New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-02-16
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The FFauds and vioience Prsetleed.
The Montgomery Sentinel has accounts
from day to day Of the perpettaslon Of
gross frauds and vindictivs violence, perpe-
trated and used upon the freedmen and
Union white men at the polls during tbs
late election. The following Is copied
from enc days issue Of the paper
at least three thousand freedmen were
prevented, it is said, from voting at Hayne-
vile in Lowndes county, in consequence of
the mismanagement of the polls at that
place by the board Of registration, who
were in sympathy with the rebels, and
opposed to the constitution. It is said the
sheriff, an officer specially Instructed by
General Hayden to keep order and the
peace, made a most unprovOked assault
upon one of the managers Of the election,
because the manager had made some pro-
test against the outrageous conduct OF said
sheriff.
At least two thousand persons were pre-
vented from voting for the constitution at
Union Springs, Bullock county, during the
late election, in consequence of the Oppo-
sition of the managers of the election.
AT Wetnmpka there were crowds of
bitter rebels armed at the polls, and as
white Union men would vote this armed
mob would hiss and howl at them. The
managers of the polls refused hundreds Of
votes because names were not printed cor
rectly on the poll lists. In Lee the scenes
OF 1860 and 1861 were re-enacted, and all
kinds of threats and intimidation used to
prevent votes from being polled.
In Bullock county at least 1000 freed
men were prevented from voting. In
Lowades county, the rebels took entire
control Of the ballot boxes, and destroyed
them, SO that no vote can be counted from
that county. In Choctaw, organizations
are formed to ruu all Union white men out
Of the county who voted for the constitu-
ton. In Pike county, freedmen were kept
from the polls by armed men. In Macon,
armed men stood at the polls, swearing
that "no negro should vote there"
But one place of voting was opened in
Barbour county, and that at Clayton. The
polls at Clayton were not opened until
about IL o'clock on Wednesday, but as
soon as the polls were opened, the votes
were taken In with a rapidity unprece-
dented in the history of voting, until Friday
evening, the registrars net receiving the
notice Of extension during Saturday.
At almost every poll in every county
organized baRds Of armed rebels crowded
the polls, and claimed the right to chal-
lenge every vote cast, thus making voting
tedious, and otherwise hindering votes
from being cast, thus proving COZ
clusively that no impartial election can be
held in Alabama only under the protection
of military force. In a large number Of
counties the polls were kept open only two
days.
# is said that Governor Fitzpatrick
turned off all the freedmen in his employ
for going TO Wetumpka and voting for the
constitution.
The superintendent of the laborers OF
the Alabama and Florida railroad, Of Ala
bama, turned off quite number of freed
men employed on that road for voting fol
the constitution. This road was granted
several thousands ofacres of land by con
gress. Possibly they may want this gram
Of lands continued hereafter, s.