Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-08-31


ticket shall contain the names of more persons than
such elector has right to vote for, in either Of
these cases. such ticket shall not be numbered in
taking the ballots, but shall be void"
Provision is here made for voting by ballot and
the object of the above section is to protect those
who may choose to vote folded ticket, and at the
same time to prevent fraud, by providing that if
two tickets shall be found rolled up together neith
er of them shall be counted But of what avail is
this provision if one Of the candidates shall provide
tickets ballots Of certain color? Is it not obvious
that the object Of the law is defeated 2-is it not
clear that it's spirit which is its le is disregardeda
A, time like this, when all the patronage and all
the power of government sre welded for one party
to accomplish certain results and when the citizen
knows, or even fears that he will be marked and
punished if he votes in accordance with his real
sentiments, the secret ballot as tits called is greatly
to be prised and to deprive the citizen Oft no mat
ter by what means or what way, is to set At paught
the Constitution and the law of the State, Every
citizen who votes yellow ticket for pie, votes
with and for the government; and every citizen
who votes white ticket votes against the govern
ment This was the cry every where. The reader
cen imagine the result it produced. Soldiers who
feared their officers detailed men who feared that
if they voted for certain person for Governor they
would be ordered at once to camp, and government
employees who knew that if they voted against
Gov. Vance, oz did not vote at all, they would be
dismissed from service and become conscripts, ere
thus forced to vote with certain party and for GER
tain persons, against their will. The election was
not free. The yellow ticket was fatal to all freedom
of choice 1t was foreseen that it would be, and it
was The terror inspired by the fear of being sent
. to camp as q conscript is very great call that
man hath viii he give for his life" and to save his
wife and his little ones from beggary and starva-
ton. The inventions Of despotisms are cruel, and
the yellow ticket was one of these inventions To
add to the terrors which this invention created and
to render it certain that the voter who rejected the
yellow ticket who did not vote at all, would be
singled out and punished, detectives were every
where, some Of them acting as poll-holders, and
others standing around the baliot-boxes and ming
ing in the crowd, spottng their victims and prepa-
ring their Lists for the inspection of those who bad
employed them in their odious werk But in sddi.
ton to this there xere armed men" at hundreds
Of election grounds in this State ostensibly to ar
rest deserters but really to overawe the people and
force them to vote for certain persona Chapter S.
section 81, Revised Code, provides that.
shall not be lawful to.call or direct any regi-
mental, battalion, or company muster on election
days, or to assemble armed men on the day of elec
ton, At any place appointed by law to aod elections
1or electors, goverAor, members Of Congress, or
members OF the General Assembly, under the pen
nn0 and
cred OF any person who shall call such muster OK
assemble such armed men, and applied one half to
the use OF the informer, and the other half to the
use of the State"
ut shall not be lawful" says the ststate, "to
assemble armed memo theday of election at any
place appointed by law" &c Desersion is not
merely unlawful, but criminal; yet even the pre-
text Of arresting deserters will not Justify the
semblipg Of armed men on the day of elect,en at
any place appointed by law" to hold electisas-
This law was passed in 1895, by our revolutionary
ancestors, who had seen ans felt the influence ex-
ercised by EARNED troops" on the freedom of the
ballot-box, and who were determined that under no
circumstances should . single sword or = single
6ayonet be seen, "o on the day Of election, at any
plaes" sacred to the right of suffrage But what
was the course adopted by our authorities in the
recent elections in this State? Let the following
facts, and facts which shall hay before eur read
err in future issues, give the answer.
A Citizen of Lenoir County, "whose word is as
coed as his bond" writes us as follows:
81 feared that force would be used at the cleo
ton in Kinston, but the reality was worse than I
expected. No freedom Of speech OF freedom of
ballot was allowed. The form Of . man represent
ing yourself with the word traitor marked on it,
was suspended near the Courthouse all day of. the
election. EARLY in the morning the crew Of the
gpnboat Neuse assembled at the Courthouse, and
as soon a. the polls were opened these men took
possession 0. them claiming to vote not only in the
Governors box, but for Senator and Commoner.-