George H. Harlow to Richard Yates

Gr. Secretary's Address: Geo. H. Harlow, P.O. Box 500, Springfield, Ills.

In communicating with Gr. Secretary, please give Name, No. and P.O address of your Council.

Union League of America, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ILLINOIS GRAND COUNCIL.

Pekin, Nov 10th, 1864.

His Excellency Gov Richd Yates

Sir

By a System of fraud totally unexpected by us Old Tazewell has gone Copperhead by about 200 Majority. Had there been a fair vote we would have carried the County by a Small Majority. Never did men work harder or with more zeal than the Republicans of our County

We made gains and held our own in all Townships excepting four viz Pekin, Cincinnatti, Sand Prairie & Spring Lake. Ive no doubt and others think with me, that at least 100 Irishmen were imported into Pekin and voted at the opening of the polls and were then Scattered through the above named towns, where the

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polls are controlled by Copperhead Judges; and voted there also, under assumed names. Some of our oldest Citizens Stated positively that they Saw at least 100 Men in our City on the morning of the election that they Knew were Strangers; yet at night they were not Seen Neither have they been Seen Since.

Every one of these men were Challenged and made to "Swear in" their votes also to bring two witnesses to Swear to their being Citiezens. Yet these Same two witnesses were men of Straw. I firmly believe.

We all hope and pray (though Tazewell has not come up to our expectations) that we have or will have controll of the Legislature and by So doing, Send "Dick Yates" to the United States Senate

Very truly Yours

Geo. H. Harlow

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P.S.

I received your telegram this morning but owing to Some disarangement of the wires, I have not been able to answer until late this evening

I presume Cohrs (Copperhead Candidate for State Senate 37th Dist) is elected, but it will depend on the Size of his Majority in Sangamon he will probably get about 200 here. there will doubtless be 300 or 400 against him in Logan and if Sangamon dint go to heavy he may yet be beaten. I hope and pray he may for he doubtless will carry Some Strenght with him as a Senator

Respectfully

Geo H Harlow

Harlow Geo. W.

Pekin Nov 10th 64

Says that by stupendous fraud, Tazewell has gone 200 against us. By a fair vote we would have carried it by a small majority. A hundred Irishmen are known to have voted & sworn in their vote in Pekin, who were never seen there before. We gained in every precinct but four.

Cohrs---(Copp) is elected if Sangamon dont spoil it. He gets 200 in Tazewell, & 400 against him in Logan.