Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-03-11


Of elections, in said Fourth District, (whom it
seems in his fancy, had conspired together for his
Defeat that each county in the State, is entitled
to three Commissioners Of Elections, who, under
the laws of the State are charged with the duty
of experimenting and overlooking the elections in
their respective counties; Of establishing the diff
ferent precincts; appointing managers compar-
ing the returns; consolidating the vote Of the
county, and of making the final returns to the
State Canvassers. That shortly before the said
Congressional election, three Commissioners were
appointed for each county, by the Governor ofthe
State-who, being Republican himself, made ap-
pointments from the Republican party, of a major
ity Of two to one, on each of the said Boards, in
each county in said District, as the undersigned
has been informed. That these respective Boards,
upon their appointment, adopted the same rule in
the selection of managers, and appointed MAORI
ty of managers at each box, where it was pracica-
bic to do 50, from the said Republican party, and
in this way the friends land partizans of the con-
testant had every opportunity to meet and coun-
teract, on the spot, any effort at unfairness,
that might be attempted by any one, and yet
these managers in the different counties, Ia large
majority of whom, as before stated, were Repub-
LEANS made their reports to the County Com
missioners, (also RepubEcans,) who consolidated
said returns, and Immediately reported the same
to the State Canvassers, (also Republicans,) who
declared the undersigned duly elected, and fur
nished him with certificate of bis election,
signed by each of said Canvassers, without its be-
ing mentioned in any of said reports, returns, or
consultations far as the undersigned has been
informed-that there was any ilegality, fraud, un-
fairness, or improper conduct of any kind in said
election. Now, could this have been possible, and
yet the gross Frauds outrages and illegalities,
charged by the contestant as practtced by the
friends and partizans of the undersigned, in the
very presence of the managers, and in some in,
stances by the managers themselves, and under
the supervision of the County Commissioners, be
true?
The undersigned denies these charges, and so
far as this denial may have that effect, will relieve
the'contestants partys officials from the SANDERS
implied therein, on the ground that they could
not have been true, or these officials would have
made some report thereof.
The undersigned further states as to the county
of Laurens, that at all Of the elections heretofore
held in said county, boxes were opened at some
fifteen or twenty precincts, located at convenient
points for the electors but at the election held on
the third day of November, 1868, the Republican
members Of the County Commissioners, against
the written protest of the only Democratic mem-
Der thereof, determined to consolidate all Of these
precincts into FIVE, and to establish three Of said
five at the county site, which was done; and By
this means, large proportion of the coored voters
of said county were gathered at the said county
site on the day of election; while in the arrange
ment of the two country precincts-which were 10
Gated at remote points large proportion ofthe
white vote, as possible, was concentrated at them.
After this unusual arrangement became known, the
opinion was prevalent in the public mind that this
was done to gain some unfair advantage for the
Republican party either to enable the colored cleo
tors, by force of numbers, to crowd from the polls
the white vote of the village, or to be placed in
situation, to be more easily controlled by League
influence, and by partizan leaders, in the exercise
of their franchise And for some days before the
election, there was some apprehension on account
Of these facts, that some disturbance might arise
on the day of election, growing out of the excite
ment; from this new order Of things, and the
great inconvenience which the electors Of the en-
tire county were put to-, in getting to the pos and
the large number of electors required to vote at the
boxes thus consolidated, within the hours during
which said boxes were to be kept open. On &C
count of this apprehension, and under the advice,
and with the cooperation Of Maj Wells, the OIL
Ger in command of the company Of United States
soldiers before alluded to, then stationed in said
county, the Sheriff of the county made the most
perfect arrangements to keep the peace, and to en-
able every voter, whether white or black, demo-
cratic or republican, present, to exercise, unmoest-
ed, his right to vote, if he saw proper to do so
and the undersigned ventures the assertion that no
election, upon this continent, was ever conducted
with more impartiaLty and fairness, and with less
bitterness.
The undersigned may find it necessary to offer
proof as to the disabilities Of the contestant under
the 18th amendment; as to his accepting Office in
violation of the provisions Of that amendment as
to his encouraging acts of llegality and violence
on the part of bis friends and partizans to secure
his election; as to fraudulent votes cast for him.
and other illegal acts by himself and supporters,
so overawe, control and manage the coored voters
in said Fourth Congressional District, as to compel
them, if possible to cast their votes in mass for
him, without knowing for whom they were voting
or understanding anything whatever as to the i'm
port of their act and he will claim the right to
offer such proof at the proper time if necessary.
w n. SIMPSON.
To A. s. WALLACE.
b9 Double lines Of railway, third rail in single
lines and various other devices have been suggest
ed and tried for the purpose of arranging through
freghting facilities from the Atlantic seaboard to
the Western interior without breaking bulk. This
has finally been accomplished by very cheap,
and of course, simple invention. Last week, al
train of twelve cars loaded with merchandise tor
Chicago, St. Louis &c., started from Boston, vaa
the Grand Trunk and connecting lines. The
wheels are made to shift on the axle to the width
of any required gauge, being fixed in the necessary
place by keys, which are easily removed when it
becomes needful to shift gauge at any station. A
large number of cars are in construction on this
plan, which can, of course, be applied as well to
passenger as to freight carriage. 1t looks like an
other leap ahead. ."-Neao York Times. !