Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-12-21


the war; hut that loss fell most heavily
upon her young men, and OF the class who
we're under 81 years of age. 1t cannot be
pretended that the loss in the army was
any thing like the increase Of the number
of Young men who attained their majority
from 80 to o., the first two yeas ana
the las, two being times Of peace.
In 1850 the census footed up 10000
white males twenty years of age and up
wards. Perhaps there were eight or ten
thousand of these foreigners, and others
who had not been in the State long enough
to vote. Yet these figures show that enough
young men would have attained their ma
joriiy, with the increase from immigration,
Notwithstanding the losses in the army, to
put the voting population of the State, ac-
cording to the State laws, up to at least
95, 900. Hence the enquiry naturally arises
why is il that little more than &c.
whites have been registered? The qucs-
ton is easily answered, and is q sad, but
truthful commentary upon the iron rule Of
dcspotism which has been welded over the
white people Of this State by her radical
rulers.
Say there are only $4,000 white persons
twenty. one years old and upwards and
citizens of the State for twelve months pre-.
ccding registration, and that ten per cent.
Of that number land we think it a large
estimate) nre prohibited by the acts of
Congress, il would still leave $4,000. This
estimate leaves $4,000 unaccounted for
These $4,000 voters have been kept away
from the registration by the construction
placed upon the acts of Congress by tho
military authorities, by secret instructions
to the boards, which accidently leaked
out, and doubtless in some instances
by tho impertinence of the boards
OF the 1000 rejected it is fair TO presume
that some of them were properly rejected
under the law, yet it is known that very
few of that class presented themselves, and
it is notorious that many who were clearly
entitled to register, under the law, were
rejected Such, for instance, as lawyers,
foreigners who had taken the oath to sup
port the constitution when naturalizcd,
young men who had never held office, but
during minority had been employed rs
copying clerks, sections of grave yards,
ferrymen, &C., and others who, when ques
toned said they did not approve the acts
of Congress, aE>l others who said they did
not believe negroes were their equals, &c.
The 1000 reported as rejected sounds oddly
as 10 the numbers when compared with ac-
tual facts in certain counties. Take Dali
las and Grayson counties, two of the most
populous in Northern Texas. These coun-
ties contain not less than 1900 land we
think more) voters each. Grayson is prob
ably stronger than Dallas, and yet only
S37 whites in Dallas, and $50 whites in
Grayson, showing loss Of nearly half Of
the voters in each county. How is this !?
Are Dallas and Grayson more rebcllious
than Collin, Denton, Fannin and Ellis, their
near neigbbors, or is it because more
honest minded set of men presided over
the destinies of these counties2 1t is we'll
known that in Dallas, and we have heard
the same of Grayson, the desire to register
was general, and all who fclt entitled were
anxious to do so. Take the wholesale
slaughter made in these two counties, in
Travis, and the large number rejected in
Be1ar, Harris and Galveston, and it seems
| like the 1000 wou'l soon be reached. But
it is idle to speculate. The books we pre- =
sumo show 1900 reflections, no more, and
this is paraded as q specimen Of radical
justice and liberality. The truth can never
DO attained. These county boards were
absolute, they had no inspectors of their
dsings and could make any report that
suited.
But the 1900 rejected voters presents no
more wonder than the AZ ,430 blacks resid-
ing in this State for twelve months proceed
ing registration twenty -one years old and
upwards. In 1860 there we're Of whites in
the State 400, s9l, and of blacks, 1921.
The white immigration has been much
greater than the black, except perhaps dur
ing the war. But Of the blacks brought
here during that time it is certain that the
greater portion have left the State. And
not only SO of this class, but many have
left the State who were here previous TO
the war. Yet it is doubtless true that there
have been some aecessions from abroad to
this population, but not enough to supply
the places of those who have left. Then
this Al, 430 who have registered can only
be accounted for satisfactorily upon the
ground that many under tweniy-one years
of age have been allowed to register and
others who had not been here twelve
month"; and doubtless quite q number have
registered twice. This could be done easily,
because the registration was carried on in
different counties at different periods Of
time. Hence, the calculation may be safe
ly made that there are not more, at the
outside, entitled to vote, than 5000.
In view of the facts divulged by these
registration figures our people should not
he desrnndent. There is achance 10 defeat
the proposed convention, BY the cOnserva-
tives declining 10 vote, and By their stten-
ton to the polls on the day Of the election,
challenging every voter who it Is known 10
not entitled to the privilege. Certain il is,
in our judgment, that any constitution sub
mitied for the ratification Of The people
which allows negroes 10 vote, and which
disfrane bises any class Of whites, can be
defeated BY the white votes Of the State,
even under this registration.
All who are eOnversAnt with the pztlie
sentiment Of the people Of this State know
that there are many persons Who synPa-
thiss with the radical leaders, and Othsrs
Who will support The proposition for s9a-
vsntion, Who are not in favor Of disf7n-