Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-08-23
DEMOCRATIC FRAUDS.

Wherever the Democratic party has held
the reigns of power, its leaders have not
hesitated to so manipulate and control the
machinery of elections as to cause the re-
turns to come in in their favor. The par
ty has become proverbial for unfairness
and corruption of this character. When
ever they do come into power, they man
age to retain it, no matter how glaring
their frauds. They still persist in this
course. The Louisville Commercial is one
of the most high toned and truthful pa
pers in all the land. In eschews every
thing of a sensational nature, and even in
speaking of its political opponents always
keeps the unadulterated truth in view. In
view ST the result in Kentucky, it has the
following:
Our information from different quarters of the
State is, that the Democratic managers have
perpetrated the most astounding frauds at the
recent election. General Harlan, according to
the returns so far, will receive as large vote rs
his most sanguine friends expected. His vote
would elect him upon the basis OF the vote cast
ut the Congressional election, held in Novem-
Der, 1870 when the colored voters exercised the
right of suffrage notwithstanding this fact,
the Democratic poll has been very largely in
creased beyond the expectations of every per-
son. We believe that the same systematic
frauds were perpetrated all over the State which
were committed in this city, viz: Voting young
men under twenty-one years of age, repeating
votes rs in New York city, and intimidation of
Republican votes To the end that these frauds
might be easily accomplished, IN many counties
where the county judge was Democrat, all the
officers of election at many precincts were, in
violation of law, appointed from the Democrat
ic party.
The Commercial has information of
fraud and intimidation, which reduced the
colored vote at least very materially. At
Lexington, a listwas made of colored vo-
ters who failed to get to the ballot box, and
the list reached 260 names when the Dem
ocratic riot commenced At Pleasureville,
in Henry county, the Commercial says that
eleven boys, not twenty-one years of age,
were allowed to deposit their votes for Les
lie, and that there is no doubt but the same
fraud was practiced at other voting pre-
cincts. If the Commercial is correct, Ken
lucky Democrats are fast becoming fit
companions for their brethren of Tam
many.
The Commercial concludes with the fol-
lowing analysis of the vote
Whole yote-.-.... 400
OF which General Harlan received .........8S, 900
Of this the colored vote is...... ..........22OO
Leaving to him white vote of 900
Governor Leslie received. $50
From which deduct fraudulent VOTE say-15, 900
Leaves to ..1o9, 900
Deduct the colored vote which he would
not have received had the ballot been
used 5000
Leslies 1OG 900
Harans 600
Add the cOlored vote not cast by reason
of intimidation. 600
Add the colored vote given TO Leslie. 1900
Which leaves to the Democrats majority of
only 5000 votes if we had perfectly fair cleo
ton. But give us registration of the lawful
voters and II secret ballot and General Grant
will get the electoral vote Of Kentucky in No
vember of next year.