New Hampshire Statesman And State Journal

ELECTION LAWS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

We find in a late number of Bicknell's Reporter an interesting account of the manner of conducting elections in Pennsylvania. It is so entirely different from the mode pursued in New-England, that the wonder is—not that riots occur, but that the elections can be conducted at all during a stormy political period, with any thing like order or accuracy in the result. We look upon the right of suffrage, as exercised in Pennsylvania, to be a farce. If exercised at all, by peaceable citizens, it is at the risk of life and limb. or of such scenes of strife and contention as must deter a large portion of those very citizens from the polls, whose voices are most needed, and should be most valued in the community.

By the election laws of Pennsylvania, it is provided, that a week or more before the general election in October, an election of Inspectors and Judges of the General Election shall take place. The following is an illustration. It was announced in the city and county of Philadelphia, by handbills, signed by the Constables, and posted at the corners of the streets of the various wards and townships, as well as through the newspapers, that on Friday, the 3d of October, an election would take place throughout the city and county, for Assessors, that is for persons to assess the property, and fix the rate of taxation—and for Inspectors of the General Election, i. e. for persons to sit at the windows on the election day, to receive the votes, and decide as to the right or otherwise of those offering them. The first election therefore, and the most important indeed, was for Judges of the Ward Elections. The election for judges is decided in this way. The members of one party stand on one side of the street, and the members of the other party stand on the other side, and the Constable of the ward, together with a committee of citizens, appointed for the purpose, pass down before the two parties thus marshalled, count them and declare the majority, the Constable being the arbiter or Judge. It frequently happens that said constable is a party man, and no matter what the relative strength of the standers out, he decides in favor of his party—and it happens as frequently that the minority refuse to submit to the majority, take possession of the place of election, or open a poll at another place. Instances of this kind occurred on the 3d ult. in several of the wards of the city and county. In Locust ward for example, it is alleged that on standing out to count off for Judges, one party out-counted the other by a hundred votes, and that notwithstanding this, the minority took possession of the place of election, and the majority were compelled to open an election at another place. Two polls were thus opened in one ward. The excitement during the whole day was very great, as much so, that several brutal and bloody fights took place, during one of which a young man named was killed. Other scenes equally discreditable, are attributable to the miserable election laws of that State. It is perfectly evident from what we have already stated, that the first and most important contest—the results of which decide in a great measure all future operations, occurs at the standing out, or count off for Judges of the ward elections; for the party that succeeds in electing its judges is generally supposed to have the best chance at the ensuing election, from the fact that the men nominated for judges are generally partisans, who will receive the tickets of their friends without question or hesitation, and who on the contrary will endeavor all in their power to reject the tickets of their opponents. At the counting off, moreover, hundreds of individuals stand in the ranks who have no right to vote—who are brought from neighboring districts and counties, and hired for the purpose, and thus the legal voters are completely nullified by these mercenaries. No register of voters is kept, to keep out illegal votes. It has been ascertained beyond a doubt since the election, that hundreds of men, who were not citizens, and who had no right to vote, were hired to stand out for judges.