cal operations in New York stood Samuel North, who was arrested and tried during the war "for making false votes under the soldiers' voting law."

No democratic official, officer of justice, or politician took any measures to defeat or prevent these frauds, but they did take measures to aid them, and to obstruct the purposes of those who attempted in vain to defeat them.

These frauds are so monstrous in character and extent that they could not have been the work of a few, or of many irresponsible individuals. It was the work of the democratic party. In their purpose and modes of execution they show a systematic plan, devised by controlling minds, for the purpose of carrying the election in the State. The plans were on a scale comprehensive enough to accomplish the purpose designed.

THE MEANS EMPLOYED TO ACCOMPLISH THE FRAUDS.

The means employed to secure these thousands of illegal votes were the use of fraudulent certificates of naturalization, to enable aliens and "repeaters" to vote; the system of "repeating," so successfully and extensively adopted; and frauds in canvassing the result of the vote. All these have been adverted to. To make these means successful the necessary agencies were employed to prevent detection,160 as far as possible, and to defeat the purposes of those who would expose or interfere with the execution of these fraudulent schemes.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS.

An association of republican citizens,161 desiring to prevent these frauds of "repeaters" and of persons voting in districts where they were not entitled, took steps to prevent them, but they met with such obstacles that their work was practically unavailing.

THE POLICE CENSUS OBSTRUCTED AND PREVENTED.

163

By law the police force is charged with "the general duty of preventing the violation of the election laws."162 There was in existence an order of the Metropolitan Police Board requiring a census to be taken of legal voters with a view to detect and prevent attempted fraudulent voting.1 To carry out this purpose the superintendent of police, a republican, senv-li sazro Ader was an chip in ordered a portion of the police But Mr. Hall proceeded to testify:

1

There was, of course, an important object to be attained in the words written by me in the manuscript after the receipt of the circular, because I wanted to call particular attention of parties into whose hands this might fall through the post, and to make it emphatic.

What that "important object" was he does not disclose, beyond what is stated. But whatever the "important object" was, it seemed necessary, in order to accomplish it, that the condition of the vote in the interio of the State should be immediately known in the city, for he says, in answer to the question:

2940. Q. But the moment you commenced receiving telegrams in response to that circu lar, you then desired that they should know it?

A. Certainly.

And the importance of the object brought 200 telegrams, which were read as soon as received from the desk at Tammany Hall, "and then at the Manhattan club, to splendid congregations of mourners."

It is a significant fact that Samuel North did not volunteer to enlighten the committee, nor did any one of the committee or others deem it advisable to call him.

for such purposes, officers of the United States, and prescribing penalties for fraudulent voting and other election frauds either by officers or others.

V. A bill providing a mode of contesting the election of President and Vice-President, and of the electors thereof.

VI. A joint resolution proposing an amendment of the Constitution so as to provide that "Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations" as have been, or may be, prescribed in any State for the appointment or election of electors of President and Vice-President. VII. A joint resolution proposing an amendment of the Constitution so 1 as to provide for the election of President and Vice-President directly by the voters of the United States, or that the electors of President and Vice-President now authorized shall, like Representatives in Congress, be elected in single districts prescribed by the States, unless prescribed by Congress.

CHAPTER VI.

THE EXTENT OF THE FRAUDULENT DEMOCRATIC VOTE IN NEW YORK STATE IN 1868.

At the election on the 3d of November, General Grant for President, and Hon. John A. Griswold for governor, were the republican candidates osition to Hon. Horatio Seymour for President, and Hon. John T. the arre for governor, the democratic candidates; the total republican pose of appea 429,883; democratic The increase of the clerks and employés in the street cof York the department to beween 500 and 600 about the time of the election, is antic significant fact. 170

stood.169

atol demperatje vote

But the evidence of a grand conspiracy to perpetrate these frauds is abundant. The mayor of the city, now the governor of the State, the attorney general of the State, the district attorney, now the mayor, and others less distinguished, rendered it valuable aid.

On the 19th of October the Tammany Hall (democratic) general committee called a meeting, intended to be private, of the 680 democratic inspectors of registry and election of the city, to be held on Sunday, October 25, to receive instruction from the district attorney and Tammany Hall leaders as to their duties in registering voters and receiving their votes.

