Year: 1868

Finding themselves baf1ed and beaten in the
State, certain Democrats in San Francisco, who
have been gambling on the election, have de-
vised plan to avoid paying their bets. To this
end they have demanded a recount of the votes
in several of the wards, with the obvious pur-
pose of tampering with the returns. 1t is as
serted by one of the papers, that when Bartlett,
the Democratic County Clerk delivered the
packages of ballots to the Board of Supervisors,
they were not found sealed, as the law directs,
but open to inspection, and with the appearance
of having been handled and tampered with The
seals ON all the packages but one had been
broken, and there is reason to suspect that they
had been overhauled and probably doctored
while in the Clerks Office.


1t is very significant fact that the notorious
Jim Hardy is the prime mover in demanding
recount, in which he is probably acting as agent
for the gamblers. Hardy, it is recolected, was
impeached by the Legislature, a few years ago,
and elected from District Judgeship for alleged
misconduct. He has contrved to make himself
uEfavorably notorious in various ways, and may
be regarded as fit instrument for the nefarious
business in hand. few hundred votes alb
stracted from the Clerks Office in San Francisco,
would change the result in the State, give its
electoral vote to Seymour, and enable these con-
spirators not only to avoid paying bets which
they have lost, but likewise to claim payment
from the other side. The aggregate amount
staked is more than million of dollars, so that





sons will be ready to believe that motive so
powerful could be without great effect on the
common run of Democratic official integrity, and
we are not compelled to think that the Clerk OF
San Francisco, more than others of his political
class, is wholly proof against such weighty and
gitterng Establishments. We are not at liberty
to charge him with dishonesty, however, but
have right to draw conclusions from given
facts. The alleged condition of the ballots, un-
sealed and disarranged, when delivered to the
Supervisors, is enough to create suspicion and
alarm, added to which is the equally significant
fact that the notorious Jim Hardy is deeply con-
cerned in the production of different result by
recounting them. AS the matter vitality con-
Germs not only San Francisco, but also the whole
people OF the State, the circumstances referred
to, will unavoidably create anxiety and alarm,
and should stimulate the Republican journals of
the city to unwonted exertion.


San Francisco now contains considerable
number of the worst men who are permitted to
live. Many of them may be designated as re-
spectacle scoundrels, and not few have come
from interior towns, where they have been So
cally and politically outlawed to hide their
crimes and turpitude in the multitude of great
city. Wecould designate at least half dozen such
persons, all belonging to the Democratic party,
who, because of their bad character, have been
frozen out of country towns, and are now max
ing themselves conspicuous in the affairs of q
large city, where their individuality is less sub
ject to observation. The Caseys, Sullivans and
McGowans are by no means all dead or expatri-
ated, but, on the contrary, their presence has
been invited by the result of the election last
year. Within twelve months of Democratic gov
ernment, the city has gone back to a political
condition little, if anything, better than that
which produced violent revolution. There are
two officers, however, who ought to be exempted
from these remarks while the Mayoralty and
Police Judgeship may be considered fully under
the control of the roughs, the Offices of Chief of
Police and the Sheriff are occupied by worthy
men and good citizens, who perform their duty
intelligently and impartially.


If our information be correct, there is
to think that there will yet be work for the Com
mittee of Safety. There are ten or a dozen mis-
chievous scoundrels in that city who deserve ex-
patriation more than some of the old Vigilance
exiles did, and if through their Vaccinations
honest men be cheated out of their suffrage it
might be in order to hang some of them.