The Winslow mail., 1901-02-14
AN ELECTION In 1735.
New York Turned Out, Drank
Schnapps and Chose PhilipSe for
Its Representatives.

The present methods of conducting a
popular election in New York city are
the results of legislation based upon
observation and experience. 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 elec-
tion was regarded somewhat in the
light of merrymaking function, and
there is preserved in the old city
archives the record of one particular
election which occurred in 1885 and
which was described in that day as "a
vigorously contested election" for rep
resentatives of New York city in the
provincial assembly. says the Sun.
At no previous period, it was assert
ed, had party spirit run so high. The
candidates were two leading mer-
chants, Adolph Philipse and Cornelius
Van Horne, colloquially called among
their partisans at the coffee houses
Dolf and Cornell. All the electors of
the city, who then numbered less than
JOU DCISOuS. SlDdllCl nulDDCI lndu
were voters in one election district of
New York city at the recent presiden-
tial election, appeared in what is now
the city hall park with colors flying,
drums beating and a number of colored
men CARRYING skids on which were bar
rels of beer, ale and schnapps. After
the procession of voters, in which the
Phiiipse and Van Horne partisans were
mixed, followed a number of the wom-
en- and children of the city. The pro-
cession halted at field on the present
site of the New York post office.
There a stand was erected. and it
appeared that, even at that early time,
the masses were arrayed against the
classes. The principal merchants, gen.
tlemen, mobiles, land owners and ship
ping magnates of the town were in fa-
vor of Philipse, whereas the more low
ly citizens of old New York, the great
unwashed, so to speak, were in favor of
Mr.. Van Horne. The vote was taken
and the supporters of Mr.. Van Horne,
though in the minority, seemed to have
the stronger lungs, for they drowned
with their manifestations of eXuberant
enthusiasm the more aristocratic.
timid and decorous supporters of Mr..
Philipse. A great disturbance fol-
lowed, to which the consumption of
beer, ale and schnapps may have con-
tributed, and thereafter the Van
Horne partisans demanded formal
count of noses, as the expression was
in that day.
Thereupon the entire voting popula-
tion of the city, with one burgomaster
ceeded to the city hall, the bands play
ing, drums beating and the beer flow
ing freely, and the women and children
amusing themselves harmlessly by
dancing on the green while the male
inhabitants who were qualified electors
were busy with this affair of state, the
election of a member of the provincial
assembly. At ten o'clock the balloting
was begun, all the qualified voters
forming in line and an occasional re-
cess being taken for refreshments
The voting went on vigorously until
nine o'clock at night, late hour for
wayfarers at that period, and was
characterized by the greatest warmth
the excitement on both sides and. as
the old chronicle recites, 1.-The drums
and music going on during all the time
and the supply of refreshments being
replenished as the occasion demanded" i"
Between nine and ten o'clock at night
the polls closed with 413 votes for Phil
lipse and 399 for Van Horne 1t was
agreed that scrutiny should be made
on the following Monday.
The zeal of the friends of the candi-
dates was so great that it was supposed
that every voter in the city was
brought out. One gentleman used. his
chariot in bringing up the voters of
all sorts, so that many poor women
cried out: "These are fine times when
carmen and chimney sweeps ride in
coaches!" For several weeks after
ward the Philipse partisans, elated
over a plurality of IA votes. paraded
the streets of New York. of which there
were then only few, eXulting over the
triumph of their candidate and the de-
feat of Van Horne. and drinking more
beer and schnapps.