city, aud discharged the duties Of his office
with great vigor. Mr.. Davenport was a par
tsan, aud was no doubt determined that no
illegal votes should be polled for the demo
cratic candidates but hitherto il does not
appear to be alleged that he encouraged or
even winked at illegal voting on the other
side. The supervisors under his direction
were required by law to be two for each pre-
cinct, one Republican and one democrat
Mr. Davenport devised a system Of regis
tration which the President regarded as a
certain means Of preventing fraudulent
voting. This system was not only effective,
but economical. In Philadelphia, under a
different plan, one thousand two hundred
supervisors were employed in 1874 at an ex-
pense Of sixty thousand dollars, which was
cut down TO thirty thousand dollars by Sec
rotary Williams, who considered the charge
extravagant. \ bill directing the payment
Of the balance Of thirty thousand dollars was
afterwards carried through Congress by the
efforts Of Mr. Randall Of Philadelphia. Mr.
Davenport, in New York, received in 1871,
1872, 1874 and 1871 thirty-fvo thousand six
hundred dollars-but little more than half
as much as was paid in Philadelphia in
single year.
No special appropriation was made by
Congress for these expenses, and the presi
dent directed that they should be paid out
Of the appropriation for the expense of " de-
tecting aud bringing TO trial persons guilty
Of crimes against the United States" This
is commonly known as the secret service
fund, aud was .dsbursed through Colonel
Whitley, the chief of the secret service.
Colonel Whitley vouchers are correct. SUI
pervisor DaSenport's accounts are straight.
The service was authorized and the fees
were fixed by an act Of Congress. The whole
transaction was open and public, and the
only question that can be raised about it is
the rather fine point whether the money
should have been charged TO the secret ser
vice fund, to the appropriation for judicial
expenses, or to some other account It is
purely matter of bookkeeping, and does
not touch or approach the integrity of the
President.
The investigating committee summoned
Mr. Davenport before them, aud invited him
to tell his story. Mr. Davenport began, but
exhibited the details of the Tammany plot
10 stuff the ballot-boxes with democratic
votes so wildly and so truthfuly, that, after
various efforts to stop him, the committee
by party majority concluded they had
had enough oil Davenport, aud summarily
dismissed him We trust they will publish
his testimony, but they probably won't. 1t
isn't democratic delinquencies they are try
ing to unearth. 1t is just these they are try
ing TO cover up.