New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-26
THE DUTCHESS COUNTY OUTRAGE.

THE DUCHESS COUNTY OUTAGE.
The Better the public understands precisely
what the means were to which the Democratic
Supervisors of Duchess County resOrted in order
70 count in Senator who was defeated at the
polls, the more barefaced and fragrant appears
the fraud. This is not case where officials bent
upon doing their duty by candidates and electors
failed simply because of ignorance or ineifi-
cheney. No such theory of their conduct is pos
sible in the light of the generally admitted facts
The record of their proceedings cOnvcts them
of wanton defiance of the new election law.
1t convicts them of a conspiracy to manufacture
a majority for Osborne in palpable disregard OF
the election returns. As a rule, such yillany
is so skilfuly planned that those engaged in it
have some sort of plausible defence or justiiica-
tion to fall back on. But all that these rascaly
Supervisors can offer in explanation of the out
rage which they have committed necessarily
must be ave had our orders to count out
Deane and count in Osborne, and we did as we
were told without regard to the returns"
No unprejudced person in his senses can reach
any other conclusion and hence those Democratic
members of the Duchess Board of Supervisors
will find that they are execrated from one end
of the State to the other by all who demand that
the decision of the ba!lot-box shall be respected.
Whether or not they will bring up at Sing Sing
remains to be seen, but that they have earned
an opportunity for the prolonged study OF the
prison question from the inside will hardly be
disputed except by those who thrive on fraud at
| elections That some of the ultra-llil organs
will applaud what these disgraced officials have
done is likely, but the effect will simply be to
intensity the popular indignation. Each one OF
these Supervisors knew-he was bound to know
that he was usurpng the functions of the in
| snectors of elections The inspectors returns
showed that Osborne had received a majority Of
90 in Duchess County, but that Deane had re-
ceiyed majority of rs in the district Hence,
in order that Osborne should be declared elect
| ed these Duchess Supervisors were compelled
| to set aside the returns which had been made
up by the Duchess inspectors and substitute
returns manufactured by themselves. And that
was what they did do; and when they had lin
| ished their nefariOus job Osborne was credited
with 1S4 majority We have already shown how
these bogus figures were obtained. Votes were
| allowed to Osborne to which he had not the
| slightest claim Votes were allowed to him which
the inspectors had returned as blank. Votes
were allowed him arbitrarily. The inspectors
threw out and burned ballot because the name
upon it could not be deciphered. These Dutch
ess rascas credited this ballot to Osborne. Their
crowning act of inquity, however, was their
refusal to count large number OF votes which
| had been cast for Deane on the ground that they
were "marked" although Section 81 of the
new Ballot law provides that such ballots shall
be counted in estimating the result of an cleo
| ton' Now, when it is remembered that these
Supervisors had no more right to change the
returns than they would have to change de-
cison of the Court of Appeals, their crime
against the will of the majority stands revealed
in all its enormiy.
1t is only right to remember, however, in con-
demning these wretches that they were so many
puppets in the hands of David b. Hill. He it
was that organized, just so soon as he knew that
the Senate had gone Republican, the conspiracy
| TO steal enough seats to make it Democratic.
Having shown his contempt for honest elections
by yetong three Ballot-Reform bills, it was not
unnatural that he should give that contempt a
concrete practical expression. When the day of
reckoning comes the feeling will be general that
all who had anything to do with the plot to steal
the Senate shall be punished to the full extent
of the law, beginning with Hill. Let him be
sentenced TO do time for the State in striped
suit. and the enemies of honest elections will
learn a lesson the significance Of which they
cannot fail to appreciate.