The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-07-27
Cincinnati ENQUIRER.
OIIIOIIIIiuII IIIIt uIIC'
Mr.. ArtylUtS Letter.


Mr.. Arthuf's Letter.
Nearly ON, halt the letter of fyaccep- |
tance Of C. A. Arthur Republican can
didate for the Vice Presidency of the
United States, is devoted 10 sinister de-
fense OF the action Of John Davenport,
the notorious Supervisor Of Elections in
New York. The right to do the things
which Davenport did sis a matter so VIZ
tai that it must stand in 'front.'" says Mr..
Arthur. Mr. Arthurs defense of The
laws which made possible the conduct OF
Davenport in New York can he construed
only in the light Of the operation OF those
statutes in Mr.. Arthur's city, with which
he must have been familiar. In order to
learn what Arthur gives half of his let
ter of acceptance to defending it is i'm
portant to inquire what Davenport did.
He was Chief Supervisor of Elections
in the City of New York. appointed by
the Circuit Court of the United States
he was Clerk Of The United States Cir
cult Court and an United States Commis-
sioner. In 1876, in these various capac
tiles, he employed more than 1000 Su-
pelvisors, $500 Deputy Marshals. and
an indefinite number of Commissioners,
at an expense of more than S94, 900 i
This was legalized bribery. Every dol
lar Of this money was a corruption fund
under the sanction of statute. In 1878,
and we quote from trustworthy history
Of that time, this Davenport employed |
1925 Supervisors, 1850 Deputy Mar
shals, and Commissioners in proportion,
for all whose pay and expenses he drew
upon the money Of the people in the
Treasury. In June, 1876, as Clerk Of
hthe United States Circuit Court, he issued
warrants for the arrest of $500 natural
lied voters to he brought before him as
United States Commissioner and Chief
Supervisor for the purpose Of making
them surrender their naturalization pa
pers. The Federal Courts themselves
afterward held the naturalization papers
in question were all legal and valid, but
the desired result had been accomplish
ed. The terror inspired hv these arr ests
intimidated thousands from going to the
polls. The same course was pursued in
1878. During the summer of that year
9,400 citizens were notified that they
would be arrested unless they sur
rendered their naturalization papers 10
:. the head Overseer, John I. Davenport.
In the month of October, 1878, 3,l00
persons were actually arrested, and q
reign of terror inaugurated just in ad-
vance of the election. The pretense that
' these persons held fraudulent naturaliza-
tion papers had already been shown to
be false, but 1t was necessary to party
success that an alarm should be raised
= and panic created in the minds of for
eign-born citizens, and of the poor ls-
: boring classes generally. Thousands OF
men who had voted for ten years under
. naturalization papers, honestly obtained,
= we're frightened into surrendering them
: Davenport issued warrants for the arres,
of thousands OF men, in his capacity as
Clerk of the United States Courts, the
warrants returnable before himself az
Commissioner. of the United States
T Court, and all this time he was acting in
: the capacity as Supervisor of Elections
: The Government paid enormous prices
. for these high-handed and outrageou.
!. proceedings and after issuing these thou
u sands of warrants for arrest in a lump
:, Davenport issued an order as follows
:. 'In the case of persons who presen
: themselves to vote, where warrant ha.
: been previously issued, you will see tha
. . such persons are arrested upon the war
:, = rant upon so presenting themselves, an,
= before voting" Each one of the thou
sands of persons so to be arrested befor
:, voting was a legal voter. Such wholesal
= and outrageous intimidation has neve
: been elsewhere practiced in this countr.
- upon the right of suffrage This is tn
> system which Mr. Arthur has observed
!, praises through half his letter of accep
u tance.
Mr.. Arthur's letter was written afte
great deliberation and after consultation
Is not this feature of it significant
m Does it not indicate that the Republica
"a managers will resort 10 most desperat
u devices in the effort to carry this elec
he tion2 Are they to extend their method
sr where they have never been extended be
lie fore? Is this the candidate who wa
le turned out OF Office by Sherman an
% Hayes for alleged ineficiency and 70
ID disobeying the Civil Service Reform doc
'e trines? Is this the man who was nomi
IF mated on a Civil Service Reform platforr
% at Chicagn2 Did he mean in this lette
IS to file notice of the determination of th
le Republican manipulaiors to exhaust stat
l. ute and lawlessness in the endeavor t.
'e retain power in the approaching elec
+ tionsp