National Republican., 1885-11-14

andidate for High OHice in the
&eighboring Commonwealth 90 How
icctions Are Made Farce bY Fraud.
ANDY SPRINGS, MD., Nov. @, iSj5--To
Il PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
During the recent canvass in Maryland,
bich bad the honor to be the caudl-
p Of the Republican party for comptroller
Ihe treasury of the state, certain facts
Ie forced upon my attention which |
|n II important to present to you and to
4 people of the country.
8our pledges to apply the principles OF
A service reform to the federal Offices
|Ie OF the fullest and strongest character,
they did much to secure your election
N to reconcile many OF your opponents to
10 defeat. In all candor must say that
actions and utterances since you as
ed the duties OF your oflico have, in u
a 10 measure, conformod to your pledges
attested the sincerity OF your profes-
H. OF course mistakes have been made
ou and by members OF your Cabinet, be-
y be II was impossible for you or them to
ware OF the characters of oil the men
gested to you for appointment to Office.
! ERE such mistakes arc discovered and rec
d no charge Of Inconsistency or lnsincer-
gan fairly be made.
is to one OF these mistakes that l do
to ask your serious attention. refer
Ehe appointment Of Eugene Higgins, OF
III city OF Baltimore, as appointment clerk
bic Treasury department. l have never
= disposed to hold either you or the Sec
Try Of the Treasury responsible for this
ointment, as it seems impossible that an
vldual 80 Insignificant in himself
lld, In any way, have attracted the at
e ion Of either one OF you. Fortunately,
Z senior senator from Maryland has as
+ ed the entire responsibility for that APP
X|tme,t. In the late canvass he said
Inn alone responsible for the nomination
Iessrs. Higgins and Thomas"
5 the senator from Maryland, as the
O. rman Of the national Democratic COM
zee, and as your personal and political
I'D, you had every reason to place entire
L and confidence In his Recommendation
= Mr.. Higgins. But II the senator was
brant of the character Of the man whom
Endorsed, or you were deceived by his
mmendation into the appointment Of
- briously unfit man, your oft-repeated
ges and your action In other cases JUS
the people in expecting that such q
axe will be rectliled by the immediate
|oval Of such man, II you shall be sat-
q, by proof, of his uniitness.
is this proof that propose to submit
h our judgment and that Of the public.
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1875.
be campaign of 1916 in Maryland was
ieen the Democratic party on the one
and combination of Democrats and
nblicans, such us elected you governor
be state Of New York, ON the other. On
face of the returns the Democratic can
ties were elected, but l believe there is
no considerable difference Of opinion
ng the people OF the state In regard to
fact that that result was obtained by
d and violence. Gen. Bradley T. John
lifelong Democrat, said, in 1882,
nmon consent now admits the rape Of
pallot box in 1875 in the city Of Balti-
e.n 1t is equally true that common con-
now admits that Eugene Higgins was
of the chief actors in that rape of the
bt box, as is shown by the following
bment made by s. Teackle Wallis, esq.,,
be city of Baltimore, in his letter to the
ident Of the Civil Service Reform Asso-
on. do not at all exaggerate when l
hat the testimony of Mr.. Wallis would
Fceived In Maryland as that Of Charles
bnor would have been received In New
during his lifetime.
MIR. wALIIs's LETTER.
o letter of Mr.. Wallis is as follows:
HALL PLEAsANTs. esq.,, President of the
Service Reform Associatiou-DEi Sur;
in receipt of your letter requesting me to
what know in regard to the connection
Eugene Higgins with election frauds In
city. For personal reasons, of which you
ware, but which are altogether aside from
consideration of Mr.. Higgins. have re-
ed, thus far, from taking amy public part
e expression OF surprise and mortification
which his appointment at Washington
been generally received In Baltimore.
bt feel. however, that as a member of your
iation, or indeed as citizen, / can prop.
lllow these reasons TO prevent me from
ering your inquiries.
Mr.. Higgins general relation to the elec.
frauds which have frequently disgraced
W, lily for some years past, | can only speak
mis- well-known reputation. l think that
is scarcely any man in the Democratic
here whose name Is or has been more no
|isly and constantly associated than his
irregularities OF all sorts in the pri-
II es and at elections. / cannot realize that
}nc at oil familiar with our politics can be
ant OF this or will dispute It. Indeed, his
T. less and cleverness In such matters are
nlly reputed to constitute his merit with
Is lass Of politicians whom he serves and
whom he is associated.
ir inquiries however are principally d.
TO Mr.. Higgins alleged participation in
lection frauds Of 1875. In regard to this
ny knowledge is derived from others, but
~ Violence have Is very authoritative and
ic, and place 1t at your disposal.
In the state. election in the fall of 1875,
the ballot boxes In the custody of the
of the superior court were opened and
lllots examined, with view TO the con-
the house of delegates, 1t was found that
ballots had been extensively aud very
m tnmpered with. Large numbers OF the
II n ballots had been removed from the
and quantities of the regular Demo
tickets had been substituted for them.
pad been done SO audaciously that the
tutcd tickets had not even been folded
to present the appearance of having
u into the boxes In the regular and lawful
They were in largo layers, ilattened out
ely as they had come from the printer Z
and In many cases adhering to each
to the number of ten, twenty, thirty, and
more, In each layer. That they could
Id got into the boxes except by llfllng the
nd inserting them in bulk was impossi-
The fraud was too conspicuous for dis
and its perpetrtion must necessarily
required so much time that 1t obviously
not have been committed without the
Vance of the clerk of the court. BY whom
yer, II was actually committed was not
ally known for some years AFTER Mean.
Mr.. Provost, then deputy clerk, who
sded Robinson in the office, had informed
a general way that he had been aware OF
petratiOD at tho time but had been afraid
ition IT, lest It should cost him his place.
fere first brought 10 olight through vol
statement made by man named Keys
II one OF the acting participants in the
lction, to Judge William A. Stewart, now
supreme bench Of this city.
be campaign OF 1888 II became my duty,
? irman of the "citlzens'" reform commit
~ investigate the matter, the parties undeI
auspices II was committed being at the
'he chief sponsors OF the regular Demo
X nominee for the mayoralty Mr. Latrobe
M the candidates for local and municipal
to which only the citizens movement
U led. verified the confession OF Keys By
erview with Judge Stewart, and was fur.
by Mai. Richard Il. Allison, then CLERK
court, with the names of several o
ieputy clerks, who had confessed
personal participation in the
W, and had given him the details and the
of the parties who had committed II, In
LEA g the name of Eugene Higgins All OF
rites agreed in the statement that they
tpeen permitted by Robinson, the thef
at night for the purpose of "hxing' thu
aud had taken out the Reform ballot!
|irned them In the stove, substituting the
W tickets for them. The process was nee
" tedious one, so as, II possible, not tC
IRE with the tallies, and had occupied
Saturday night, all Sunday, and, think
Iy night. AS to this last, however, my
ction Is not precise.
ost and Robinson being dead / wa
LIS TO put the facts beyond peradyenturI
lble before giving them TO the public
wing heard from several sources that Mr.
4, Baldwin, of this city, the presiden
e National Mechanics Bank, an(
bne of the commissioners Of finance