The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-09-26
TIE ELECTION LAW OF 1870.
TO raE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.

AAAS
Allow me to call public attention to this cum
ningly devised scheme to stuff the baleot-oof.
Under the pretence of great caution to pre-
serve its purity, by locks and keys, 1t makes
fraud upon suffrage matter easy to commit,
but hard to prove.
Heretofore, managers of elections were ap-
| pointed by the Legislature. They were care
fully selected without regard to party-men OF
character. who had the confidence OF their
| neirhbors, were chosen. And Of recent years
the votes were counted in presence of the pub
lie, Immediately after the close of the polls.
By this new law the Governor is directed to
| appoint commissioners of elections-the COM
mssoners to appoint the managers, and fur
nish them with ballot-boxes securely locked.
Now mark The election is to be held on
| certain Wednesday; the votes are not TO De
counted until the Tuesday foliowing-full hEe
| days. Meanwhile the locked bo1ss are TO DC
| returned to the commissioners, and Kept oy
| them until counted, ,oith the Key to the bor IN
| their official pockets. No wonder Governor
Scott approved this law on the lst OF March
| last. well knowing that he would soon become
candidate for reelection. In whose pockets
| are the keys? Why, certainly, In the pockets
| of the commissiouers-in the pockets OF the
men who he has himself feppointed, not because
they enjoy the confidence 0f their neighbors;
not because Of their high moral character. but
because they are Scott men, interested to pro-
mote his election. Therefore he very conf
dent!y trusts them with the keys to the rotes Of
the people In TIER pockets, and the uoteS them
selues IN their hands But do those of US who
are not his men trust his commissioners with the
same undoubsing confidence Now, between
| the law which opens the door. and the Gov
ernor who walks in with his interested parti-
san officers, the safety of the ballot is GER
tainly in great danger. Would ne not have
better promoted the confidence OF the public
| by appointing commissioners from both politl-
cal parties?
Save me from temptation is the Tisest prayer
that was ever offered to the Throne Of Grace.
Are political! pariisaus only exempt from the
seductive influence OF temptation TO do evil
Have the Reform party no interests in the
elections that al!the commissioners are appoint
cd from the party which seeks to oTerwhelm
them Have We no rights which our Governor
ought to respect Or is 1t because we have no
men fit to be trusted
1t is manifest the trainers OF the law them
selves do no: trust the managers. or why d.
rect the box to be locked while in their hands?
The Governor only trusts his own party friends
as commissioners; between the two, the COM
missloners are set 10 watch the managers;
but who are to watch the commissioners Is 1t
unreasonable that We outsiders should be
somewhat dissatisfied with this little family
arrangement b. which orr votes may never
see the light Is it not enough that the Gov
ernor has put bayonets into the hands OF his
friends, to be paraded, as they will be on the
day of election, 10 the midst Of peacable and
unofending citizens But must the ballot
itself be manipulated and stuffed to suit the
necessities of himself and party The law
puts the ballot, with the key to the ballot, IN
the hands of the commissioners, and delays
the count for five days. The Governor, him
selfa Candidate, appoints only Radical COM
missioners. Shame, where is thy blush!
the purpose be not fraud, what is 1t leave
the Governor to answer these questions, and
to explain this extraordinary conduct; or with
burning shame to remain silent, as ne does
under the mighty blows OF Carpenter and But
Ter; but let him remember-silenee is some
times confession.
In the County Of York, the Reform party, by
resolution of their convention, have called
upon the commissioners to appoint at least
one Reformer on the board OF managers at each
precinct. Will they do it? All We ask is
free ballot, without bayonets at our breasts,
and a fair count: and this we must have. or it
will be to no purpose to attend the elections.
pause for a reply. CATEslT.