Year: 1877



 bit of special pleading in a hopeless case of more or less public interest: 2, MINERAL PARK, Dec. 26, 1876. EDITORS ENTERPRIsE - Now Ii seems that the Secretary of the Terri tory turns out to be the only one to count the votes of Arizona for Delegate to Congress. The supervisors Ot the different counties are but a cipher and have nothing to do with the matter The Secretary is a counter, not can vasser. Everything goes every pop some pops.

 Three years ago it was different,when by throwing out precincts MT. Stevens would be elected. then it was held that the acts of the Board of Supervisors was final. Now it seems that the clerk of the Board of Supervisors sends on all the returns and the Secretary de cides the matter.

 It seems by this that an officer ap- pointed by the President is the party to control our elections.

 The part that Recorder WilkersOn has played in this matter is rather strange and if I miItake not, he has terminated himself.

 On the 24th of October last I was told by Sheriff Bowers that he had appointed a deputy assessor to register the votes of Clifton precinct, but that the deputy did not forward the nemes so registered in time to go on the print ed register, and that no election would be held at Clifton. I was not aware that an election was held there until 9th of November, when I heard that the precinct had gone for Stevens, Bowers and WilkersOn. I inquired about the matter and found out the following facts: That the Recorder had left his office and travelled 4J0 miles and back to accommodate the voters of that far-off precinct. Candidates for office had no opportunity to canvass this precinct or send tickets or posters,

 If these names had been placed on the great register at the time they ar rived in Prescott, then the Recorder could have notified the voters of Cliff ton that they were too late for the printed register, then they could have joined in writing and asked for certifi- cates of registration, which could have been forwarded by mail, and at a nOm- inal expense. Candidates for office ! would then have canvaSsed the pre- cinct for votes. But as these names were not placed upon the great register until the evening prIor to the election, ] Mir. WilKerson alone could have had knowledge of what was going on.

 Itwas not as the CITIZEN has publish ed it: but these names were placed on the great register some ten days after certificates were issued to voters, and on the evening prior to the election they were not numbered according to law as no number appeared on them. They did not look as if they had been han died by voters, but bore evidence of having been voted by one party or firm. The returns were not made out upon the printed forms sent out by the Su- pervisors to other precincts. A part Ot the board of election did not vote and it was stated as an excuse that they were citizens of New Mexico.

 The deputy assessor was appointed for the purpose of registering votes, and no other purpose, as it was acknowl- edged that no assessment of property had ever been made in the town of Clifton; that no tax whatever had been collected in said town, although thIs settlement has existed for several years.

 It was then that parties began to look around to see where this town of Clifton was located, and on consulting the late map in the land office, it was found that the town of Clifton was in Mari cOpa county, the postoiiice has it in Pinal county, and the citizens Of Cliff ton rather claim to be in New Mexico; They do their business through New Mexico

 Now who will explain the reason why these people should not be taxed in Arizona, if they claim the right to vote in Arizona? There are other com plaints now made against Recorder WilkersOn. It seems that a large num- Der of voters who had registered with a deputy assessor were left off the print ed register Tn some instances the vo- ters after learning that their names was not on the printed register on election day went to Prescott and had their names placed on the great register and voted by certificate, yet many were tO| , far off for this and were deprived from voting In a few instances the voter swore in his vote by swearing that he was registered, but at some of the pre- cincts they were ruled out and were not allowed to vote. These men, as far as I can learn, were opposed to Mir Stevens. This may be a suitable job for a grand jury to inquire into, and the copys of names may be yet found that was returned by the deputy asses sor and compared with the copies now on the great register.