Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-08-02
EXTRA STANDARD.


| We expected that the Raleigh and Richmond
administrations would use all their patronage and
influence to prevent free and fair vote in the
army, but we confess we were not prepared for
the force and fraud which have been reserted to in
order to influence and control the votes of the SOL
diers. .f ---- sl.rt. :
The elections held in the hospitals in this City
were the meFest farces. As general rule no free.
dom Of selection was permitted, but the soldiers
were told by the officers standing over them, that
If they voted against Vance they would be imme-
diately sent to their regiments. The tickets were
opened and the names of the voters written on the
backs of them, in the very face of the law of the
State on the subject, which leaves it optional with
the voter to hand in an open or a folded ticket
Friends who were present at the election in one of
the hospitals, inform US that two of the Surgeons
in charge-one from Florida, and the other from
Virgina-stood over the polls as the soldiers voted,
declaring that no one who voted for Holden could
stay in that hospital The voters ticket was open.
ed, and his name written on the back of it A
soldier who ayowed his intention a few days before
the election to vote for Hplden was sent at once
to his regiment by these Surgeons another, whose
name was tzkeu doWa to go forward to his reg
lment on the morning of the 9th, because he
was known to be for Holden, refused to go that
day, but remained and voted for Holden. All who
who were known or supposed to be for Vance were
allowed to remain and the impression was pro-
,duced on them that if they voted4for Vance they
would not be sent on their regiments for weeks to
come soldier by the name of McManus, from
South Carolina, was allowed to vote for Vance in
this hospital. A soldier by the name of Ward vo-
ted for Holden, and as soon the. Florida Surgeon
saw it he ordered the clerk to record his name
company, and regiment exclaiming no man who
votes for Holden can stay here " The same Sur
geon asked by a soldier if he could vote fold
ed ticket and his reply was, "lt is best not to
risk it."
We have obtained these facts from three persons
who were present and witnessed this tyranny
We believe, from what we know Of these persons,
that their statements are strictly true.
At another one of the hospitals the officers were
very actiVein debating to the men; and 5y their
permission-for it was done in their presence
without. .rebuke-the negro walters attached to the
hospital went out among the men during the elec.
ton with Vance tickets stuck in their hats. If a
poor soldier in that hospital or in the Fair Ground
hospital had stuck Holden ticket in his hat he
would have been ordered at once to his regiment.
High times, indeed, when the negro is allowed by
hoisting a certain name, to indicate to our white
soldiers how they ought to vote. Great God =
has it come to this? Is this one of the results
of peaceable secession !" But this insult to those
o posed to Gov. Vance had to be endured for if
any soldier had inflicted merited chastisement on
these slaves, he would no doubt have been seut
al once to the army as punishment for so doing
We obtained this fact from citizen of Wake Ooun-
ty Of uudoubted character for veracitE who saw
with his own eyes these negroes going about with
Vance tickets in their hats. $50
We learn also-indeed, the fact is 10 the mouth
of every one-that number of females said to be-
long to-the Raleigh Relief Association went to the
hospitals while the elections were going on, tore
up the Holden tickets and by every means in their
power prevented.a full and free vote One soldier
who at last voted for Holden, had his ticket torn
up seven times before he could deposit his ballot.
We state these facts without comment.
1t is our opinion, from what we have heard, that
the Surgeon in charge of Psttigrew Hospital DR..
E. Burke Haywood, did all in his power to have a
fair election, but this was prevented by the per-
sons referred to above. We have heard, however,
that even in this hospital the names Of the voters
| were marked on the back of their tickets. We
give the report as we heard it and if unfaunded
We will take pleasure in correcting it If so, how
/ ever 1T proves that the tickets were opened and
thus marked in accordance with special instruc.
tions from Raleigh or Richmond for DR.. Haywood,
kao wing as he does the laws of the State on the
subject would not have done so of his own accord.
We have no doubt that the votes at the other
hospitals in this State and Virginia controlled
| in the same way. + .
? Large maiorities are claimed for Vance in the
hospitals, and in some regiments which the De.
| syructives of this City say they have heard from
We have received no returns up to this time, Fri
| day evening four o'clock. any dispatches have
! been made up by our friends at Petersburg or
Wilmington, or Kiiston, and placed in the tele-
! graph Office they have been withheld no doubt
under military orders uatil the Confederate and
/ Conservative can have fdI time to get their dis
| patches before the public, SO as, i possible to
| operate on the people a. home in favor of Gov
Vance If the returns which these papers contain
be correct, it proves that large number of the
soldiers have not voted at ALL but have been pre.
vented from exercising their right of suffrage either
| by the direct use of force, or by opening their
| tickets and marking their names on them. There
are some thirty thousapd soldiers Who are entitled
to Sote yet the E.trns which thsse papers contain
/ though the majorities for Fance are large, show
that the vote itself was small The probability is
that the true Conservatives in. the army have not
voted at all or to any considerable extent, on &C.
count ofsone special tyranny praeticed on the day
of election. We shall soon know
And now, citizens Of North Carolina, what do
| YOU think of these things? Are you indeed free
| men If you are, shoW it at the polls. The SOL
der with the scars of twenty battles his body,
has been insulted and deprived of his right of suf
fraoe &c free citizen by lnsolent and oyerbearipg
gave the order tospot and detect every soldier who
might vote ;egsiust him, by printing his tickets on
naner of an nnilsual coler and the same is intend