Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 September 1859 — FRAUDS IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION. [ARTICLE]

FRAUDS IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION.

Mr. Editor: There are rumors afloat that there was fraud and unfairness used in the Nominating Convention of the Republicans of the 11th of August last, which rumors I gave at first no credence, until the testimony became overwhelming, and I am now reluctantly forced to believe are true. In Barkley township, I am credibly informed there was one vote cast for Mr. Moore for the office of Clerk, by as respectable a Republican citizen as that township can produce, and that said vote for that office was not counted. Whether this was done through fraud or mistake remains to be answered or proven; but, from the web of circumstances, I am inclined to think it of fraudulent intent. Why did the Convention open in Rensselaer at eight o’clock in the morning, when the programme gotten up by the Central Committee directed that the Republican voters of each township meet at one o’clock P. M. of said day, and organize by choosing an Inspector, Judges and Clerk! By this change a respectable portion of the working committes of Republican Voters of Mitownship were deprived a voice in organizing the Board, to which they had a right and wanted to exercise, but were prevented, not from neglect of being there in time, according to the published arrangement, but on account of the arrogance of a few designing politicians of Rensselaer. Now, Mr. Editor, will you or some of the knowing ones be so kind as to inform us how it happened that Marion township polled 143 votes, when there can be twenty prominent Repu lican voters counted in one neighborhood who were not at the Convention! and why does Marion township poll so many more this year than it did last! What made it so interesting to the five voters of Keener township as to induce them to meet on the Tuesday before the day set! Why did certain leading Republicans ofj Rensselaer profess to honest unsuspecting Republicans of the country that the prevailing opinion about town was in favor of country candidates, that they might avoid the cry from the other party, of Rensselaer clique! If these rumors are true, they should, and I think will, meet the condemna'ion of every honest and irue Republican. It is a yer3' unpleasant task for me to speak thus plain, but a conviction and sense of duty impel! me to it. I have acted with the Republican party ever since its organization, and always expect so to do so long as it retains its original purity; but will retain the right to speak and work against fraud, let me find it where I may. Thos. Thornburg. reply. Friend Thornburg : Although editors do not know everything any more than other people, I shall give you a candid answer to your questions, so far as it lies in my power. I regret the existence of th ■ rumors, and believe that I can demonstrate to your satisfaction that they are nothing but rumors. I also regret the harsh terms you* use when speaking of transactions in which honorable men were concerned, and, no doubt, you will regret it as much as any one on taking a second thought. But to the point. 1. You say that Mr. Moore received one J vote in Barkley township for Clerk, which! was not counted to him, and you believe! that this occurred through fraud. Let us | see who composed the Election Board in; Barkley township. They were—lnspector, Wm. K Parkison; Judge, John MeCurtain; Clerk, A. Shepard. If there was fraud in the Barkley vote, these men perpetrated it. In a conversation on this subject with Wm. K. Parkison yesterday, he stated that he read all the tickets, and that Mr. Moore’s name did not occur on one of them. He also stated that he believed all the voters, twenty-five in number, were on the ground when the vote was counted out, and no one seemed dissatisfied with the result. Now, do you think for one moment that either .Mr. Parkison, Mr. McCurtain or Mr. Shepard was capable of committing the fraud you speak of! Of course you don’t, so that rumor is at rest. 2. You ask wliy the polls were opened at eight o’clock in the morning at P*,eusselaer. The answer is, that the po’ils were opened that early for the accommodation of some who desired to leave town in the forenoon. There was no harm in this. The Board was composed of Ezra Wright os Inspector, J. Thompson us Judge, and your humble servant as Clerk. Whatever may be your opinion of me, you certainly cannot believe that Ezra Wright and John Thompson were “arrogant, designing politicians,” committing fraud on the voters of Marion town ship. But what is the hardest to bear of all is this: I voted for Mr. Moore in C nvention. and you now come forward as his friend an intimate that I, with others, resorted to fraud to defeat him. This is the unkindest cut of all. 3. Vuu next ask how it happened that Rensselaer polled 143 votes, when iwenty Republican voters in one neighborhood were net at the polls. This is very cosily on

swered by reading below the list of names who did vote. It will be seen that seventeen of them (marked with a *) are not residents of Marion township. They were in town on that day, and desired to vote aa a matter of convenience to themselves, which would save them the trouble and time of going to their own voting-places. They were allowed to vote, as you or any other respectable Republican would be under like circumstances. After taking out these seventeen non-residents, we have 126 votes left. Is this an extraordinary large number out of about 190 Republican voters in Marion township! You can well say that twenty Republicans staid at home on that day, and add forty more to that, and there would still be a few more left. But read the list of names carefully, and if you find one who did not vote, I will join hands with you in exposing corruption and fraud, and waver not until we have dug the political graves of the “Rensselaer clique.” 4. You then want to know why Keener township voted two days before the appointed time. The reason given then, and I have heard no other since, was this: The Republicans of that township are good Methodists, and as they were all going to the camp-meeting at Brook on Thursday. they met together on Tuesday and expressed their choice. There was no harm, then, in anticipating the election by two days. Besides, if they are satisfied, we ought to be. 5. You next ask why leading Republicans about town professed to be in favor of country candidates. If this was so, the vote only proves that the masses of the Republicans do not do as their “leaders” tell them. A very good trait. 5.- In conclusion, you say that you, “will retain the right to speak and work against fraud,” find it where you may. This is a noble sentiment, and worthy the approval and example of all. But all should be certain that public rumors are true before charging fraud, least injustice be done to innocent persons. Before concluding, I would say that if the vote of Marion township were to be thrown out entirely, it would not affect the ticket nominated. The same persons that received a majority in town also received a majority in the country. Yours with respect, D. F. Davies.