The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-24
Democratic Slanders.

~o~~~SS-S
The majority of Democratic journals have
not been famous for strict adherence to
facts in former political campaigns. This
year they carry their disregard of the truth to
greater lengths than ever before, and print
no facts that conflict with the reckless state
ments they have made or the unfounded con-
clusions they have drawn. Nothing probably
could induce them to state the truth regard
ing the use of the secret service fund in New
York in 1872, or even to print the testimony
as given before the committee. They have
published the garbled report furnished to
Washington correspondents by some Demo-
cratic member of that committee, but they re.
fuse to publish the true account made public
later.
The story they do print is an absurd one.
The statement is made that money from the
secret service fund was, by order of President
Grant, paid over to the Republican campaign
fund in New York. The testimony shows
that the amount paid over to Supervisor
Davenport was but $35, 900, and that the pay
ments covered period of four years, 1871,
1872, 1878, and 1874. The administration is
charged with attempting to carry New York
by corruption fund of $4,000 year! The
charge is preposterous. We are asked to be-
lieve that in 1872 enough New York voters
were bought up at an average price of fifteen
cents apiece to give the electoral vote of the
state to Grant. Why the worst class of Dem
ocrats, the cheapest men that ever breathed,
can't be bought for that price. Even in this
state the Democrats cannot easily bribe
man with anything less than barrel of flour,
and the smallest bribe they have ever been
known to succeed with was pair of boots.
Yet we are told and expected to believe that
in New York six voters can be bought for a
dollar. The plan Of carrying that state with
a corruption fund of $1,000 is too absurd to
have ever lodged itself in the mind of any
politician.
The facts in the case ale just these: In
1872 the Election and Ku-Klux laws were
passed. Large appropriations were made
for the enforcement of these laws, and
the appropriation of the secret service in the
Department of justice was intended to be
used in the detection of election frauds. 1t
was so used. The correction and verifcation
Of the registration of voters in New York was
entrusted to Davenport, and he did his duty
well, preventing the casting of thousands
OF fraudulent votes and the repetition of the
frauds by which the state was given to Sey-
mour in 1868. The work was done very
much cheaper in other cities, Philadelphia
for example, where it cost $50, 900 for which
an extra appropriation was urged by the
Philadelphia delegation in Congress, includ-
Ing Mr. Randall and the Democrats. The
money was not used in any respect for elec-
tloneering purposes, and every dollar of it
was expended in the detection and preven-
tion of frauds at elections. As soon as the
matter was explained to the Attorney Gen.
eral he concluded that the payment was
proper.
Knowing these facts, which came out in
the evidence before them, certain members
of the committee gave to correspondents a
garbled and exaggerated account which was
at once telegraphed over the country. The
testimony of Mr.. Williams, for example, as
published, is directly the opposite of what