The sun., 1900-12-02
AN ELECTION FrNCTION ~ .ss.
New York Turned Out Drank schnapps and
Chose Phuipse for It's Representative.

The present methods Of conducting popular
election In New York city are the results Of
legislation based upon observation and e1-
periencc. In early New York before the
Revolutionary era had acquainted the citizens
Of the town with their rights privileges and
duties as afterward defined an election was
regarded somewhat in the light Of merry
making function. and there IL preserved in the
old city archives the record Of one particular
election which occurred in l7s5 and which was
described In that day as "A vigorously contested
election" for Representatives. OF New York
city in the Provincial Assembly.
A. no previous period. IL was asserted. had
party spirit rin so high. The candidates
were two leading merchants. Adoph Philipse
and Cornelius Van Horne. colloquially called
among their partisans at the coffee houses
Doll and Cornell All the electors Of the CITY.
smaller number than there were voters in
one election district OF New York city AT the
recent Presidential election. appeared in what
IL now the city Hall Park with coors nving,
drums beating and number Of coored men
carrying skidS on which were barrels Of beer.
voters in which tho Philipso and Van Horne
nartisans we're mixed, followed number Of
the women and children of the city. The pro-
of the New York Post ON1ce
There a stand was erected ard it appeared
that. even al that early time, tho masses were
arravod against the classes. The rrlnciple
merchants. gentlemen. mobiles. landowners.
and shinplnS nl masnates Of tho town were in
favor of Philinse. whereas the more lowly citi-
zens OF old New York. tho great unw1shsd
so 10 sneak. were In favor OF Mr. Van Horne
The vote was taken and the supporters of Mr.
Van Horne. though In n minority. seemed to
have the stronger lungs for they drowned With
their manifestations Of exuh"rant enthusiasm
tho more aristrocratic. timid and dccorous
supporters Mr. Philirse grea' disturbance
followed. 10 which the conslmrtion OF beer
ale and sohnanns may have contributed. and
Thereafter the Van Horne pnrtisans demanded
q formal count OF noses. as the expression was
in that dav
1heroupon the entire voting population OF
the cit. with one hurgomastcr md two con-
stables NJ their head proceeded 10 tho civ Hall
the BANDS rlavino. drums henting and the Hoer
fowing freely. and the women and children
anus nr themselves harmlcsslv bv dancing on
the rreen while the male inhabitants who were
qualified electors were busy with this affair Of
state, the election Of n member of tho PrOvin-
rriai ASscwhy Ell AZ 10 G'Clock The halloti9g vas
and an occasional recess b eing taken for re-
freshments
The voting went on vigorously until O'clock
at night n late hour for wavfnrors at that
period, and was characterized hv the greatest
warmth and excitement on both sides and "a
the old chronicle recitcs tho drums and music
going on during all tho time and the supply
or refrc~hmentS being rcplenShrd ~ occasion
demanded - Between and ~ o'clock ut nirht
The poll, closed with ii3 votc-, for lhilipso and
should he had on III" following Monday
IN" zeal of the friends of the candidates was
so great that II was supposed that every voter
IN the city was brought ont one gentleman
used his chnriot IN bringing M the voters Of all
sorts. 80 that many poor women cried out
wncr are It IN" m m"s MhHn carmen and GhmnCy
aftcrwnrd the rhlipse partiSanS, eated over
a plurality. Of fourteen votes paraded tn"
street oi New York. Of which there were th"n
ONLY few, "Nuting over the triumph of their
candidate and the defeat Of Van Horne. and
drinking more beer and sChnapp-