Although it was notorious that thousands of fraudulent certificates of naturalization had been distributed broadcast over the city to persons who never appeared in court to be naturalized, and that others had been procured on fictitious and assumed names to be used by repeaters, yet the district attorney advised these inspectors, and "a good 1658 See Evidence, 3111, 3112, 3115, 3099, 3514, 3517, 3520, 3533, 3547, 3537.

172

166 Evidence, 2095, 2147, 3031.

167 See Evidence, 462, 933, 1073, 1306, 1785, 1799, 1813, 1824, 1825, 1844, 1845, 1968, 2093, 2220, 2924, 3027, 3075, 3099, 3263, 4059, 4063, 4132, 4164, 4213, 4575, 4580-83, 4606, 4820, 3514, 3553, 1872, 1900, 1984, 1922, 1930, 1935, 2341, 2897, 2912, 3260, 3395, 3863, 3386. No sufficient challenging, 933, 1073, 1306, 1785, 1799, 1813, 1968, 2093, 2220, 2924, 3027, 3263, 3075, 1824, 1844. Obstacles, 1786, 1794. Republican meeting of inspectors, 1279, 1300, 1960.

168 See last section Opinion Attorney General, page 337.

169 Evidence, 3863.

170 Evidence, 2850, 2881.

171 Evidence, 2, 92, 199, 222, 784, 1149.

172 Evidence, 7800-3, 7805-8, 7961.

cal operations in New York stood Samuel North, who was arrested and tried during the war "for making false votes under the soldiers' voting law."

No democratic official, officer of justice, or politician took any measures to defeat or prevent these frauds, but they did take measures to aid them, and to obstruct the purposes of those who attempted in vain to defeat them.

These frauds are so monstrous in character and extent that they could not have been the work of a few, or of many irresponsible individuals. It was the work of the democratic party. In their purpose and modes of execution they show a systematic plan, devised by controlling minds, for the purpose of carrying the election in the State. The plans were on a scale comprehensive enough to accomplish the purpose designed.

THE MEANS EMPLOYED TO ACCOMPLISH THE FRAUDS.

The means employed to secure these thousands of illegal votes were the use of fraudulent certificates of naturalization, to enable aliens and "repeaters" to vote; the system of "repeating," so successfully and extensively adopted; and frauds in canvassing the result of the vote. All these have been adverted to. To make these means successful the necessary agencies were employed to prevent detection,160 as far as possible, and to defeat the purposes of those who would expose or interfere with the execution of these fraudulent schemes.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS.

s to take ir from evi

An association of republican citizens,161 desiri:ction dista svom d of "repeaters" entitled 1st October, the mayor of the city, himself a candidate for overnor, issued a proclamation which, while falsely asserting that the United States marshal had "assumed to himself the power and duty of appointing swarms of special deputies to take their places at the polls," though he did not appoint one,' 176 was oblivious to the fact that Sheriff O'Brien had appointed 2,000 deputy sheriffs, with orders "to arrest any one who interfered with the voting;" and then the proclamation, without any specific notice of or warning to the "repeaters" or holders of fraudulent certificates of naturalization, paralyzed all efforts to detect and prevent fraud, and gave encouragement to these classes to vote illegally, by saying:

Let no citizen, however, be deterred by any threats or fears from the discharge of his duty at the polls or elsewhere, but let him assert his rights boldly, resolutely, and at the same time with calmness and dignity, and he will find his perfect protection under the laws and lawfully constituted authorities of the State of New York.

By virtue of authority vested in me by law, I hereby offer a reward of $100, to be paid on the arrest and conviction of any person charged with a violation of the election laws of this State, and a like sum to be paid on the arrest and conviction of any person charged with intimidating, obstructing, or defrauding any voter in the exercise of his right as an elector.

He did not enumerate "repeating" or voting on fraudulent certificates of naturalization specifically as violations of the laws, though he was specially careful to warn all who might intimidate voters, whom he advised to assert their rights boldly. He saw the necessity for this, though not the greater necessity for detecting repeaters and other illegal voters. 173 Evidence, 3547, 3592.

174 Evidence, 3568, 3435.

175 Evidence, 2319, 2403, 2765, 2766, 2098, 4163. In Westchester county aliens were furnished with certificates of naturalization by the deputy county clerk without any proceeding before a judge or court. The democratic inspectors refused to allow inquiry into the validity of naturalization papers. Evidence as to registering and voting on fraudulent papers, 2765, 3492, 3568, 3533, 1042, 1060, 1806, 1825, 1845, 1849, 1864, 364, 381, 383, 403, 462, 468.

