New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-22


party votes by its record in every state
Legislature and In Congress, the party Is
committed TO opposition to any and every
effort TO make honest elections sure. Upon
M other political question has their record
been so consistent and lnvariaDle. Inc IN
stinct of the fresh emigrant to vote With the
party "agin the Government" Is not more
certain than that of the average Democrat TO
onpose all election laws which Obstruct the
opera,ions of the illegal voter, the ballot
suffer and repeater.
The attitude of the party in Congress,
therefore, is not strange or unusual. lncOn-
sistent it may he with their professions or
reform, and their pretended desire lOr pure
politics and honest elections, but not with
their party record. The law which they de-
mand should he repealed was passed. i'll con-
sequence Of the stupendOus frauds III TINS
city in 1868, by which John +. Hoffman was
declared elected Governor, and the electoral
vote of the State was given to llorato Seymour
Samuel J. Tilden was chairman OF the Demo-
cratic State Committee that year, and evaded
responsibility for the arrangements which
were made IN his name for the perpetratlon
of these frauds by denying all knowl-
edge of the transactions, ana INSISTING ih''
his name was used without his consent. Inc
laws work harm to no honest voter. lhey
are intended to secure for every honest wore
its proper weight and influence. 10y preventing
the repeater and stuiler from dishonesty
neutralzing it, The effort to show that the
enforcement of this law has caused injustice
that private rights have been infrin2cd, or
public interest, jcopardized, has been fruit
less. No law having 80 wide scope was
ever enforced with little injustice ana such
small cause for complaint. There has not
been, we venture to say, single case N
pcr-nnal hardship or Inconvenience under the
eIectiou law which the sufferer dld not directly
bring nrcn himself, aud winch he might not
with reasonable pludcnc, have avoided. Mr.
Fernando Woods great investigation, which
uroniscd TO harrow lis up with volumes OF
testimony on this point, failed utterly. No
honest man was wTOnged, ana the TWO OF
three who were put to Inconvenience might
have saved it 10y q little less stubborn ana
more reasonable behavior
But there is no doubt that Il great deal OF
chcating has been prevented IN TINS city ny
the Federal SUPERVISION Of elections. Does
not this seem to be desirable consumma-
tionP The counting of -, 900 fraudulent
votes IN this city in 1863 defeated the will
Of the honest voters in the state, and was
intended 70 defeat ticm in the Nation Iii the
choice of President Is not that an evil CT
such magnitude as to call tor some remedy
Is il best to repeal Il law which III consider
able measure defeats the schemes of such
political scoundiels ~ governed tins city 50
MANY vcirs-Using the cover OF Sir. llldcns
name n considerable portion OF the tint
because Mr.. Fernando Wood has found two
or three persons who claim 10 have been put
70 Inconvenience by it Tins is the purpose
Of thc majority III COnsrcS. the friends OF
an honest ballot in Congress will not be true
to themselves and their constituents, and 70
the principle of purity in elections, II they do
not exhaust every resource OF parliamentary
law and usage to defeat by opposition or
delay the repeal of the wholesome ard cflcc-
tive provisions of the election law. Let the
men who make the repeal Il condition upon
the passage of the appropriations go ahead,
and take the responsibility for their action.
The Republican party need not shrink from
the issue which its adversary raises. 1t is
simply a question whether this Democratic
Congress shall he permitted to open wide the
doors to fraud for their own benefit and
advantage.