584 



NEW YOKE. 



all men of all political parties to unite with those 

 holding official positions, in their efforts to allay un- 

 due excitement, soften the harshness of party preju- 

 dices and passions-, and to avoid all measures which 

 tend to strife or disorder. 



However we may differ in our views of public 

 policy, we are alike interested in the maintaining of 

 order, in the preservation of the rights and the pro- 

 motion of the prosperity of our State. 



While we do not agree as to the methods .by which 

 thess ends are to be gained, they are earnestly sought 

 by all. 



It is certain they cannot be reached by angry 

 coisiroversies, unreasonable suspicions or disorderly 

 actions. 



There are no well-grounded fears that the rights 

 of the citizens of New York will be trampled upon at 

 the polls. 



The power of this State is ample to protect all 

 classes in the free exercise of their political duties. 

 In doing this the public authorities will be upheld by 

 good citizens of all parties. 



There is no reason to doubt that the coming elec- 

 tion wjll be conducted with the usual quiet and order. 



Sheriffs of counties, and all other officers whose 

 duty it is to keep the peace and protect our citizens, 

 will take care that every voter shall have a free ballot 

 in the manner secured to him by the Constitution and 

 laws. It will be their duty to see that no military or 

 other organized forces shall be allowed to show them- 

 selves in the vicinity of the places where elections are 

 held, with any view of menacing or intimidating citi- 

 zens in attendance thereon. Against any such inter- 

 ference they must exercise the full force of the law, 

 and call forth, if need be, the power of their districts. 



In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my 



name, and affixed the Privy Seal of the State, 



[L. s.] at the city of Albany, this 2d day of Nov., 



in the year of our Lord 1864. 

 By the Governor : HORATIO SEYMOUR. 



D. WILLIAMS, Jr., Private Secretary. 



On the same day, Nov. 2, the Secretary of 

 State, Mr. Seward, seat by telegraph the fol- 

 lowing despatch to the Mayors of New York, 

 Albany, and other cities : 



"WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 1SS4 



This department has received information from the 

 British provinces, to the effect that there is a con- 

 spiracy on foot to set fire to the principal cities in the 

 Northern States on the day of the Presidential elec- 

 tion. It is mv duty to communicate this information 

 to you. W. H. SEWARD. 



The Mayor of New York replied as follows : 

 MAYOR'S OFFICE, NEW TOEK, Nov. 3. 

 lion. William IT. Seward : 



Your despatch is received. I have no fears of such 

 threats being carried out, or even attempted. How- 

 ever, I shall take all precautionary measures, and am 

 amply prepared. Should any Federal assistance be 

 necessary, I shall invoke the same without delay. 

 C. GODFREY GUNTHER, Mayor. 



On Nov. 4th, Maj.-Gen. Butler arrived at 

 New York City, from Fortress Monroe, and took 

 command in this city. On the Monday after- 

 noon preceding the election, the 6th, 7th, and 

 10th Conn., under Maj. Hawley, and other regi- 

 ments, making about 7, 000 men, arrived at Fort 

 Hamilton and Governor's Island, in New York 

 Bay. On Tuesday morning, the day of election, 

 they were placed on board of steamers, and the 

 vessels were stationed at various points oppo- 

 site the Battery, and in the North and East 

 Rivers. They were within call on Tuesday, 

 Wednesday, and Thursday, and could have been 

 marched to any part of the city in half an hour. 



For the order of Maj.-Gen. Butler, on assuming 

 command, see UMITED STATES, p. 797. 



On Nov. 7th Maj.-Gen. Peck, at Buffalo, is- 

 sued the following order : 



nEADQUAETEES DEFENCES OF THE 



BUFFALO, Nov. 7. 

 General Orders No. 12. 



In pursuance of orders from the East, the under 

 signed assumes command of the forces on the fron- 

 tier. The Government has not been unmindful ol 

 the exposed condition of this portion of the country 

 now menaced by piratical invaders. The Govern- 

 ment was slow to believe that any considerable force 

 of the rebels would assemble in Canada for the sola 

 purpose of murdering and pillaging undefended 

 towns along the border. Such is, however, the fact, 

 and rumor says plans have been matured for the 

 commission of crimes of a blacker character than has 

 marked any former civilization. 



Maj.-Gen. Dix has made ample preparations for 

 any emergency, and my mission is to insure full pro- 

 tection to the frontier and to any of the civil authori- 

 ties in maintaining order. No interference in elections 

 will be permitted. Communications of the civil au- 

 thorities from localities along Central Railroad and 

 Lake Ontario will receive attention. All orders from 

 department headquarters will remain in force; re- 

 ports will be made as heretofore. 



JOHN J. PECK, Maj.-Gen. 



Col. S. H. BURTON, Chief of Staff. 



Lieut. J. S. Me VET, A. D. C. 



On Oct. 27th Moses J. Ferry and Edward 

 Donahue, jr., State agents to receive the votes 

 of soldiers at Baltimore, were arrested by the 

 provost marshal, and the State agency closed. 

 At the same time the State agency at Washing- 

 ton was closed, and Col. North and other per- 

 sons arrested and confined in prison. Tho 

 charges alleged against the parties were the 

 commission of frauds in connection with sol- 

 diers' votes. On the same day the military 

 commission sitting in "Washington, of which 

 Gen. Doubleday was president, adjourned to 

 assemble at Baltimore. Before this commis- 

 sion the persons arrested in Baltimore were ar- 

 raigned on a charge of fraud and forgery in 

 procuring soldiers' votes. Ferry made a con- 

 fession to the Court : 



I do not recollect the time when the first papers 

 were forged, but it was in the presence of 0. K. 

 Wood, of Clifton County, N. Y. It was done in my 

 office, No. 85 Fayette Street, Baltimore. I am and 

 have been for the past two years agent for the State 

 of New York, appointed by GOT. Seymour to look 

 after the sick and wounded soldiers of New York. 



I first saw Wood on Wednesday of last week, at my 

 office. He came and represented himself as an agent 

 of the Central Committee of his county to look after 

 its local ticket. He talked about the way in which 

 votes should be taken. It was agreed that we should 

 sign the names of soldiers and officers, and then send 

 them home to have local tickets filled in. I made out 

 small papers. I signed the names of soldiers on 

 quite a number of them. I cannot tell what names 

 we signed. The names we signed to the papers are 

 now ia the bundle on the table. I did not sign the 

 names of officers, but Donahue signed any quantity 

 of them. 



There was a large package of these papers left with 

 me which I destroyed. That package contained over 

 200. Donohue signed them all. The idea of forging 

 these was first suggested by a man named Stephen 

 Maxon. He is from the western part of the State ol 

 New York. He is a State Agent. It was first pro- 



