Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-03-04
Repeal of the Election Lascs.
speech OF Hon. wm.P. Frye. I'm the House
OF Repress ntatives, Feb. 10.

Mr.. Chairman, do not believe that this is
question affecting the South at all. This law has
been upon the statute-book since ls72, and the
republican party has disappeared in the South, as
the dew disappears before the rising sun. The
South viii be solid for the democratic candidate
for the Presidency in 1880, law or no law, super
visor or no supervisor, United States marshal or
no United States marshal.
But the South cannot elect President of the
United States. Something else IL necessary. What
iat? The electoral vote in the State OF New
York. There is the difficulty; there is the reason
for this requirement OF the repeal Of this law
New York must be carried by the democratic par
ty in 1850 in order 70 elect democratic candidate
for President. With this law upon the statute
book gentlemen know perfectly well that New
York cannot then be carried for the democratic
party.
Mr.. Wood-If the gentleman from Maine will
permit I win say that New York will be carried
Mr.. Fye.-I cannot be interrupted now. Ex-
perienoe Of elections in New York suggested this
law and the necessity for it to the United States
Congress. and the necess titles Of the democratic
party in $50 and the crying necessities of Samuel
D.
that time for the Office OF President suggest now
the absolute necessity for its repeal.
have Just returned from an Investigation into
New York politics and New York elections have
few figures which desire 10 give OF that mon
strous election OF lS6s. the most monstrous and
marvellous that ever was held anywhere IN this
world for fraud for wickedness, and Tor every
device OF the devil that the democratic party under
the lead OF Tweed and TammAny could suggest.
Look ii the horrible picture, aud then tell me, do
-. a. UNgl
In 1855 the supreme court OF the State OF New
York suddenly came 70 the resue OF the democya'
ey as a naturalization power. Prior 10 that year
the court Of common pleas and the superior court
alone had nsturali1 alton papers. In 1868 on the
9Th dAy of October the supreme court, presided
over by judge Barnard .AllerwSrd impeached nat
ar Isd in one single day 2,loS persons, ana the
alone nsrursliESd nine hundred and fourteen per
sons on the leth day OF October Of that year
Now. In ls44, the Congress OF the United states
presented for impeachment and found guilty
Louisiana Judge because he nAiurAlized some iour
hundred per-ons In enc day. The comtniltee OF
COng7es. declared that 10 was physical impos-
sibility.
allied in the month % October, ten thousand a d
seventy persons. and the superior Court IN the
same month nAturaliEed 21,s9' persons, and aver
age OF a thousand dav. The common pleas
court an honest old court, out OF fashion and
favor win the democracy .natutalEed only thirty
one hundred and lOrty.n persons.
papers, were heard. and their case passed. upon
IN Que angle court In New York cry, And receiN'
ed certificates o: " % save The necessity Tor the
two YEAR, declaration Of intention 10 more
than twenty thousand cases neither witness or
applicant ever appeared IN side Of either one OF 70,
New York courts The papers were distributed
N bundles 20 groggeries ana % groceries, ~
houses of ~ fame. 10 hAr-rooms and BILLIARD
rooms IN blank and Oiled mp as men called Tor
then. In scores Of Instances ignorant natives "i
the United States voted upon these NATURALIZATION
EUar
arSl u package, up the rive, counties OF Ne"
York. They were sent, thousand IN packA.e'
INTO ne state Of Connecticut along INC >cM
Haven Railroad, and New jersey received the iui'
hsucG. ofthis democratic machine. In one instance
they were delivered 90 thirty six men working in q
hrickyard, the names being written ia on top OF a
machine. They were sold IN scores OF places I"t
rom INV cents To o. each.
roor ignorant fellows were sworn 10y mock
iudsc 70 support the Constitution anu vote iot
Hoffman. and then received their papers clothlns
hem with citizenship. The superior court Of New
YORK WAS furnished 10 advance with thlTty thpus'
and blank certificates Of NATURALIZATION tht III
preme court with thirty nine thousand, making
siXty .uine thousand blank certificates IN all.
court was made Oy The clerk OF TIE court - a.
certain The number that was len after the nAlur
Aiization was over, and only eighteen hundred
and some odd OF thcfc blanks were lcI mere
fore there were naturalized either in court or In
TAmmAny Hall hcAd4 lartcrs nom sixty tnousAhd
10 siNty-nino thousand IN the year lse, not
outstanding the records show only ABOUT ior'y
thousand.
There were nine standing Witnesses with cap
tain Of the squad. Witnesses IN behalf OF nearly
seven thousand persons desiring TO become clu-
lens one Of them the captain OF the squad, Was
= witness IN one court In inehundred and eighty
-i1 cases and the judge knew personally thA1 ne
was = drunken thief He sgorc that he knew all
,he men, while he probably did no Know one
single one OF them, and the Judge knew that he
Gid not. The Judge has since been impeached'
W hal a lOss 20 the patty
Nine men ropcaters. egisterod In three humid
rel different places and voted IN nearly every one
of them Men voted from two % forty times upon
false registration. One vacant lot had registered
upon d; one hundred and eighteen voters More
than eve hundred persons were registered from
localities where but nneen actual residents could
he found And what shall ] say more-for the
time would lail the 20 tell OF IAmmany or weed
OF Tilden and OF Barnard OF McCunn, and the po-
li.cAl scOundrels who through such rascality
wrought works Of HuriEhtcou sness, and carried
the state Of New York for Hoffman by ten ihous'
and major ~.
during the thirty years previous was at the rate Of
u per cent a year. The vote for l,oo showed IN
increase OF 81 per cent. IN that single year The
average ratio OF voters 20 The population irom lstS
10 lSsO Was sal per cent; In lsoo the average "a
no vi voters 10 population was 10 t.o5. Marvel
Gus increase.
The committee OF Congress sent there In 1853 10
inv estgate this election found a. the result tnA
from nfiy 20 siXty thousand fraudulent voSs were
cast. Hence there was legislation IN Congress
and In lS7t, 1875 and ISIS the United States law
noW sought TO be repealed, then IN operation, was
enforced. What wzs the resultf read IRON inc
report OF the chairman Of Il democratic committee
Hon samuel =. Cox appointed 20 investigate the
New York election OF ls16: Reads
This was ssld OF The election Of islb, forced uu-
d0ubtedly from reluctant democratic committee
by facts they were TOO honest 10 ignore
In the election OF ISIS. only twelve hundred AMI
forty Of the naturalization papers OF les werr
voted upon. 10 not believe large city IA .hr
Union can be found where the election vAs more
fairly conducted than was that of lh1o In New
York. What has purged elections there What
has purified the ballot . What has made men al.
lnos forget the terrible disgrace Of loso Nothing
other than these very sections OF the law which
the democratic party to-day determine shall Dc
repealed. Whc are they willing 70 take such a
sisht OF ignominyi There 10, there can be, but
one answer; samuel j. Tildeu, the engineer Of
the election OF 1873 must be the candidate of the
democratic party in lssO. Without these laws,
without supervisors or mArshals with his own
machinery, New York can be carried as 1t was
then. >New York must be carried. repeat, Til
uen and New York suggested the necessity OF
the Laws, and now, Tilden New York, and the
necessities OF the democratic party, suggest their
repeal.
Here the hammer FELL