The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-19


and superior Courts in 1868 only 2iO voted
IN New York city in 1878 and that early in
May. lSlS. u system Of arrests was eniered
upon. and complaints were filed mt lJavrn-
ports dictation with Commissioner Dav"n-
port against 1900 persons who had
voted uIon those papers in 1876, Tho latter
part OF May or the first of June 500 persons
were arrested and brought before Davenport
upon charge Of holding fraudulent pnp'rs,
August. the District Attorney ssues his notice
TINT he is officially informed that COM
plants nrc filed with Commissioner Davenport
Tor hoiding fraudulent naturalization papers,
issued in 1868 and notifying nll persons hold
inE Su'h pui"rs tu Hppcnr before Commissioning
Davenport and surrender their papcrs, and
thereby save themselves from arrest. Under
THIS notice Davenport got into his possession
nhd retained about 3 ION certificates " nhiiral-
cation That notwithstanding thcir arrest ami
mrnnces of arrest. 3 200 naturnli2cd citizens
hud tho courage to claim their right and regis
Yer, and hEninSt tines" the thrrnt WIS Carried
ont 70 the extent mat warrants Wrrr actually IT,
Hu'u' ana sp'cul nihtsiuls appointed anu re-
quired 10 see that the arrests wore made at the
polls. and they were not allowed to vote. Mr..
Davenport himself testincs: | do not think
there was eyer any misunderstood in the
city that u my one registered or att mptgd tg
vote On 1865 papers he would be arrested. II l
could get at him.
so That was ises papers from the Supreme and su.
pcuur tuurisf Ayes. sir with the exception OF oct g.
In answcrtothc question How many voted 2
ne answered. l,2ln. and they would not have
voted If could have helped II: 2l0 ns against
9.OOutwo years before. These persistent and COM
tllih'N sitll'hH upon Nufu papers. lNNte NIIttlN
o hundreds " citizens. and the seizure Of their
papers. comn"ncing In 1871. became iniensi g.
ncd IN ISIS. Up To That time. he says. hai
SrlIrd large number " these iilputcS when
/ had evidence upon which | could successfully
defend my action But in 1878. IN his en-
thusmsln. he claims TO hnyc discovered that al
ihe certificates issued hy these courts arc void.
because lrst, in no instance IN 1865. ~ lar
hs ne naturalization of these courts are CON
minutes vi the court showing the pendency Of
any proceeding IN natural cation.
me course Of John |. Davenport in regard
10 these naiuralzcd citizens admits of no Jusii-
ilraiion. Mostly poor and ignorant. dependent
upon their daily labor for their daily bread.
honest themselves and DISPOSED TO believe
others honest. they were induced TO surrender
Their puperS when told that all papers issued
10y Theses courts i'm 1865 were invalid. They
sgned deposition. prepared beforehand aud
mostly IN print To esrnp" the arrest referred 10
III m" notice NJ the District Attorney and sent
To- them 10y Davenport. Others. believing their
papers tQ b" Nund, AMI whose papers were IN
fact valid. knowing that Davenport had per
Sl@trntly ana continuously Tor years alta 'krd
and -"N"d the inl-e and fraudulent papers.
knowing that every year when there was u Con
gr sstonal election they had been challenged
and questionedNy the Supervisor at Mr.. DHven-
ports directions Hs to all the facts necessary 10
IN" validity OF their pnp"rs. and having an
swrrrl the questions satisfactorily ana sworn
IN their votes did not believe these threats ~
arrest were intended for Thorn, and when
dragged from the polls md denied the right q
vote they first r.alzed the power OF the chief
supervisor ~ Elections.
opinion in the Coleman case. says:
.n Ea T., ,s,rr Gngg sfa"d % ,. Tos sr c.c%e" u
~ ,n ~ ,,.i . ,. !. W., ",,' ~, 49,, H.
certificate si,,u To- hir on that Wa. uuawfnly issued
80 uc. when be- used the ceruucate he knew that Il
was uniawiall> l'sucd or made
1t cannot be- disputed that the ohicc, # all
thes" arrests WAS tn prevent all persons b. lding
naturalization papers granted bv these two
courts Ia sGs from voting. MIR Davenport and
his employees alon" pretend thut ull the mai
10 Fff flIfaa fI O.
in the month of October are Invalid Tho Dis
trct Attorney testified that he would no. have
issued warrants on that ground. Mr.. Dav"n-
port has not merely exercised this power IN the
election NJ 1875. but insists that no one should
vote another time on these papers. What other
papers he Wi sriz" or what other person nHiu-
rallied in other years he will arrest depends en-
ufrly upon his arbitrary will. Such power can
not safely be- intru~tcd o. any man. lie can
throw the vote ~ The clty oi New York and
thereby the vote ~ the State as he lleases. II il
claimed that Mr.. Davenport did not discriminate
between Democrats and Republicans TINT all
w'retteated nike. II Is true that some men who
were Republicans were arrested. and Mr..
Davenport showed no special favor 10 them on
that account. Mr.. Davenport holding the posi-
ton of chief supervisor. with the Viginnt eye
OF rival parties upon him. would not subject
himself To- So grave a charge. No discrimina-
drpriying 10000 Democratic voters ~ their
votes. ana the Democratic party Of the success
Davenport knew that Ill" persons nu'u-
rall1"d i'm these two courts in 1865 were
Amos tN 'Il~IN"IN ll'fNN'rNtS. II WIS
represented hy the Union League club 20 NV
YORK To- Congress. boo i~GS. TINT the Demo 'ruis
hai carried tine State OF New York for seymour
and Hoffman Iy fraudulent uatural2ttions and
a committee from On" II MISE WIS appointed To-
Investigate the matter. and Mr. Davenport was
the attorney Of the Union League tlUp 10 Pre-
pare tie case Tor the Committee. and the ru~'
sought to b" made WIS based upon tho cortlil-
Gates ~ naturalization issued IN lSGS from these
two courts. II WAS then claimed 10y purt.s'u
that all those fraudulent naturalization
papers were issued nv Demo rats 90 muse
Democratic voters Thnt the persons natural
2sd that year in thcs" courts wrre almost rNelu-
siVely Democratic there H. no doubt. That a
vast majority 81 these torolgn-born citizens nrc
Democrats today there is no doubt. aud MIR.
Davenport. hy excluding from the polls persons
oi foreign birth nHturalII'i Ia any year. knows
well TINT Dee thereby secures An advantage o.
the party to which he belongs. II needed ma
greater and 40 other discrimination than thls
ful pgrtisaus IN Newly ork in ISIS These are cy IL
which demand remedy. Mr.. Davenport holds
his Office by appointment from TIE judge of th"
Circuit Court OF the United States for the Soc-
Ond Circuit: be is not subject to Impeachment
or removal 10y Congress. IN" only why he can
bee reached. II the Circuit Judge should see III Ia
confirm" him in that on go, i hy repeal ~ the
law creating the Ofllrr. Your Committee h"li"yo
that the power conferred upon the supervisors
of elrcton AS II has been exercised IN the city Of
New York is destructiv" of the rights Of the cii-
zen. and instead OF promoting purity Of clec-
lions has been made use OF by lhrtisans for
purely partisan purposes. and they therefore
recommend the repeal ~ all laws authorizing
the appointment 81 SUPERVISORS or chief super
visors Of elections. also ali laws authorizing
special marshHls % elections.