Daily Republican., 1882-11-10
BOARD OF CANVASSERS.
AN EXCETING SESSION YESTER'
DAY AFTERNOON ON
DEMOS RATIO FRAUDS.

their session yesterday afternoon, and
after the returns from the hundreds
throughout the county had been read, a
motion was made on the Democratic
side to begin the count in the city with
the Eleventh ward. This was over
ruled and the First District, First ward
was taken up Every rything proceeded
harmoniOusly until the reading of the
certificate from the Sixth District was
completed, when, en- motion of John
Dolan, the Eleventh ward was taken
up, then the Tenth, and so on until
every Democratic ward in che city was
counted and put on record. A motion
was then made and carried, to take up
the Seventh District, comprising the
east end Of the Fifth ward. T. Ellwood
Singley thea made motion that unless
the returns from that district were
signed by all the judges it should be
thrown out.
The Sheriff declined to entertain tho
motion, and John DoIan said that he
held in his hand protest from one of
the judges which he desired to have
read The Sheriff refused to admit it
until after they had heard the T, turns.
Mr.. Singley then in an excited manner
appealed from the Sheritf's decision on
his motion, but the Sheriff refused to
allow the appeal to be put. Calls were
made for l.. G. Vandegrift, Esq, to put
the appeal, but that gentleman rose and
said, 81 have no power tU put 1t; 1 am
only here as d clerk; the Sheriff is the
presiding officer" The excitement at
this time WAS intense, and at least a
score OF persons were trying to make
themselves heard by the chair at once.
Finally the Sheriff succeeded in max
ing himself heard, and informed the
turbulent crowd that he had sent for
Mr.. Whiteley and would be governed
by his decision. This was met with the
cries, 1--WE don't want his declsiCn;"
"you are the presiding officer, and you
must put our appeal" &c.
In the midst of the excitement Mr..
Whit1ley entered the room, and after
, being informed Of the nature of the
! difficulty said that if they would listen
him he would endeavOr to give his
views on the matter Several voices
On the Democratic side called ont:
owe don't want to hear you; you can
not choke us off in that way; we want
our rlgDtS.
Mr.. Whiteley stood and calmly sur
veyed the scene until the noise had in
a measure subsided, when he said
"If you don't want to hear me I'll
take my seat.
There were number of calls for him
to 60 on, and he proceeded to define the
powers of the Board of Canvassers.
He said that this was not q returning
board, but their duties we're to count
= the returns as they were given to them.
I The law says, to make certificate val
i'd it must be signed by majority OF
the election officers, and as this Ger tit-
iCate was signed by all but one, they
! had no power to throw it out. They
l were bound to count the vote as it was
b certified to them. At this point he was
interrupted by Dolan who asked him If
they were bound to count votes that
y they knew we're fraudulent.
Mr.. Whiteley Informed him that
they were not TO be the judges in re-
gard TO the vote, they must take the
returns as they were given to them
certified to by a majority of the election
: officers, and then if there had been
q fraud committed, they had their reme.
dy in the Courts. "Great Heavensr'
he exclaimed, "are you going to put
that much power into the hands Of one
u stubborn man 2"
Q This was received with cheers from
the Republicans, which Mr.. Bird and
others tried in vain to quiet. At this
q demonstration the Democrats became
T. nearly frantic and for few min.
Irfn Oh tbof rho TnAntinO In
-. end in q general row. Finally through
: the efforts of cool headed men on both
Il sides, quiet was again restored and Mr.
:. Whiteley proceeded:
V Suppose Mr.. Brady had refused tt
sign the returns in the Eastern distric
Il of the Seventh ward would you have
}. all the citizans Of that district cheated
Iout of their right to vote? Or sup
pose the Republican Judge of che Tenth
10 ward had refused to sign the returns
(, from that district would you rob al
y the people OF that ward of their privi
Ilege of voting?" A voice from th'
Democratic side OF the house: "SHu
:, up."1 If Mr.. Bates, or Mr.. Lynch, O.
Mr.. Barlow, is defeated unjustly, by
fraudulent votes or otherwise, lot hin
O 90 to the courts an have his redress
If Mr.. Lore or Mr.. Hastings is defeated
uniustly, let him 60 to the Congress o
the United States for justice. Th'
courts will attend to all illegal voter
% if they are properly prosecuted.
II "Friends, said Mr.. Whiteley, bu
y here Collector Kyne shouted: "Ho1
IT amt our friend" and several voice
II said, chats So" Mr.. Whlteley quickl.
resumed by saying: "Friends or II
b Ireinds, cannot let my party cOmmi
@ such a great wrong. have too muc
), at stake, the Democratic party has TOo
!, IL uch at stake.
e He warned them if they undertook t
establish such a precedent it w0ul,
~ come home to them some day. Th
. speaker was again interrupted b.
- crleJ from the Democratic side that the
Il din't want to hear such doctrine az thai
II and Crippen, the young man who ha
y refused TO sign the certificate, said 80
Il sit down you amt Democrat MI
u Wbiteley eyed him for moment, an
= then replied, young man l was
democrat before you were born.
"Gentlemen," lie continued, 9Th
t, legislature aud the courts are your re
% lief no matter what grounds you hav
1t against these returns" At this poin
William Simmons, the Republican Ia
i. spector of the Seventh district, state
3 that Mr.. Crippeu had agreed to ever!
4 decision he made on the day of the cleo
ton; that the Democratic window mel
even complimented his decisions. Do
10 Ian interrupted him and said the pro
:, Test which ne had would show tba
Il three or four illegal votes were cast
Mr.. Whiteley concluded his remark
q as follows:
,, "Suppose foor Illegal votes have beer
cast-in the name of God, shall tina
disfranchise every other decent vote il
r the district? am too old a man to b
u told that the people must submit to tn
dictation of one man! No sir; go to lh
q courts. There lies your remedy if yoI
d have a wrong. You are a set OF calcu
s lating arithmeticians here today"
AS MI. Whitley stepped down from
, the platform, he was congratulated By
Mr. Rrady and other reputable men o