Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-25
PURITY OF ELECTIONS.

turns in the southern States, that the de-
mocracy have succeeded in carrying cleo
tons there only by terror and fraud Yet
in the face of the fact that at this very
time Congress is called to take some ac-
ton to protect the lives and property OF
persons there threatened by a recent dem.
ocratic association, on account of Their
political principles, the Standard has the
hardihood to make the following asser-
ton:
The history of the election farces in
the southern States since the war up to
within twelve months last past, has only
to be cited to show this hateful state OF
things: state of things where under the
safe protection of federal boyonets and
blue. coats the negro repeaters have had
it pretty much their own way, voting as
often as was deemed expedient, to the ex-
clusion, frequently, of regularly enfran-
chised citizens of the democratic party,
desiring to vote once only"
This is the way the Standard upholds
the purity of the Ballot-box. 1t flames
with pretended virtuous Indignation
about the alleged use of money to infiu-
ence voters in our city election, and up
holds assassination and the terrors of the
Ku-Klux in North and South Carolina
and wherever that infamous and dreaded
organization exists. 1t not only sanctions
the cause of these assassins of liberty and
the right of suffrage by the language
above, but coolly charges the hunted and
prosecuted blacks, voting if they vote at
all under the risk of being~hot down like
dogs in the streets. with having carried
the elections by fraud and the aid of fed
eral bayonets. If federal bayonets have
interfered in any case whatever to thwart
the free act and will of the people at the
ballot-box, we have not known it, No
such case is upon record. AS to negro re-
peaters, let us see about that The negroes
and white republicans in nearly every
Southern States have clear numerical ma
jority. The majority of wealth, bragga-
docio, desperation and political wicked
ness is upon the other side, but it is votes
that count in an election. Why should the
negroes resort to repeating when they
have honest votes enough if they could
cast them to elect their candidates? Take
Alabama which passed in the election o
last fall under the control of the democra.
cy. In 1860 Breckenridge had for Presi-
dent in that State As, S3l votes; the oppo-
sition gave Douglas and Bell fl 40. The
vote against Breckenridge was vote
against Secession and in favor of Union
and the most of those men who cast il
that are living to-day are Union men and
republicans at heart. But with the war
came the end of slavery, followed by the
clothing of the negroes with all civil and
political rights, including the right of suf-
frage. The colored people in Alabama
numbered in 1860, according to the census,
437,770 That the negroes would vote the
republican ticket if allowed to have their
free choice nobody doubts. Here then
would be ut least 10000 republican black
votes. giving union republican party in
the State Ill, 476 strong, against demo-
cratic party of only 1881. And yet the
democracy holdthe State in their hands to-
day, and have just sent to the Senate of the
United States one of their body to represent
them there. Did they do it by fair means ?
1t would make even democrat blush to
undertake to establish such claim. That
the blacks would vote the republican ticket
if let alone is evident enough This is the
cause of the Ku-Klux organization whose
object is their determination politically.
If the blacks We're democrats there would
be no reign of terror established in the
South. Yet in full knowledge of facts like
the above, showing by figures and reason
able calculations that Alabama is republi-
can more than two to one and yet is con-
trolled in the elections by the democracy,
the Maine Standard, while pretending to
favor fair elections, sneers at negro re-
peaters" in the Southern States. 1t is
wicked enough it would seem to give aid
and comfort to the democratic murderers
at the South, but to sneer at the hunted,
cheated, bleeding blacks, adds to it by
its utter heartlessness. and uselessness
under any consideration. What is true of
Alabama is true of North Carolina.
We repeat that the republican party is
the only party that favors fair elections.
1t placed among the statutes of the United
the first law to promote that object, and it
is pledged to support it by all the power
it can command. When States like New
York are carried by gigantic fraud for the
democracy by the cooperation and conni-
vance OF the State authorities, the courts,
and the officers of New York citv il is
high time that some steps were taken to
arrest the evil. A single item in 1863 was
the issuing OF more than &C, 900 fraudulent
naturalization certificates other meas,rae
were in harmony with this outrage. Let
the Standard begin with its own party if
it desires to purify the ballot. and us a
commencement denounce as ii deserves the