Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-07-24
Tie Dover Inde1 prints the following

to adverse criticisms of the Federal Elec-
ton bill is that ''noboay objects to 1t who
desires q fair elecsion.n Knowing that it
ia absolutely iudetensible, upon either
the grounds of expediency or oonstitu-
tional right, they studiously ignore ail
discussion OF Its merlta, and bdtake them-
selves TO lofty dsclamations about the
sancity Of the ballot and honest elections.
BY this they hope to silence The patriotic
protests OF all the public conscience and
allay the indignant cllmor OF the people.
Everybody knows saat this Republican
talk about "free ballot and fair
count" is nothing but hypoorltioal
| whiue.
Ii ls within the memory Of many OF
the older citizens OF Delaware now Dy
the interference Of armed soldiers at the
polls in 1852 onr own people were de-
| prived Of the right 20 cast free ballot,
and William Cannon thereby elected gov
ernor of this little commonwealth. 1t
yill not be ont Of tbs way 20 refer 30
the sworn testimony of some OF the oiti-
zsns of this State az TO the eject Of Federal
inisrference with elections therein.
james r. LpA nd, rs provost marshal,
ba7 ehsyg6 of he soldiers Mt Milford.
The following tagtimony OF William ID.
Fowler b3fors tbo i1vestigzhng com
mit.ee will shoW how no and the ecldiers
tried 70 nsee,ot0 the sucosss OF the Re
prhtlesp party.
Nr. Fowiat was asked-Do you re-
memher of any instance where MIR.
Lcdend jnte-icraa 10 ish1aace unfairly
thu vote Of any ai.i6an of that hundrsdf
Nr. Fowler answered, 81 do. James
Il. Irh4nd, in company with two or more
eGliieys, came to the Democratic head
quarters. met Kim ht the ooor. lie
said be vented Joseph Sharks. Joseph
Sparks was Democrat who had beeD 10
the army and taken prisoner by the
southern army and Wis homo on parole.
We met JaInss R. Iceland, witn TWO or
moro sol5isTs Mt tho head of tee stair
case. Jama4 R. Ilofsnd stopped Sparks
himself, aud told him tast he should not
vote With me, and gsksd him why he got
out Of the Huas, Sparsa answered that
he hsd no right TO bold him in the lima,
a. lie wss home on hia parole. Hs told
LCfiaad hs weB q Democrat and vas
gong 81 vote that ticket. that he bad
changed hig vioSB. Lctiind told him
hp shonld MOI v1te. then made o
proposition ta Mr. Lohsnd to giva him a
ticket OF each bird, and let him 60 by
himself ana Sapoait which one he saw
no cnmprouiss to make. Spark5 than
went dsWn stars ia company with lyself,
aul sep. Oyet into the store OF Wm tllll
81 Son. I t6sra esked him il he hal
paid hjs tNz, Upoa which ne produced his
tsx reneipt. SSYs hin = Ticket, pnd told
him to show his reesipt, showing he had
q right to vote. 50 vent, in cptnpeny
with Mr. CAnaol, 10 i5e place o. voting,
or ag nsar ss ha r3ald get to the piacn Of
I voting. Tie Hgi idrs, VINO were standing
with trair Gsyonsts l0sked, pushed him
hack, aud ta.a him he could not vote
them La produced his tax receipt, aud
/ told them he hRa right to vote al ]
was going to vote Democratic teeet---
J holding it in his hand. then demanded
! OF the soldiers 10 know why they chal'
' lepged his vote, 10 let him go to the win
dow and the judges would decide whether
he was qualified voter. The answer
. was, the provost nia!shsl had told them
= not to allow Suerks t. vots IN his ab-
1 senoe. 10 the meauti.s, James h. LOT.
) land, the proVGst marshal, seized him by
: the coat, pulled him out OF the porch
a and ordaEed two soldiers to bear him
away. rs the best OF my knowledge,
i, saw him no more un'il thene1t morning
This WAS tho swosh testimony OF vii
I liam d. FoTIer of Milford, who is yet
4 living 10 corroB9Yhie It. Can James Il
! LohAnd and lis colleagues deny itI
truth? DosR thid look LEs "a trae bal
lot and fair eoaat?"
Before the sams coumiites Dir. Marl
: G. Lofland, also Of Milford, in answer tC
I, the question as to whether any partially
!, was shown to Republicans by the sol
y diers, said: "There was. These was /
y little disturbance at the polls over I
y voter, whereupon the captain ordered {
u charge. The soldiers who ware rushiui
towards Winlook ii. ror,linson will
1t their bayoness pointsd at him had go
L near him when Hiram W. MeOauley,
L broshor.iu-lsw of Mr. Fisher, then csndi
70 date for Congress, hallooed; Stop! Stop
% lie is a good Unioa man. and they i'm
20 meaiately hs.t-d."
it romlinson was Republican, and thA
EXPLAIN everything.
n The Democratic voters OF Dayer hat
4 tho Same experience as their friends II
Ia Gileord. William Il. Jester, nov deceased
o testified before the same committee:
~ "rhers were soldiers a. the polls il
m D3TGr. They were drawn up IN line earl.
}. in tue morning in front Of N. B.Smtheri
8. 0iiioe, on the green. saw thsm make
N cnarpe in the afternoon, across the pave
lt meat in front of the polls Ia Whioh the,
n struck mo and injured mo very seriously
AZ kor c'qht weeks | coald not attend t
\ b,:si4sss. Az was lying on my bnek or
M OF tAe soliieru thrust bayoner at ne an
II ho was seen by John Penington an
:. others. james A. Clifton was struck il
!, tha sape charge whilo standing ny m.
VI sile. The soldiers ware present TO ~
A. A. tbs Republican party
d Was there euy OF the "frSe ballot an
y : fair oount buuiaegs" sSout this Z Men
:. Kent county, here ia testimony 10 to bras
5' buttons and bayoaets Do you want t
y =. aes il repeated ?
US SUSSEX county also felt the iron hesl o
Judge Fisher and his armed soldiers
IN Islao Giles, a promiuent cisizSn OF Laure
er now deoaastd, testified:
m 81 voted at Laurel. There weresoldier
10 in the town and al the polls. The
10 formed square around the voting place
10 John L. Bacon was provost nlarahal.
Or was one Of the jalses OF election And
II challenged the voto OF o man whom
knew did not reside in the hunirsI Blu
q the captain OF the soldiers ordered Ia
NJ vote 10 hA taken aud It waS Auotae
ii man, foreigner, cealc uc 10 vote, d
,se manded proof OF hts citizenship, whe
ne the captain again inisrieFed and sais
"a take that vote, or Ill HisEh TIE oaut
&c box and the whcla damned corooTn
m This is the way it went all day. N
n Democrats were allowed 10 skani nei
the window TO ohslssngs voters, bat Il