The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-05-27
low the Negros were Led to
2 Vote against the Constitu-
$40 tion---Counterfeit Ball
-.a5nalana9 lots Used. Ia -aa.ag
From the Alton OH Telegraph,

Iio94I2 From the Alton (Ill.) Telegraph,
It has been matter of surprise tomany
that while our sister states have been re-
constructed and restored to their rights
and privileges in the Union, Mississippi
still remains out of the pale of, civil re.
construction. 3 "A few days since, while
lconyersing with an exc Confederate Colonel
in Northern Mississippi, we obtained some
| facts in regard to the election in that state.
I by which the new constitution was de-
feated. Our informant was gentleman
| of wealth and standing, and the state
ments he made, we,havc never, seen, in
| print
The mass of the negroes in the state
bwere we'll known to be loyal, and would
vote the Union ticket if they knew which
the ticket was. But, unfortunately, few
of them could read, and were therefore
liable to be imposed upon at the polls
To prevent this, the Union men had the
tickets prepared in Chicago, in peculiar
style, viz: upon the back of the ticket
| was Autographed the national flag in col
ors, the stripes running lengthwise with
/ the ticket. Upon the reverse side were
printed the words: "For the Constitu-
! tion," and following, the names of the
i Union candidates for state officers This
device was adopted because it was known
that Sambo would "vote for the hag;n any,
/ how. These tickets were, accordingly
sent to the different election precincts
throughout the state. But, through some
m1smanagement on the part OF the Union
men, the tickets were circulated a little
too soon, and some of them fell into the
hands of the rebels, who at once saw their
object and immediately set about getting
up an imitation, with the difference that
upon the fac sim5Ie the words: Against
the Constitution, together with the names
of the Democratic candidates for state
officers, were printed. The only distinc-
ton between the Union and the imitation
with the exception of the wording, was
that the impression of the flag upon the
original was from a steel plate, and upon
the bogus from wood cut. The Demo
Gratis used due diligence, and spread their
bogus tickets all over the state The. re-
suit was that on election Sambo voted
the flag" true enough, but he voted as
Democratic flags as Union ones, and thus
/ by his ignorance of reading, defeated the
very thing he was endeavoring to carry.
We saw the copies of the tickets, both
original and imitation, and are fully per-
/
a true solutions of the manner in which
the new constitution was defeated in Mis-
sissippi. WIKI
1t may be asked whether we believe
that men who can be so easily imposed
upon, through their ignorance, are capable
of intelligently exercising the franchise
We reply, certainly not, for when man
who cannot read votes, he is merely the
| br T1rovu nf co,,,o ~, ~, 1rylo oo1,
Butin the present condition of affairs at
the South, the ballot is necessity. 1t Is
f the Negroes only protection. The posses
sion of it gives him an Importance and
} consideration that serve to protect him
under the laws Without it we do not be.
a ieve that he could live in the South in
the existing state of society. With it is
! conferred the dignity of manhood, and
every inducement is held out to him to
, become worthy, intellectually, of SO i'm
portant trust. GIo q 'IgNSJ89Il! 20
In all parts of the South are large num-
bers of schools for freedmen. We visited
one Of them, and from the intelligence
and scholarship there manifest, it was
very evident that the)rising generation Of
negroes can never be, misled by any such
trick of politicians as related above.
! General Sickles has addressed a note t.
the State Department, acknowledging thu
receipt of his commission, and formally
notifying the Department of his accep-
lance of the Spanish Mission He pro-
tposes to take his departure in about two
weeks, and will reach Madrid about the
frst of July, at which time the commits
sion of Minister Hale expires. .''1
.Jr3g