New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-23
Exposing ELECTION Frauds.

TIE testimony of Mr.. Davenport before the
Congressional Committee will probably make
an elective political pamphlet. He has the adj
vantage OF knowing what lie is talking about,
and his "old story" though told more than
once before, has never before been told with so
much force, or with such a wealth of dOcumen-
tary and other supporting evidence, as on this
occasion. 1t has pleased the Democrats to
make Mr.. Davenports office very expensive to
him. His discharge Of its duties, they will
find has made the office still more expensive
to them.
The feature IN this case which ought to at
tract most attention is that the Democratic
party has for years been struggling, and is
struggling still, to get the benefit Of the infa-
nous frauds perpetrated by Tweed and Tam
many in 1868. decent party would long
ago have Joined heartily in the punishment of
these frauds, and in the prevention Of the
fraudulent voting thus made possible. Bat
the Democratic party has expended all its
effort in trying TO punish Mr.. Davenport for
exposing its frauds, and in trying to deprive
him of all power to prevent tier continuance.
More than one bill has been passed by both
houses of Congress- since the Democrats had
power to pass bills, in which Presidential veto
was fatty defed, ana means for the support Of
important branches Of the Government We're
made contingent upon the defeat of Mr.. D.ven-
ports effort to thwart the frauds OF 1865. The
pay stipulated by law has been refused, solely
because the Office has been used to defeat
fraud. Mr.. Coffee-P Wallace, with chaIac-
teristic folly, asserts that Mr.. Davenport III
trying to stop infamous frauds ut elections,
"has been making partisan use OF his power"
The statement has only this basis Of truth :
any man who tries to prevent fraud in New
York tries to defeat the Democratic party. But
Mr.. Wallace had not much sense to admit the
| fact. For twelve years the Democratic party
| has been voting, at every election, thousands
| of men who never lived, or who never lived in
the State, or who were never legally atural-
| lied or entitled TO vote. Mr.. Davenport has
| curtaied that Iascality. Consequently Demo
Gratis who pretend to desire honest elections
| and honest government have boiled over in
blackguardism day after day and year after
wear. All their abnse has decorated Mr.
Davenport, who tried to stop fraud, but not a
word of it has ever been aimed at the Infamous
Judges who prostituied their offices In order tc
pollute the ballot-box. Not word of censure
have Democrats for the party managers who
refuse to this day to cooperate in any meas
ures to prevent the perpetuation OF the fraud
They curse Mr.. Davenport, because he checked
free fraud.
The Chicago platform, the letter of Genera
Garfield, and the letter Of General Arthur, prop
erly treat the question of election frauds q
one of the utmost importance. The Demo
cratic party continues to exist by means of sucl
frauds. 1t carried nearly all the Southern
States by frauds as infamous as ever wer
perpetrated In country nominallv free, ant
thus secured the official power to carry thos
States in the same way hereafter. 1t ha
carried Connecticut and Indiana more thar