The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-06-02
How Congress makes Radical Members.

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How Congress makes Radical Members.
The way in which the House has cheated the
Louisiana members out of their seats is in the
best vein OF Radical piety. In the fall of 1865
the Democrats of louisiana put the best foot
foremost, cultivated the man and brother with
barbecues, filled him with free whiskey, clapp-
ed ballot in his hand and voted him straight
through; whereby it happened that the State
went for Seymour by $4,000 majority, and full
delegation of five Democratic Representatives
was elected Foreseeing, from the pleasant
manner in which the man and brother took to
the barbecuing administered unto him, how the
thing was like to 90, some of the Radical wire
workers telegraphed on to Washington, just
prior to the election, for Instructions. The
word came, "outrages y but, stuffed full ofroast-
pig and good whiskey, the negro was If anything
more gentle than lamb and as little inclined
to fight as she-dovve. "Outrages," then, being
out of the question, again the word went
forth unto Washington for instructions, and in
response there came an order to keep the blacks
away from the polls, the design being to plead
s'rebel terrorism" as the cause. This met in
different success Where the barbecues had
been plentiful and the whiskey Aoated free,
there, diaregarding the voice of the charmer,
the black man voted for the Democracy; and
only in such places as had not been perfumed
with the aroma Of shoat and bourbon did the
staying-away plan prevail. AS consequence,
though the Democrats carried every district, an
exceedingly full vote was polled in some and
only moderote vote in others. To turn all
the Democrats out, therefore, on the plea of
"rebel terrorism" having kept the negroes from
voting, was out of the question, since In most
of the districts the returns showed that they
had voted, and voted Democratic almost en-
masse. In despair at this state of affairs, the
reconstructed State authorities nibbled of q
thousand votes here and a thousand votes there /;
but, even this not materially changing the
sweeping Democratic majorities, it was found
necessary finally to give them certificates of
election and. as the electoral vote of Louisiana
was soon after counted for the Democratic can
didate for the Presidency, it was thought that
settled the question for Congressman too, and
that Louisiana would reap the advantage other
assiduous barbecuing of the man and brother
by full Democratic delegation in the House.
Congress, however, was equal to the exlgen-
cy, and as soon as it met last year opened the
play that has Just in these few days past reach
ed the grand transformation scene. Objection
was made to the Louisiana members and their
credentials referred to the Committee on Elec-
tions, which committee took comfortable nap
of some months thereupon and then walked up
and referred them to a subcommittee, and then
all hands went to sleep again. Then, after an
immense amount of prodding, the sub-commit-
tee walked up and reported to the committee
proper, and the committee proper "took testi-
mony" This necessitating pleasure trip to
New Orleans, and pleasure not being thing
that admits haste some more months passed.
Then came up this terrible Georgia to set ev
erything at loose ends and, what with passing
q condition precedent one day and taking it
back the next, and due time spent in hope
less muddlement at the case upon the merits,
something over year was gotten rid OF, and
then, not being able to do anything else, the
committee reported in three cases. In the first
of these it appeared one Hunt, Democrat, re-
ceiyed 19, $40 votes, and one Sheldon, a Radi-
cal, 8,493, or just 10, ,847 less. TO admit that
Radical could be thus badly beaten was to ad-
NIT that reconstruction was failure, and the
committee could not do this. Neither could
the House, and accordingly voted Hunt out and
Sheldon in by la to 81. In the second case
McCranie, Democrat, received 1916 votes; !;
Morey, Radical, 1924; and Kennedy, another
Radical, 3,O76-the Democrat again receiving
more than 10000 majority over either OF his
competitors, or PIG over both. This was, the
COmmlCuee CnOuSnG, d WOloO C<lSC SN0h ehoA VIZ
other and had there been but one Radical con-
testant he would infalliby have been put in and
the Democrat out, but there being two it seem
ed right to turn them all out, and so the House
ordered-lO2 to So. Athird sestill remained,
that of the renowned Sypher. He had within
653 votes of majority-after throwing out
9,638 votes for his opponent-and, with line
contempt for such a mere 6agateNe, the COM
mittee recommended him in. The House ac-
cordingly began to put him in, but, repenting
as he was coming in put him out before he could
clinch the thing by saying "s'elp me" and de.
clared in this case also that no election had
been held. But two cases yet remain, in one OF
which the Democratic candidate had Z 800 and
in the other $500 majority but, as there is
great deal of testimony" yet to be taken, and
the committee is now fast asleep and the sub
committee off looking after its reelection, it is
not likely that there will be any final action IN
the premises until the close of the Forty-first
Congress puts case, report, candidates, and COM
mittee all alike out of date.
So that, whereas Louisiana accepted" re-
construction and elected five Democratic mem
bers by $4,000 majority, all the representation
she has in return is one Radical member whom
his opponent beat by 5000 votes. 1t takes .ge-
MUS to work the figures around to such results
and were Congress but to exhibit an equal
ability in polishing off the taxes there would be
new reason to admire the shrewdness OF Its
tricks-M Y World.
MEAT MORE PROFITABLE THAN COTTON
The Winnsboro' NeWs, in an editorial display