Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-07-27
SLIPPERY SAM.
His Method Of Purifying
II the box.
Greeley's Open Letter on
Election Frauds.


II is notorious that in tho election
of 1855 great frauds were perpetra-
ted upon the iBaliOt-b0x In New
York. : The actual RepublicSn sDa-
jOrity in the State was overc0sne by
= fraudulent majority In New York
City. How 1t wxs prepared and
managed il shown by the following
copy OF Mr.. Tiiden's famous circu-
lar:
Private and strictly CONFIDENTIAL
ROCKS OF DEMOCRATIC STATE
COMMITTEE, Oct. q, ls6S.-MY
DEAR SIR: Please at once to COM
municate with some reliable person,
In each city of your county. and re-
quest him lexpenses duly arranged
tor this end) to telegraph TO William
M. Tweed. Tammany Hall, At the
minute of closing the polls, not wait
ing for the count, such persons esti-
mate OF the vote.
Let the telegraph be as follows:
"This town will show q Democratic
gain Tor loss) over last year Of mum
ber); or this oneifsunicicntly certain:
This town will give . Republican
Tor DeInocratic) majority Of
There IL, OF course, an important
object to be attained BY 4 simultane-
Gus transmission at the hour OF clo-
sing the polls, but no longer waiting.
Opportunity can be taken OF the
usual haif-hour luli In the telegraph
ic com munications over lines before
actual results begin TO be declared,
ana before tho Associated Press alb
sorb the telegraph with returns and
interfere with Individual messages,
and give orders to watch carefully
the count. Very truly yours, Il
III SAMUEL J. TILDEN, Chairman.
MIR. 1REELEY's OPINION OF TILDEN.
10 Samuel J. s1yttien, Chairman
Democratic State LoD,,aittee--77S Sir:
You aud / are growing old. We
came here young from the country,
and have lived and struggled side
by side for nearly forty years. We
have participated ardently In many
political struggles, always on differ.
ont sides. On one very i'm.
III. ffttt EfsFtE #ssAa
portant point, however, your bitter
ness rs y partisan has impelled ysu
to ignore and come short OF your
duties AS a citizen and Q professed
'upholder of Goyernmentby the poo
pie, and for this dereliction here
arraign you. l alluds- to tho pro
servation of the purity Of tho ballot
box. h H., II 4f tllIstrEHlf li
! can imagine how man may
shut his eyes TO many things which
he deems 1t convenient not to know
but must speak of what you must
know, however you may wish o.
seek to be ignorant OF 1t. The mat
ter to which !. call your attention i
vital to tho very existence of free
popular government. Whenever i
shall be generally understood tina
the results of elections arc not de
trimmed by the ballots of legalvoter
but by frauds In voting or frauds In
counting, then the event Of avowed
iuuequiyocal despotism must be nea
at hand. Between the rule Of al
Emperor and the rule of clique 0
$50. 80 ~--1s., infnili0ap
man must prefer tho former as les
rapacious and more responsible
When honest citizens shall avoid tn
polls, asking "what Is the use Of vo
ting? tho result Is already fixed
the days Of the Republic will b.
numbered. Between o ruler .wha
prohibits voting altogether aud thu
gang who makes 1t Q sham by films
the ballot-boxes with illegal votes
or miscounting those actually cast
the sway OF the former is every way
preferable.
You hold q most responsible and
influential position In the counsel,
of a great party. You could make
that party content itself with polling
legal votes II. you only would. In
our late constitutional Convention
tried to erect some fresh barriers
against election frauds. Did y0ui
Tho very little that ! was enabled tf
effect in this direction / shall try IN
have ratified by the people at oul
snsuing election. Will you? Mr.
Tilden YOU cannot escape RESPONSE
biiity by saying. with the guilty
Macbeth: fjauial b ni 3sfs
"Thou eanst not say did II; never shake
Those CORY lock at me-"
for you were al least q passive accom-
piice In the gaint frauds OF last No
vembcr. -~----~s@--se-----e.-
!. Your name was used, without pub
lie profession your part, In circulars
S0wed broadcast over the Slate,
wliereof the manifest intent was to
AZ n. 49,