New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-07
STEALING THE POWER TO TAKE A CENSUS,

STEALING THE POWER TO TAKE A CENSUS,
The train Of events which led up to these frauds
were those of which criminal wrongdolng was
the natural fruit. The Legislature as elected by
the people last November was Republican body.
The Assembly a tie, but TO the Senate had
been chosen eighteen Republicans and fourteen
Democrats. No reader Of The Tribune can now
be ignorant Of the audaciOus crimes committed by
David B. Hill, Isaac H. Maynard and the State
Board of Canvassers whereby this result was altered
and three Democrats projected into the Senate
who had been defeated. two of them By very strong
majOrites, at the polls. No one man took a
larger or more shameful part in these crimes than
Frank Rice lie the chief officer of the State
Board of Canvassers. lie was the Secretary OK
State. to whose guardianship the people had con-
fded the evidences OF their sovereign Will. Iho
law required that three returns should be sent
from every county in the State through the mails
TO Frank Rice one directly to him, one by way Of
the Governor and one by way Of the Controller.
II was made Frank Rces duty 10 guard and
preserve these returns and TO place them before
the State Board OF CanvssScrs by them to be en-
ployed in canvassing and certifying to the results
of the election. But in tie course Of the con-
spracy by which the Senate was stolen for tho
Democratic party, Frank Rice. instead OF guard
ing a return, made way with it: instead OF pre-
serving it, sent it out of the county; and instead
OF presenting il TO the canvassers, endeavored to
conceal it's existence. AS of the canvasscrS
he voted 10 seat three men whom he knew had
been defeated and two as TO whom the Court OF
Appeals had specifically declared he had no right
to give certificate Of election.
THE QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY.
As thus constituted so largely by Rices In
tcrvention and active work the Legislature met.
and within a week its fraudulent majority had
presented a bill to enable Mr. Rice to take an
enumeration. 1t had been for many years tho
net grievance of the Democracy that by the ex'
sting apportionment of the legislative dlstrlcts
they we're Disseminated against and injured. Ner'
tunly no one can deny that seen years ago IL
was the duty of the Legislature 70 re-
oure an enumeration and TO reapporoon
the State Certainly the failure to perform tnae
duty has been political wrong but whose wrong
involves controversy.
Into that shall not now go. The Legislature
passed several bills appropriatins for the census 20
no taken. and Governor Hill vetoed them Each
side alleged and still alleges that politics con'roe"
,h action of the other IL is safe TO say that inc
legislature has done some things thas wefe ihio-
oa,. of nolitcal motives, but il There Is anyone
,ho believes that Hill ever did he has not YET
boon hoard from. Still. by whose ever fault, each
of those bill, failed. and though it was their own
Governor who vetoed them, the Democrats nave
ALWAYS alleged "a grievance, and have cohtehue"
fsrccly for the Legislature in order. as they can
didlv declared TO put through their own kmd OF
enumeration bill.