The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-16
CRIMES AGAINST THE SUFFRAGE.

urge the speediest and most thorough investi-
cation of these frauds, and the prompt proper
and effective punishment of the perpetrators,
without regard to party interests. On the
face of the situation the burden of exoneration
must rest with the Democrats, since they
would have profted by the fraud had it been
able to profit anybody. 1t looks like Demo
cratic scheme to steal the Legislature, and
elect a Democratic United States senator.
But allowing for the slender chance of this
conclusion being wide of the fact, Republic
| ans and all honest men must demand a thor
ough and impartial examination of the case, to
the end that justice may be done. Let the
whole matter be sifted to the bottom, and the
swindling scoundrels of whatever bias be
shaken out, and exposed to the contempt of
the public and be given their deserts in the
shape of term in the penitentiary If so be
designing rascals of either party were engaged
in this fraud, and will stand together to pre-
vent investigation, let the honest men of all
parties in Cincinnati move to unearth the
crookedness, and expose all who are guilty.
There is reason to believe that Democrats
alone are responsible for the infamy connect
ed with the attempted frauds, and the Repub
lcans of Cincinnati should not desist from
the investigation until the guilt is fixed
where it belongs. Honorable Democrats can
not refuse CO operation without confessing
judgment. But while, specifically the bur-
den of proof of innocence must rest with the
Democrats, it is not enough to allow that
felons to escape with the shame of suspicion of
guilt. The proof should be wrought out care
fully and conscientiously, until it admits of
no doubt, and sentence of Imprisonment
should be inflicted. BY so doing the Repub
lcans will not only relieve their party from
any suspicion of dishonesty, but do the cause
of honesty in popular elections everywhere an
invaluable service.
The people of this Republic must soon
arouse to the fact that the machinery of
popular government in some places has fallen
into unworthy hands Thieves and liars, by
tricks Of which they are masters, have won
their way into the confidence of the several
parties and have pushed forward to manage
and manipulate elections. The less the coun-
try has of such men the BETTER and the party
that shall mercilessly expose and shake them
off will do patriotic service. If the Cincin
natl instance were the first of the kind, it
| might be overlooked and neglected. But it
comes Immediately on the heels of the
Mackin infamy at Chicago; and that succeeded
the stealing of ballot-box and contents in
this city, which was supplemented by an act
of burglary in which the criminal succeeded
in mutilating and carrying off the ballots
fled for reference and safekeeping in the
courthouse. These things cannot be tolerated
without destroying this Republic. The
words here uttered express the meaning wished
to be conveyed. Unless the people
rise and grapple with these scoundrels, North
and South, it is useless to talk of popular gov
ernment. If the people at length discover
that elections are a formal farce. subject to
the wishes of few villains in charge Of the
polls, inside or out, the uselessness of voting
will become apparent, and the business of
elections will be turned over to those into
whose hands it now seems to be settling. The
ramifcations of this evil and its effects know
no limit The frauds attempted by Mackin
and others at Chicago, and those now at Gin
cinnati, the perpetrators of which have not
yet been discovered, aimed at nothing less
than the control of the Nation. 1t is upon
such slender threads as the vote of one town
ship or county that popular government fire.
quently hangs, and nobody understands this
better than the partisan freebooters,
who, by swift calculation, ascertain
where fraud will make greatest
returns, and act accordingly. These must be
beaten down, exposed and punished according
to their deserts. and this duty must be under
taken by honest men. regardless of immediate
consequence to parties, but with a determine
ton to put an end to such dangerous scoun-
drelsm.
In the same direction-that is, looking to
establishing respect for and confidence in
the result of popular elections-the people
must frown upon and discountenance the in
discriminate challenging of the election when
it is close Unless it is very clear that fraud
or violence has perverted the verdict of the
people no appeal should be countenaneed
Yet it has become quite common for a candi-
date beaten by small majority to fly to the
courts and attempt to reverse the election, and
only too often such schemes have succeeded on