Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1891-08-05
The GALISTeO BALLOT B0X THEFT

The last decision in the several cases
arising out OF the theft from the custody
OF the Democratic county clerk OF the
ballot box from precinct No. 8, Gallsteo
| in this county, last November, which con.
tanned an honest and lawful majority of
about seventy for the Republican county
ticket and which theft was planned and
carried out in order to defeat the honestly
and legally elected candidates on the Re-
publican ticket and to steal the legisla-
ture, has been rendered it appeared in
full in yesterdays issue OF this journal it
was written by Chief Justice OBrien and
concurred in by the full bench.
The attorneys principally engaged in
these several cases for the people and the
candidates who suffered and would have
suffered by the theft of the ballot box
were the solicitor general Of New Mexico,
h. l.. Bartlett, and Mr.. John II. Knaehel;
Tor the other side, the side that endea-
vored to take advantage of the steal upon
legal pretexts, the attorneys were F.
Downs and n. B. Laughlin.
In all the cases at issue Judge Seeds
has been sustained by the territorial su.
preme court, and IN one case so far by the
supreme court Of the United States he
has been fully and completely sustained.
There is no doubt but that he will be also
sustained in the two cases now on appeal
In the supreme court of the United States.
1t has been fully demonstrated that under
the present administration the theft of q
ballot box does not carry elections; it has
been determined that the rights of the
people and Of candidates must and shall
be respected; that honesty and fairness
in elections must govern that the lawful
orders of the courts must be respected
and that ballot box thieves do not carry
the day in New Mexico at this date
This is most gratifying and the honest
and law abiding people Of the territory
are to be congratulated upon this state of
affairs, upon this step in advance and
toward right and honesty in the political
affairs of this territory.
1t is to be hoped that an honest effort
will be made to punish some of the ballot
box thieves, their aiders and accessories.
The good name Of this county and terri
tory has suffered considerably at their
hands. To be sure the men who so far
forgot their oaths and all consideration of |
right, justice and honesty as to unseat
lawfully and legally elected members of
the legislative assembly, like Messrs. J. |
B. Mayo and B. M. Read, from this coun-
ty, and j. H. Young, from Taos, are be-
You'd punishment by the courts; but their
records will appear against them at times
when they will find them very inconyen-
lent and likely very hurtful.
The Republicans of Santa Fe county are
specially to be commended for pursuingin
the face of great provocation, open fraud
and dishonest insolence, peaceful, law
abiding and fair course. The candidates
whom it was sought to swindle out of
their just rights by the theft of ballot
box and by lot of dsgraceful deings and
legal bubbles and those candidates who
were SO swindled stood up manfully and
courageously in this fight for right, hon
esty and justice. The New MEXICAN did
more than its full share in the fight; it
did some hard hitting, and did it success
fully, and what is more will do more of
it, when occasion requires. The good
fight is over and has been won. Enough
for the present.