The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-08-05
STARTLING FACTS.
The StupendOus Frauds of the Demo.
cratic Party. -
. {. From the Chicago Tribune]

cratic Party.
[From the Chicago Tribune.]
The testimony of Chief Supervisor
John I. Davenport before the committee
appointed by the Senate to investigate
the charges of election frauds commit
ted under Democratic auspices is full of
startling developments that ought to
appeal strongly to every man who is in
favor Of honest elections and Of preserv-
ing the purity Of the ballot-box. His
statements show that many persons who
held certificates of naturalization had
never declared their Intentions, nor
sworn to theapplications which appeared
on file in court. Others were not asked
whether they had done so or not, and
great numbers were never asked about
their age at all. They were naturalized
in squads. On one day Judge Barnard
alone naturalized 2,543, and on the
same day, in the Superior Court, 2,O77
were put through this fraudulent pro-
cess, making 1920 for the day. Nearly
10000 persons voted in the election of
1868 upon these fraudulent naturaliza-
ton papers, the others voting in various
counties in New York State, and in New
Jersey, Connecticut and in Pennsylva-
Ma. In answer to a question how many
naturalization papers bearing the seal Of
the court had been issued in excess of
the. number upon the records of the
court, he replied: "About $4,000.
The Supreme Court alone issued $4,000
certified blanks, of which 1884 were
used. The papers were issued in blank
with no name to them" The law re-
qu1res that the testimony showing five
years residence must be taken in open
court by an oral examination Of the wit
ness, previously prepared affidavits not
0elng IN evidence, and yet, says, Mr..
Davenport, /" In these cases in 1868 no
record was taken by the court. On the
minutes OF the Supreme Court six names
appeared during the month of October up
to Oct 6. On the next day the court
adjourned, and not a line appeared in
the minutes i'll regard to the other Is, 1913
persons: = In another part Of this testi-
mony Mr.. Davenport says: "Of the
papers secured in 1868 and held by vot-
ers IN 1873, about rs per cent. We're as
sumed to be Democratic and IS per
cent. Republican, but all the naturaliza-
ton papers issued in 1868 were to Dem
ocratlc applicants, with the exception Of
about :, $500, i'll which cases the natural
!zat1on process was honestly conducted
In the Court Of Common Pleas" Fraud
was piled upon fraud. False naturaliz-
alton was not the only form OF Demo-
cratic rascality. By repeating alone,
rs, 600 fraudulent votes were cast in the
election of 1868, and every scoundrel az
rested for Illegal voting was discharged
by Judge McCum. As Mr.. Davenport
expressed it-and it is a matter Of public
notorlety, never questioned cleo
ton was carried by repeating, false vot-
ing, false swearing, false canvassing,
false naturalization, falsehood through
out. aided with money and with the /.
power Of criminal bench upon which
sat Democratic Judges whose corruption
and dishonesty knew no limits. That is
the way in which the Republican ma
1orlty III the State Of New York was
overcome, and that is the way it will be
overcome next fall unless some check is
placed upon the frauds practiced in New
York city.
These outrageous frauds upon tue
banot-box have been investigated before
this, and they have been brought home
so clearly to the door of the Democratic
party that no one has ever questioned
their paternity. And yet this is the
party that is continually bowling for re-
form and demanding honest elections in
its platforms and party organs IF the
Democratic party is in favor Of honest
elections, why does it oppose, tooth and
nail, every attempt to legislate for such
result and to surround the ballot-boxes
with every possible safeguard? IF it is
in favor Of honest elections, why does it
seek to vitiate every law and statute that
guards the ballot-box against fraud? IF
it is in favor of honest elections, how is
it that itpolls 40, 900 illegal votes in New
York city; that it has been convicted Of
repeated frauds in Chicago, in Cincin-
matt, and in other Northern cities; that
it has colonized Indiana and New JERSEY
with illegal voters? How. is it that It
openly stuffs the ballot-boxes in the
Southern States with thousands of tissue
paper ballots, making no pretense of
concealment? How is it that in States
known to have large Republican MAORI
ties, when no denial of it is made even
by their own party in those States. they
have prevented the Republican vote
from being cast, by force, terrorism.
bulldozing, ostracism, brutality and
every conceivable form Of fraud?
Is this what they conceive to be
advocating honest elections? Suppose
that the Republicaa party should adopt
the same methods Of bulldozing and bal