Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-06
TVK NIJE INESI3Il-N =
WILLIAM 4. WHEELER,
OF NEW YORK.
FOR GOVERNOR,
SELDEN CON NOR

A Chapter i'm the History Of the
"RefOrm" Candidate of the DEM
Ocratic Party-MOrace Greeley to
Samuel j. Tilden in 1869.
In 1868 the republicans of New York
were VIGOROUSLY cheated out of the State
election by frauds perpetrated by the
democratic managers. Samuel j. Tilden
was then chairman of the democratic
State committee, and William NJ. Tweed
was at the height of his power in the city
of new York. These two men. Tilden
and Tweed, with Oakley Hall and Jimmie
O'Brien, were the chiefs in the great game
of fraud whereby Hoffman was elected
Governor The best estimates place the
number of fraudulent democratic votes
manufactured in that election at $4,000.
Fraudulent naturalization papers were is
sued by the thousands, repeating was
practised on the largest scale, and to make
the result doubiy sure measures were TAX
en- to keep back the vote of New York city
until returns were received from the
country, SO that in the city the ballot pox-
es might be stuffed with the requisite
number of bogus democratic votes, and
the returns so manipulated as to overcome
the republican majority in the remainder
of the State. To further this last men
toned purpose, the following circular.
marked "privatc and strictly confidential"
was sent out to leading democrats in the
several counties.
Rooms OF THE DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMIT
October q, 1868.
My Dear Sir,-Please at once to communicate
with some reliable person in three or four princ-
pal towns and in each city of your county, and
request him Expenses duly arranged for this end)
to telegraph to William NJ. Tweed, Tammany
Hall. at the minute of closing the polls, not wait
ing for the count, such persons estimate of the
vote. Let the telegraph be as follows "This
town will show q democratic gain Tor loss over
last year number,] or this one, if sufficiently
certain: This town will give 3 republican or
democraticl majority Of There is Of course,
an important object TO be attained by simultans-
Gus Transmission at the hour Of closing the polls
but not longer maiting. Opportunity can be taken
of the usual haf-hour lull in telegraph commun-
cation over lines before actual results begin to be
declared, and before the Associated Press absorb
the telegraph with returns and interfere with n
dividual messages; and give orders to watch care
fully the count.
Very truly yours
SAMUEL J. TLDEN, Chairman.
The next year following this tremend-
Gus outrage upon the ballot-box and the
rights ofithe people OF New York, in Octo-
Der, 1869. HORACE GREELEY address
ed the following letter through the col
umns of the Tribune to SAMUEL j. TIL.
DEN, presenting to him the part which
he had acted in the villainous transactions
Of the campaign of 1868. holding him re-
sponsible for the gigantic frauds per-
petrated, and appealing to him for
fair election.
LETTER TO POLITICIAN.
To Samuel j. Iildsn, Chairman Democratic
State Committee.
SIR You and l are growing old. We came
here from the country, and have lived and strug-
gled side by side for nearly forty years. We have
participated ardently in many political struggles
always on different sides. On lone rerv
important point, houerer, your bitterness as par.
dsan has impelled you 10 ignore and csme short of
your duty as citizen and a professional upholder
Of Government by the people and for his derelie-
Ton here arraign you. Iailuds to The preser-
ration of ths ballot boz.
Long as you have lived ON Grsmercy Park, and
eminent in social position and fortune as are the
inhabitants of that favored locality you could not
tell within twenty which Of the residents in sight
Of your front door are and which are not entitled
10 vote; you could not make list of the legal
voters residing on that square which would even
approach accuracy. How must it he. then, with
the nomadic denizens Of our "back slums" and
our great tenement-houses How utterly impos.
sible it is that any one should know which among
them are and which are uot legal voters, and
whether man who offers TO vote at II g. m. has
or has not already voted several times at different
polls, and whether be is or is not on his way to
vote stli oftener at other polls, you cannot help
knowing if you would. l can imagine how man
may shut his eyes to many things which he deems
il convenient not to know; but must speak Of
what you must know. however you may wish or
seek to be ignorant of It, The matter to which
call your attention is vital TO the very existence Of
free, popular government Whenever it shall be
enerslly understood that the results Of elections