New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-20
q FREE B1LLOr AND HOME RULE."

"FREE BALLOT AND HOME RULE"
The two catch-words of Democracy admir-
ably supplement each other. The Free
Ballot" part of the platform applies to the
large cities at the North where under the
Democratic application of the rule thousands
of persons vote who have no right to. The
Home Rule part applies to the South, where
thousands who have the right to vote are not
permitted to The thousands of fraudulent
voters at the North are Democrats; the thOus
ands of defrauded voters South are Republicans;
so the two things make lovely see-saw III
the interest of the Demo cratic party. Perhaps
they mean TO excuse one with the other, just
as Charles Lamb excused himself for coming
to his work late in the morning with the re-
mark: But you must remember that l go
"away Veyy early in the afternoon" Should
any one suggest to these patriots that there
was gross injustice in their Home Rule doctrine,
bv which thousands of honest voters were de-
frauded Of their right to the ballot, they would
probably answer: "Yes but our principle OF
d" the Free Ballot sets that all right by permit
" ting just as many others to vote who have no
fright tor 1t is a neat little arrangement
under which they say at the South: "We'll
and at the North, You may have the crow
"whilc we take the turkey" They talk
turkey to themselves all the time.
TIE meaning of the phrase Home Rule, as
they enforce it, has come to be pretty we'll UNI
dors.0od. 1t means the rule in several Southern
States of a minority Of white Democrats, who
either 10y intimidation and force prevent cOlored
Republicans from voting, or by frauds in
stulling The boxes or counting the ballots prac
tically effect the same purpose. 1t means that
the ballot which was gwen the freedman for his
protection shall not he so used; that the white
Democrats shall have their own way unOp-
posed: that the blacks shall continue to serve
them by increasing the number of their repre-
sentatives and the extent Of their power, and
that with the advantage so gained they shall
have the opportunity to unite with their former
allies at the North and control the Government
they failed to destroy. Home Rule means,
too, something more than the control Of their
State Governments. That they have already,
and they haven't the assurance to claim that
there is the remotest danger of their being de-
prived of it. 1t is the Home Rule of MI
norlty, and n rule with hand very little less
heavy than when they owned the bodies and
souls of the black men who are now nOminally
citizens. But they want more than this. They
want through the instrumentality of this pc
culiar sort of Home Rule, to get possession of
tho Government, and undo the work of the
past twenty years. That is the real meaning of
the strange paradox, to be witnessed through
out the South, OF men clamOring for Home
Rule all the time that they are having their
own sweet will, and shooting down or counting
out all who oppose them.
And does any one desire to know what they
mean by the cry for Free Ballot In view of
the fact which cannot be successfully contro-
verted. that there are not a score of Democratic
voters in all the North who, being honestly en-
titled to VOTE were ever deprived Of the privi-
lege. or are in any danger of it, one might
well inquire the meaning OF the clam0r about
n Free Ballot. The testimony of Commissioner
Davenport before the Senate Investigating
Committee now in session in this city, answers
the inquiry and throws a flood of light on the
whole subject. 1t is in evidence, and what is
more has been a thousand times admitted by
Democrats themselves, nor is it denied by any
intelligent Democrat, so far as we know, that in
1868 frauds of the most stupendous character
were perpetrated in this city In the issue of
naturalization papers to persons not emitted to
them. 1t was by means of these that the vote
of this State was counted for Horatio Seymour
in 1868, and John Il. Hoffman was declared
elected Governor. Commissioner Davenport
gives the full particulars of these frauds. by
whom they were committed, and their extent
and every honest citizen should read his testi-
mony. 1t was to defeat these frauds and pre-
vent their perpetuation that the election laws
were passed which have SO excited the hostility
of Democratic leaders, and it was of Mr. Da-
venport's zeal and efficiency in carrying out
their provisions as Supervisor of Elections, that
he has been so roundy denounced by Demo-
cratic orators and newspapers, and been made
tho subject Of the present investigation by
Democratic Congress.
The Free Ballot means removal of all the
safeguards against fraudulent voting. Not less
than $4,000 fraudulent naturalization certii-
Gates were issued in tlss city In 1868. All the