Daily Republican., 1879-10-01
Ettil Defending Fraud.

MIL DelemOlnS HHo
The "Gazette' has been giving the
bummers and repeaters another coat OF
vhitswash, and stands by those wor-
thies that were of SO much service at
the last election with a fidelity which
challenges our admiration while at
the same time it can bu. excite pity
with honest people to think that parti-
san zeal should so warp the judgment
that the leading organ OF leading
party cannot have the manly indepen-
dencs to condemn fraud squarely and
honestly. At first 1t would not believe
there were any frauds committed at the
late election by the Democrats, but the
Republicans were reeking all over with
il. Afterwards it began to see through
. glass darkly that there might have
been some little irregularities committed
BY few persons claiming to be Demo-
Gratis, but in general the immaculate
Democracy were too pure, toe honest,
too good to be guilty Of any regularly
arranged plan Of fraud. Hard pressed,
the same paper yesterday driven to say
something to break the force OF the ac-
cumulated weight Of evidence against
its party, does not deny that the re
cent election was carried by fraud, but
says that the bummers and repeaters
who voted that day (for the Democracy Of
courss) "could trace their fall from hon
esty to the Republican party, and the
evils it by its bad legislation inaugu-
rated" Well, there is an admission At
last that these repeaters did vote at the
CITY election and that they voted for
the Democrats, but then you see, reasons
our cotemporary, the reason they did
30 is because they fell from honesty on
account of the Republican party and
its bad doiugs. This is a very ingeni
Gus and specious mode of reasoning,
but it will fail to convince honest peo-
pie. Democrats and Republicans alike
say that the late election was carried
by fraud that the President of the
CITY Council and the City Treasurer
were elected by fraud, and that five
Democrats now holding seats in the
City Council hold them by the most
stupendous frauds tn at ever disgraced
an election in Wilmington. That is
the point, and even the "Gazette,
which is so deeply dyed in Democracy
that it is ready to assist in covering
up and apologizing for frauds of the
most black and damning character com
mitted by its party followers, admit
now that fraud was committed. We're
it not for the Indignation that iitly takes
the place of mirth we might afford to
smile at the bare allusion that such
fellows as Brockey Tom," " Gus"
O'Donnell, "Bill" Miller and dozens
of others whom We might name, had
ever been Republicans, or were in any
remote degree whatever influenced by
the Republican party. Such men as
Sergeant Dolan, Superintendent of Hos
pital Lee and other city officials whom
We might name and who were no doubt,
if not the originators the active
promoters and agents in carrying out
this stupendous system Of fraud that
has inundated our city like food, new
sr were Republicans, and the very idea
that they ever could be good Republic
ans is simply ridiculous.
The "Gazette" however after con-
siderable foundering in the mud in its
own efforts to cover up the frauds Of its
party, flies off to the oft told tale of Re-
publican fraud committed in years gone
by when our very worthy citizen peach
grower Samuel Townsend might have
been murdered but was not. The "Ga-
zette" knows more about those stories
for it has told them almost hundreds Of
times until now in the years of its do
tags it really thinks they were true.
What awful men Anthony Higgins,
ESQ.,, Edward G. Bradford, ESQ, now
Judge, John NJ. Dunn then U. s. Mar
shall, were simply because they favored
manhood suffrage and were in favor Of
using all honorable means to protect
the dssinthralled freedmen in exerci-
sing the rights guaranteed to them by
the amended constitution. This was
the whole Of their offending, but this
was enough to bring down upon their
heads the puny oposi.ion Of the "Ga-
zstte," and there is no doubt that those
gentlemen will be subject to these spas
modic attacks all through the second
childhood Of our venerable neighbor.
Even to have spoken word or lifted a
hand in behalf of enforcing the provis-
ions of the amended constitution, brings
upon the heads Of those doing 80, the
everlasting condemnation Of the " Ga
zette,' but to become low hummer
q Democratic repeater at the polls, Sc
cures it's friendship and aid in cover
ing up and whitewashing fraud.
The "Gazette," with its wonderful