The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-04-27
Catching a Tartar.


For twenty-four hours the Democrats were in
high glee at the prospect of finding something
serious against President Grant. Whitley, a
former detective, had testified that large
amount Of money had been used for election
purposes in New York, in 1872, paid out of the
secret service fund upon direction of the Pres
ident. Impeachment schemes were flashing
before Democratic eyes, and infaming Demo-
cratic imaginations. A further investigation,
however, disclosed the fact that the money paid
was in accordance with law, and to protect the
people from immense frauds-that the $50, 600
disbursed by Supervisor Davenport, of New
York, in perfecting his plans Of detecting
frauds in registration, saved to the government
about $4,000, and secured to the people a fair
election, and disclosed immense Democratic
frauds in the empire city. The committee
caught tartar in Mfr. Davenport, and as he is
not through yet with his testimony, the promise
is that the committee will have presented to them
one of the most startling chapters of Democrat
ic corruption that ever startled the nation.
The Washington correspondent Of the Balti-
more american of the Oath inst, say:
The Committee Oh Expenditures in the Depart
ed Of themselves for giving publicity to whtiey's
sensational testimony, which attempted to fasten
se eeeon in
York city in his own interest. Not only was Whit
wise. words were put into the mouth OF ex-Attor-
ncy General Williams which the evidence declares
he never uttered.
The witness who has knocked Whitley's magma
tive stories higher than "Gildroys kite" is John j.
noV0r Vt of Maui nrh MI hn11 fha
der state and Federal law, OF Chief Supervisor of
Elections for New York city. He is young man,
to the bottom Of the ways and means in which Dem
ocratic majorites we're rolled up in Manhattan be-
ing until the application OF the election law by Da
venport proved terror to repeaters: Davenport
has system of block registration OF his own device
through which he is able to tell where every legal
voter resides how often he has voted since 1872 and
fectng the system that under the old system OF reg
istration, eight men have been known to register by
After he had concluded his work. the President and
other officers of both the State and General Govern
visable to adopt it means Of checking election
Frauds and by its adoption the system of registra
ton was changed so that the expense OF the
| system. in comparison with old, saved annually
more than the amount 1t cost. Davenport explained
New York city l2OO fictitious names on the registry
Warrants were issued against these 1000 fictitious
vote under the assumed names, and they were
promptly arrested and punished.
Inc cOmlnlICee were overwhelmed with the EVIL
dence OF Democratic election frauds in New York,
and heartily sorry that they summoned Daven-
port before Them the report is humiiating to the
better representatives OF the party. Davenport will
testify again next Tuesday or Wednesday.
The base charges preferred against promi-
nent Republicans, including the President,
Secretary Bristow and ex-Speaker Blaine, arc
beginning to react. As they are probed, it is
found that there is nothing in them but malice
and an infamous purpose to accomplish party
benefit at any cost. Secretary Bristow has
promptly and triumphantly confronted all the
allegations brought against him. Mr.. Blaine
has tfrottled those preferred against him, and
the facts Of the case, as developed by investi-
CATION, have placed the President even higher
in the esteem of the country than before the
warfare was commenced. The Democrats are
preparing the way for Republican triumph
| IN November, and every days work deepens
the conviction that the Democratic party cam
not be trusted with the administration OF the
affairs of the nation.