The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-04-20
w eStern Democrat
CHARLOTTE, N. c.
From the Baltimore Sun.
MARYLAND CONTESTED ELECTION.


We have received a public document containing
the papers in the contested election of the Sd
Confessional district. VIM. P. Whyte, contest
ant, against j. Morrison Harris, contestee The
matter is presented at length, occupying volume
OF three hundred and twenty large octave pages
1t comprises the letter of Mr. Whyte, announcing
his intention to contest the election the reply OF
Mr. Harris and other preliminary papers. Then
follows the testimony, which includes the state
ments and particular examination Of one hundred
and fortyfour witnesses, conducted before Justices
Hugh j. Morrison, Daniel Z. Myers and John Nc
Alister. The examination seems to have been con-
Quoted invariably by Nr Whyte in person, and on
the part of MIR Harris by Mr. R. j. Cuttings, his
counsel
We have looked through considerable portion
of the testimony, with view of making some Sc
lections for publication, but we might take page
at random, anywhere, and it would afford revolt
ing exhibit of the whole. The volume is, in fact,
record of the most shameless and audacious vio-
lations of law public order, the rights of suffrage
and the dccences of society, that any official docu-
ment presents in the United States. 1t betrays a
systematic and persistent fraud at the polls, thus
laid bare to public inspection, and if to infer
from the manner in which the system was carried
out in practice in the lower wards, the sort of
thing In the upper, we must confess that the ag-
gregate Of the sitting members from Baltimore is
really the best evidence extant of the extreme
moderation ofthe American party at the Congress
sonal election. For instead of 900 for Mr. Davis
and 3, 900 for Mr. Harris, it would only have been
at the cost of little more effort to have doubled
the majority in each case.
The evidence establishes beyond controversy the
exclusion at will of naturalized persons from the
polls; the determination to do this; the attrocous
manner in which it was done; the deliberate con-
nivance of the regular police; the outrage and vo
lence committed against Individuals the daring
frauds by which the ballot boxes were crowded
with illegal votes; the perversion of the ballot by
striped tickets, and in short, history of wrongs
great to justify the unqualified assertion, that
the civil and political rights of the people were
utterly subverted by organized ruf6ansm, through
out the whole mockery of the election of the 4th
of November.
A considerable portion of the testimony is that
of we'll known citizens, men of undoubted charac-
ter, some acting officially, and some of the most
striking facts were elected from members of the
American party, also acting officially The tone
of the wOe voluminous record is the same from
beginning to end, and the reiterated assertions of
the witnesses, together with the overwhelming
testimony, is direct to the fact that it was not
''possible for the people of the District, at that
election freely and fairly to express their choice
for representative to Congress-" The record is
sad commentary upon boasted civilization
and political liberties, for the conclusion is rresst
able, that no despotism could more efectualy dis
franchise people, and in manner more humilia-
ting than the democratic party of Baltimore were
DISTINGUISHED by mob law at the late Congressional
election.
1.-THE above is in relation to the last Congressional
election in Baltimore 1t will be remembered that
the time the democrats charged that the knownohings
carried the election by fraud and violence, cecing
Henry Winter Davis (WhO ALWAYS votes against the
south and Harris whose seat was contested as above
stated1