Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-01-11
rEHMs ss.OO IN ADVANCE.
BULLDOxING AND DTSFRAN-
CHISEMENT IN NEW YORK.


Our reason was that we did not
keep an outrage mill and did not
therefore think it right to denounce
him until it was clearly determined |
whether he had any shadow of law
for his proceedings. But the ques-
tion has been now thoroughly sifted |
before United States Circuit Court,
and it is fully settled that there
was in fact no shadow of legal pre-
tence for such interference. Here,
then, Is brief statement of what
was done.
On account of divisions in the
Democratic camp the voting popu-
lation of New York, generally
largely Democratic, were very
nearly divided, and it was desirable
in the interests of the Republican
party to suppress large portion OF
the Irish vote. This Mr.. Davenport
undertook to do. He had been APP
pointed Supervisor of Elections
ostensibly for the purpose Of secur-
ing a pure and just election ; but he
was appointed by a Republican adj
ministration, and such appointee>
are we'll known to be delegated,
whatever their duties, to execute
them as partisans, not as public
servants owing dutiIs to the whole
people. So Supervisor Davenport
sets to work on the Irish vote how
is it to bediminished? Many thous-
ands of these voters had been natu-
rallied within the last fifteen years.
Mr.. D. chose to assume that the
mode in which such naturaliZations
had been recorded was not strictly
according to law, and, acting on
that assumption, he proceeded as
follows: First, on pretence of ex-
amining their legality, he got pos
session of large number of natural,
ization papers and retained them
till after the period for registration
was over, and so prevented them
from being registered. Some, how
ever, were too sharp to giveup thei'
papers, and against these he de
nounced Imprisonment and all tho
other tefrors of the law in case they
voted without submitting their pa
pers to him. A large number were
deferred from voting by this intim'
idation, and 1t is well known thai
several wards were counted Repub
Iican by that means.
1t was natural that q considerable
cutlery was raised against the Super
visor on this account, and Mr.
Davenport was rash enough il
Vindication of himself to bring ;
voter named Coleman before TIL
United States Circuit Court for hav
ing voted in spite of the threat
above described.
The decision of the court wa
given last week by Judge Blatch
ford and is a settlement of the queS
tiOn which, to quote the words q
the New York Herald, mot onl.
disposes of that case but preclude
any future controversy respecting
the validity of naturalization paper
obtained by the same method ant
recorded in the same FORM"
Judge BIatchford's decision i
fact decides two questions: First
that the form in which the recon
was kept Is strictly legal, and sec
ondly that, if it had not been so, tn
voting privilege of a citizen one
naturalized would not have bee
initiated by such an informality.
And now, why do we trouble Ou
readers with this one specimen {
electiOneering rascality out of :
many? 1t is not as a set-Off again.
any abuses which the Blaine con
.mittee may dig up in South Car
lima or Louisiana the Blaine con
mittee is dead before it breath,
and needs no blow from US to kill
off. 1t is a. a reason for demandin
the repeal of the law under whiC
these Supervisors are appOintet
That law was confessedly passed fl
partisan purposes. On the face of
1t protested the purpose Of seCurir
freedom and purity of election
and, if administered by imparti
men, 1t might have done so; but i
authors never intended hatitshou
be administered impartially, al
they took care not to intrust it
impartial men. In every instan
Republicans were appointed, al
not only Republicans but acti'
partisans at that, and the more u
scrupulous the better.
The appointment of this very m;
Davenport was a shameless ind
cency on the part Of an adninistr
ton which professed the purpose
insuring purity of election. He h;
been prosecuted for illegal procee
ings in former election, and on
escaped by some legal hocuS-poc
which had nothing to do with Il
merits of the case, and he was a
pointed to this Office for the We
reason that he had shown hims,
knave enough for any rascality tn
might be required in the interest
the Republican party. The truth
that these Supervisors never act al
are rarely even appointed in al
case except where there seems
good chance of breaking down
De uocratic majority, and how Il
thing works may be seen from NJ
Thurman's communication to Z
Teller committee, which shall a
propriately close this article:
WASHINGTON, D. T., Jan. 40 the HI
r. ". Teller. CItirm IN Of the S'lect Conan
tee OF InUeStiQ Ttinn-D ar Sir: In furti
compliance with the request of your CO
mittes, communicated to me by your let
of the 21st ultimo, have the honor now
inclose to you insIallment No. . of facts
Iatin9 to the late elections, and especially
the misconduct of United States Superv3Si
and Deputy MHTShalS, TO wit:
FirSt-A letter from James II. Paine JAG
SonviIle, Florida, relative to the miScOnd.
OF United states Supervisors and Dept
MarShals at the late elections in the Seoo
CONGRESSIONAL District In that State.
Second-An affidavit from Owen ]. So
rners OF Duval county, Florida, relating