Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-04-16
m.roo, ss an Element or Democratic
"u'"' Politics. fTfnffE


TAc testimony taken in the contested
.,o.tice ttte M s. T.. Hoge against ]. p
pe,d In The lid Congressional @ District of
South Carolina, reveals the fact that the
Demorratic party In that District, in the
contest Of hast November, resorted TO de-
iIberate. Wholesale murder asa means of
carrying the election Startling and hor-
riblc as this statement may seem, We re.
eret 10 find ourselves forced to accept Il.
Among the witnesses who testify to the
organization and murderous work of the
Ku-Klux Klan is w. X Tolbert one Of the
confessed murdorers of the colored
Senator, b. + Randolph. The Hon. r.
X. Scott, Governor Of the State, testifies
that during the months Of July August
September, October and November last,
great excitement prevailed in the counties
of Abboville, Anderson, Edgcheld, and
Ncwbury and that the law could not be
enforced In those counties, which form
part OF the lid Congressional District,
because the Democrats were arrayed
against It. He received Information that
the Democratic party was organized for
the purpose of preventing the officers
from enforcing the law against their parti-
sans, and controlling tho elections in the
interests Of that party alone. Tho Gov
ernor further testifes
"Iwas Informed by men who claimed to be
long to Democratic Clubs that they were provid-
ing themselves with i6-shooters and Winchester
rifles, with the declared purpose Of nrat controll
ing the election by keeping the negroes away
from the polls, and II resistance was made they
would shoot the negroes down, and thereby pre-
vent the more timid from attending at ALL They
did tCitR nv k7t0toief1e bring into the State
these deeiaFaton-. There was no election for
Congress IN Edgeheld County. tiId Congressional
District. The reason why IL this The law made
Il my duty TO appoint three Commissioners OF
Election in each county two OF these first ap-
pointed were white men aud one colored man,
OF that oouuty. The white mon objected 20 sorve
because that particular colored man was mem
bcr OF the Board. | accordingly appointed three
other Commissioners, one Of whom WAS a Mr.
scntativcs. lie replied To me that e. was impcssi-
bic for the Board to serve, because Il required all
Of his time to save his llo that he had been sh hot
at twice IN hts own residence had escaped from
his house under cover uf darkness. and was then
writing 70 me from bic place otconcealment In the
swamp. II was too late then to appolnton other
Commissioners OF Election, ms tho law required n
notice of 20 days before an eloctio oaud be held
Tho general condition OF political aiiairs in that
county, as far as tho Republican party was CON
oerned, rs regards their safety, can only state
my opinion, based upon reports OF citizens living
In tho county. (Mr. Pope objected 10 the opinion
based upon such intormaiionl thiuk thore
partfnent during the months OF september, Octo'
her, aud November, 1903, that did not got one
OF tho county. and claimed ID there lettcrn TO be
murdered In consequence OF their political opin.
ion, otother outragcs Committed on them, md
begged of me to send a military fnrc9 TO the
county to give protection against lawlcss mon"
The same witness testifles that the con-
dition in Abbevilie and Newbury was
very much the same as in Edgefield, and
that he has on file In tho Executives office
reports of 10 murders in Abbeville pre-.
vious to the November election that,
Judging by the results Of previous cleo
tions, aud the statement Of intelligent men
of both parties, in fair election the Re,
publicsns would have carried Ahbcville by
1900 TO 1000 majority, and Newbury by
from 1000 TO I 900 The Governor also
testihes as follows; u .fsrt
al believe from evidence that dare not regard
az worthless that II was tho belief Of party or n
large number OF man I'm the State that Seymour
and Blair would be elected and thereby a dGci-
sion would be given against the Reconstruction
policy Of Congress, and II was the intention OF
those to inaugurato civil war aud overthrow the
Governments that had been established In the
south viii give one reason for this belief;
Conversations were not uncommon among these
who were most active In importing those arms,
wherein they expressed fully aud openly their
plan of operation, In which they stated that they
would bring about a riot in this event they
would he prepared and kill of tho Leading Re.
publicaus, both white and black, aud that II
would DO an easy matter after they were disposed
Of to control the rest of the negroes. with these
guns In their hands The State officers disposed
of, they would call a new election, when hey
would have tho whole matter In their own hands.
In answer t. an inquiry whether they did not
fear that they would be called to an account for
this Wholesale work, they said +" Who ever heard
OF anybody getting punished for a riot" and 70.
ferred to Memphiss Camilla aud New Orleans In
1860 @. You think, then, the 16.shootcrs woro
eionY A. think II was intended for another re-.
bellion, but not u now secession"
When we remember that Andrew
johnson had done his evil best to inspire
the belief that the Reconstruction laws
were unconstitutional that Congress it.
self was unconstitutional in fact, that
pretty much everything was unconstitu-
tional except "my policy :" that the con
clave of rebels calling itself the Democrat
io National Convention. substantially in
dorsed the views of Mr.. johnson, and that
Gen. Blair, the Democratic candidate for
Vice President, advised course of action
similar TO that adopted by these South
Carolina Democrats, twill hardly surprise
anybody that they should have pursued
the murderous path that was so clearly
pointed out 10 them.
Gov Scott's opinion as to what would
have been tho result of fair election In
Abbeville and Newbury must be accept.
ed as correct. According to the census of
1860, Abbeville contained 1870 male In.
habitants. Of whom 10,003 were oolored,
and Newbury 1913, of whom 1917 Were
.colored, about two blacks to one white
1t is not probable that the proportion OF
whites 70 blacks has materially changed
since. The returns show 1,923 Democratic
majority in Abbeville, and 1855 in New
bury. Can any candid reader doub
that fair election, in which each votci
should have had the privilege ofdepositing
his ballot without fear or favor, woult
have reversed these majorities 9-Net