, 1876-11-20
SHALL COOK COUNTY BE CHEATED OUT
or IT'S ELECTION

OF IT'S ELECT1oN7
The County Canvasaing Board, which de-
termines tho official count Of the vote, is To
announce It's decision today relative to the
proposed rejection of twenty -one Republican
precincts in which tho Democratic Judges
have possibly been guilty Of uni,nportant
infornalitias. The issue turns upon tho
tally-shects. Tally is from French word
(taate) meaning stick, aud it originally sig-
niiied tho notching Of atiok to keep track
Of any number OF things counted; now, be-
cause the Democratic Judges In certain Re-
publican precincts haye not returned notched
sticks along with their sworn returns of tho
number Of votes cast, a Democratic Board of
Canvassers Is reported to DO roady to throw
out these precincts, and thereby induct into
office ccrtain Democrats who were defeated
at tho polls. This is about the fact Of tho
matter; and, if there is any such intention
rs that imputed to these canvasserB, we do
not hesitate to say that its consunmation
will prove them persons who ought to bo
visited with tho universal contempt mud
odium Of the people who ahall DO thus
6windled ont Of their votea.
11En's disposition to compare the Cook
County Canvassing Board with the Louisiana
Returning Board is simply impertinont. The
differences may bo briefly summed up:
I. The Louisiana Returning Board is
stats Court, empowered by law to take evil
dence rs 10 alleged frauds and detez,niue the
case on Its merits. Tho Cook County Can
vassing Board arc morcly three clerks to
check of the sworn returns Of votes fur
nished them by the election Judges.
2. There IL no charge in Cook County that
there was my fraud or intimidation in any
precinct. Or that my illegal ballots were
poled, Or that any 1awful voters were de-
TERED from voting by faar Of violence, or
that tho ballot-boxes have boon ta4nperod
with, or that anything else has occurred to
Interfere with tho free aud fair expression Of
tho public will.
8. The Louisiana State Board will proceed
to exercise It's lawful function of iuyesticat-
ing tie alleged frauds aud intimidation, and
determine accordingly; but the Cook County
boanl III 1t does what il feared It will do)
will proceed to override tie law, exceed its
functions, and reverse tho pnblio will without
right or proyocation.
It must be remembered that, in every one
Of the precincts which will be thrown out II
any such action is taken, tho Canvassing
Board havo tho sworn returns before them.
Tho judges have made oatA that they have
fulfilled tho requirements of the law, aud, In
tho absence Of evory allegation Of fraud, tho
only pretoxt for throwing out these precincts
IL TINT the judges have not handed In tic
tally-sheeta upon which they checked of tho
count. Yet every vote counted was regis.
tered or sworn in; Watched vigllantly by tho
United States Supervisors, Us we'll
as judges and challcngors, and care-
fully compared with tho lists in tho
count. There wero probably not n hundred
illegal votes in tho entire city, aud not ono is
alleged as an objection to tho count. AA to
tho absence Of tho tally-lists, it is sufficient
to say that they havo boon wanting in cor.
tain instances In previous elections, but tho
aworn returns were counted ali the same. A
year ago the judges Of one precinct In the
Fourth Ward absolutely refused 10 sign the
returns, so that there woro no votes officially
returned from TINT precinct; yet County.
c'erk LIED hesitatod a long timo before clos
Ing ind certifying the canvass because d
singlo precinct was missing. Yet now, It ia
said, he proposes To throw out twonty-oue
precincts from which lie has the Sworn rc.
turns, signed by all the Judges. This snu,o
lioard served two years ago, when Mr. Ir
MoYNE objected To the count Of tho First
Precinct Of tho Twentieth Ward and tho Boo.
ond Precinct Of the Town OF Eyanston on
the ground Of fraud. The Board heard ar.
gumonts rs to the faots aud their duties, Ii,
which they snfl:'
From tho af!davtts produced. there ia no doubt
In our mind that one Of tho judges Of election md
thrco OF tho clcrks OF tic First Precinct Of The
Twentieth Ward, and ono Of the judges Of tho
Second Precinct Of the Town Of Evanston. were
nut qualified to act, but thoro IL doubt In our
tuntls whether. with that proof. or much mort
1'r0of Of fraud dAa corruption at lAs sIec3joH
In making up the returns Of tl,oao precincts, wa
haye tho power to sojcct any Or all Of said RETURNS
And, in conclusion, thoy said :. Unler
thu present law, aua with tie decisions Of
tho Supreme Court before w, which, al-
though not covering tho point In question,
strictly define tho duties Of tue Canvasalug
Noards, TO- cannot eoasc|eatously admit khe
oDections." This decision was signed by
hessss. LIEN, IIA1Nxs, aud HAMu111,, tho
very mon who are now serving,
Two years ago thoy refused to throw
out two precincts when they saId
they were convinced there was fraud, be-
cause they hMl no power to do 60. Now It ia
aald they propose To throw out tweuty-ono
precincts, though they must DO convinced
iN y1fS fKN1