The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-03-15
A NEGRO-RIBBEE STATE.
AN Interesting Picture of TZins-
teenth Century Progress.
South Carolina Under Radical Rule in 1871
The Election Burlesques- Negro We
men Voting for Sick Husbands.

-Ine E4eobioh 6nrlesques- Negro We
men Voting for Sick Husbands.
CHARLESTON, s. c., Feb. 2l.-The other
day, as was walking downlKing street, l
heard the sound of drum aud fife and be-
held approaching a tat:ered and dSrk-hued
crown. First came the musicians, then
pompous negro who seemed 10 be the man
ager OF the show, and then another negro,
equally inflated, and bearing alott white
cotton transparency. At the heels of these
worthless swarmed rsbble OF dirty blacks
OF all sizes and ages, from the white headed
old "uncle" to the hatless, shoeess, nud al
most pantaloonless ''picksninny.' Upon
the banner over their heads was inscribed
this legend
ELECTION TOMORROW RALLY, REPUBLI'
CANS"
When this email sample OF the repuoli.
can party of South Caroiga had passed,
learnad from a bystander that an election
was N come off the next day for State
SsnRtor from Charleston county, to fill
vacancy caused BY the death of on Mishaw
lcream colored) The candidates for the
succession we're GalliSrd saddle colored),
regular republican; Gain (sooty- black J,
independent republican; and Willoughby
(whitel, New Highlander. The antecedenIs
o! these persons were peculiar. Gallisrd is
an ignorant fellow, and before the war was
boot-back. Willoughby came in with the
Northern locusts at the close of the war and
was provoBt,marshAl for awhile, and an
over-bearing, insolent one at that. Cain,
commonly called
DADDY CAIN,
IS Northern negro and a preacher. He is
said to be thoroughly unprincipled, and
when in the State Senate, few years ago,
WAS one of the mosv notorious OF the traf-
fckers with the lobby. The negro ma)o rity
in the county is overwhelming, and the dem
ocrats or whites made no attempt to put a
candidate in the field Ii would be simply
waste Of time 70 walk to the polls, and as
al the republican candidates were equally
vile and disgusting, there was no induce
ment to support either in hope of helping
the State little. On the day of election |
visited the polls. There were very few
whites visible, but
swARMs OF IDLE, DRUNKEN NEGROES
lounged about the neighboring rum shops
or blocked the avenues Of approach to the
ballot boxes. They were noisy, quar-
relsome, and profane, and as the day WAS
warm, rocked with spiration. The com
biuaton of the odors of negro and whisky is
not soothing TO the Caucasian nostril
Behind the bsllot-Do usually sat 3 white
man aud two negroes, or three negroes.
These were the managers of election. They
were most illiterate men, and their struggles
with the printed copy Of the oath, which
they were to read to electors, were ludicrous
IN the extreme. The paper was printed in
big type, and the manager would labor
through it slowly, stumbling at the large
words, and skipping them altogether if they
proved obstreperors. The result the
ELECTION FARCE
is not yet known. The managers have the
right, under the State election law, passed
by the last negro Legislature, TO keep the
ballot-boxes 10 their possession ten DAYS
before beginning to count the votes. The
result of the count Of course depends on the
political predictions of the managers. 1t
is generally believed that Daddy Cain has
been able to see most of the managers of the
country precincts, and will be returned, and
that the usual contest for the seat will toll
low in the Senate. The republican polti-
clans charge fraud upon each other with the
utmost freedom. We have their own evil
dence that they are the most unmitgated
act of scoundrels outside the peniteutisry
In the negro counties on the coast. the cleo
tiOns are mere cRricaturea. In November
last
NEGRO WOMEN VOTED
for their sick or absent husbands. Negro
boys were allowed to put in their ballots
upon swearing that they were of age. The
whites were driven away from the polls
After the election the managers took the
ballot boxes home with them, and kept them
privately IL their possession until the time
required for making their return. Northern
readers may readily conclude that State
Government and Legislature chosen unde1
such circumstances must be wicked and cor
rupt. And 80 they are. Nothing NOR
extraordinary can be conceived than tn
motley crew, of Five Points negroes, planta
tion hands, Yankee adventureres, and Sim
Sing graduates assembled at Columbia ant
calling themselves the
LEGISLATURE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Over two-thirds of the members are {
African descent, and range in complexio
through dirty white, chrome yellow, molasse
color, ginger, cinnamon, and mahogany, t
coal black. The negro who.presides owe
the Senate has kinky hair but his hue !
that of New Jersey mud after heavy rain
A large proportion of the members OF bot
Houses cannot read and write. Some OF ther
but few years ago were engaged In To
more useful service Of hOeing corn and CO
ton; they have come up to Columbia from tn
plantations of their late masters, becaus
they were the shire widest, or the most vloler
among their fellows. Ignorant al
brutal, and the companions of the wori
men from the North, they are of cours
corrupt. Very few bills pass the Legisli
ture without being paid for by outside par
ties.
is practiced openly without the slightel
attempt at concealment. The lobbyist zoe
boldly to the legislator and bargains for b
vote. You can calculate almost to q dolla
so systematic has the swindle become, no
muon it will cost you to oRrrv through
defeat any job. An amusing illustration
the condition of the morals OF the republ
can Legislature of South Carolina va
afforded the other day by the HonorRb
Mr. Leslie, Of the Senate, runaway Ne
Yorker Some of the orators were bottle
ing MIR. Leslie in debate about his ma
administration of one Of the state office
when he sprang TO his feet, and, shaking h
finger at the entire body, shouted, Il dai
you to an investigation try 1t on, and
promise you l will put half of you in ii
penitentiary, and what is more, l will p'
your
GOVERNOR IN THE PENITENTIARY,
too, in less than thirty days" The Legis
lature covered before this threat, and n
further disposition has been evinced
impugn the integrity OF the gentleman late
from New York. The few democrats in Il
Senate and House sit in silence. They al