Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-08-02
YESTERDAY.
How the City and County Voted
in the Late Election.
The Radicals Sweep Everything
by Large Msjorities.
Voting ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In Registration-work for
the Grand Jury.
A Brief Sketch of How the Radi-
cal Leaders Managed Affairs.
Some Questions for tho Registra-
ton Commissioners to Answer
Some Questions for tho Registra-
ton Commits al toner's to Answer.
THE COMPARATIVE VOTE.

THE COMPARATIVE VOTE.
For the first time in the history Of
Memphis an election has been carried by
men unable to read even the names of
their candidates The result, which APP
pears below. is that anticipated by every
one whose judgment was not clouded by
his feelings There was less hope of
Brownlow essaying decency, or Thad.
Stevens becoming conservative, than Of
securing Radical defeat in this city
yesterday. The white Radical vote in
Memphis and suburbs does not exceed
700; yet Brownlow receives over 1900,
$500 being cast by the newly enfran-
chised. The entire white vote, if cast
against Brownlow, could not have
changed the result. All told, it did not
exceed 2700 while to the $780, 1900 more
blacks would have been added had the
polls remained open an hour aftsr the
time prescribed by law. At least that
number, with tickets in their hands,
swarmed like the locusts of Egypt about
the polls when the fatal hour Of four
o'clock arrived. The Radicals overshot
the mark. They feared TO trust the
country negroes to their employers, and
ordered them into the city to vote. Half
the polling places were allotted to them,
but these proving insufficient, they were
sent to the white wards Upwards Of
300 of them voted in the Third Ward.
They took possession of the Sixth
and Seventh Ward precincts, carry
ing the former by over 400 and
the latter by "a majority. Even in the
First Ward upward of 200 negro
votes were cast 1t appears that the
Second, Fourth, Fifth and Eighth Ward
precincts were monopolized by colored
voters throughout the day, and the Sixth
and Seventh Ward precincts wholly so
after IL o'clock. Besides, they cast at
least 500 votes in the First and Third
Wards. Although thus m onopolizing
nearly every precinct, we may anticipate
the Radical charge that the colored
voters we're not allowed fair showing
at the polls. The facts speak for them
selves. Hundreds of white legal voters
were elbowed from the polls, and after
waiting hours for the black inundation to
subside, left in disgust without casting
their ballots.
ooLoRED MACHIEEs-sHAMELEs FRAUD.
The colored voters were managed sim.
ply as machines. Few could read the
names on their tickets yet to a man
they voted for Brownlow. In hundreds
of instances they produced envelopes
containing both certificate and ticket,
without knowing, until informed by the
clerks of election, which should be voted.
These envelopes had evidently been
placed in their hands by the Radical
leaders, the possessors never having Wis
tied the registration Office. The most
shameless fraud was developed at every
precinct. Colored men, bearing certifi-
Gates with J. D. Davis signature, pre-
scented themselves, and, upon being
sworn, testified that they had been in
the State only two or three months.
Others acknowledged under oath that
they were under twenty one years
of age; others that the certificates
had been given them by other negroes.
These men comprehended the nature of
an oath as they refused to perjure them
selves to vote, it is fair to presume they
did not swear to lies in order to obtain
certificates.
NEGLECT or CRlME-wHICH2
Either Mr.. j. d. Davis, Registration
Commissioner, grossly neglected his
duty or has permitted the most Infamous
fraud to be practiced. 1t is notorious to
all visitors to the polls yesterday that
large numbers OF certificates we're pre-
scented in evidence of eligibility by men
who, when questioned. did not claim a
right to vote. All were Radicals Who |
gave them these certificates Did they |
commit perjury in obtaining them2 If
so, why did they answer so truthiully |
yesterday We should like TO have Mr.
Davis explain how some of these certih-
Gates, now in possession Of election chal-
lengers, found their way into the hands
of those presenting them. This is a
proper subject for the action Of the grand
jury. We have little doubt that a
sitting of the facts would result
in criminal indictments against halt of
the Radical leaders in Shelby county.
General Wallace will do a
praiseworthy act in lending his talents
and energies to this matter We may
then look for squirming among men fill
ing positions which should be occupied
by honorable men. No decent man will
suffer.
TIE DRILLING.
NThere is no doubt that hundreds Of
he colored men voting yesterday did so
illegally. When challenged and put
lnder oath, many of them answered as
hey had evidently been instructed.
: NoneonnAh creek, five miles dis way"
pointing south or southesstl, and near
Whites station" we're the localities an