176 Evidence, 3290.

for such purposes, officers of the United States, and prescribing penalties for fraudulent voting and other election frauds either by officers or others.

V. A bill providing a mode of contesting the election of President and Vice-President, and of the electors thereof.

VI. A joint resolution proposing an amendment of the Constitution so as to provide that "Congress may at any time by law make or alter 'such regulations" as have been, or may be, prescribed in any State for the appointment or election of electors of President and Vice-President. VII. A joint resolution proposing an amendment of the Constitution so as to provide for the election of President and Vice-President directly by the voters of the United States, or that the electors of President and Vice-President now authorized shall, like Representatives in Congress, be elected in single districts prescribed by the States, unless prescribed by Congress.

CHAPTER VI.

THE EXTENT OF THE FRAUDULENT DEMOCRATIC VOTE IN NEW YORK STATE IN 1868.

At the election on the 3d of November, General Grant for President, and Hon. John A. Griswold for governor, were the republican candidates in opposition to Hon. Horatio Seymour for President, and Hon. John T. Hoffman for governor, the democratic candidates; the total republican vote was 419,883; the total democratic vote was 429,883; democratic majority, 10,000; total vote, 849,766. In the city of New York the republican vote was 47,738; the democratic vote was 108,316; democratic majority, 60,678; total, 156,054.

The largest frauds were in New York city, and in the strong democratic counties.

HOW THE FACT AND THE EXTENT OF THE FRAUDULENT VOTE IN NEW YORK CITY IS SHOWN.

The evidence shows that an immense fraudulent democratic vote was cast in the city of New York, and this is confirmed by the fact that the increase of votes in 1868 over previous years was vastly greater than the ordinary average increase of voting population, and by the further fact that the percentage of voters to population largely exceeded that of any previous year. These also demonstrate the extent of the frauds in the city.

It has already been shown that illegal or fraudulent certificates of naturalization were issued, probably to the extent of 68,343, on most of which votes were cast, and the "repeaters" cast many thousand illegal votes in addition.

THE VOTE OF 1868 TOO GREAT AS COMPARED WITH VOTERS IN PREVIOUS YEARS.

The official State census of New York shows that the actual voters in the city in each tenth year, commencing with 1835 and ending 1865, with the percentum of increase each decade, have been as follows:184

184 See Table O, Evidence, 3723.

Thus it will be seen the total increase of voters in a period of 30 years was 132 per cent., or an annual average increase of 4.4 per cent. per year-the increase in the last period of 10 years being 41 per cent. per year. Taking the largest rate of increase in these several decades of 44 per cent. a year, and the estimated number of voters for 1868 could only be 146,386, or only 146,000 at the average rate of increase.

But all the actual voters do not vote. From 1845 to 1865 the average per centum of voters who actually voted in the State was186 only 76.66, and the average at presidential elections from 1848 to 1864, inclusive, was 87.19. In cities, as a general rule, a larger per centum of voters do not vote than in the country.187 In the vote of 1868, in the whole State, including the frauds, the average was only 92 per cent. on the basis of the census of 1865, while in New York city the per centum was 108!

185 The soldiers voted in 1865. (Evidence, 5565, and page 356.) No inference can be drawn against the number of voters by reason of absence of soldiers; on the contrary, many of them voted who, of course, subsequently settled elsewhere and ceased to be voters in New York in 1868, so that the estimated vote of 1868 should be really reduced thereby. 186 See Senate Mis. Doc. No. 4, 3d session 40th Congress, as follows:

Actual and comparative results of different elections.

(The number of votes shown by the census is here supposed to increase equally between the years on which the census is taken.)

For the whole State the ratio of absentees at presidential elections, since and including 1856, has been as follows: 1856, 14.5 per cent.; 1860, 12.3 per cent; 1864, 10.1 per cent. In former years the proportion of absentees in New York city has been uniformly greater than it has been through the State. For the same time above specified the ratio of absentees in New York city has been: 1856, 14.2 per cent.; 1860, 12.3 per cent.; 1864, 11.6 per cent.; taking the voting population to be as stated by the census of 1855 and 1865, and allowing for the gradual increase in other places. Part of this may be accounted for by the fact that men 'pair off," &c.

187 Evidence, Table No. 3, 4236, p. 423.