New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-08-09
NORTH CAROLINA i'm RIGHT


North Carolina returns are all aflOat again.
That only fraud could wipe out the majority
for Merrimon which all the early adviceS lndl-
Gated we fully believed and frankly said but
we had no idea the proof could come so soon
and so conclusvely. Yet here are reports al
ready, showing doubt as TO whether the
Secretary of State can even declare the majority
for Caldwell. Frauds in the Wilmington District
are described in detail, sufficient of themselves
to reverse it. In one precinct 90 votes are re-
turned that were neither registered nor cast
In another 100 illegal votes were cast. Inc
Northampton negroes repeated III Hertlord'
In Caswell and Guilford Virginia negroes
voted in large numbers.
Not 20 weary attention with Details let us
consider one case. The vote of Halifax
County lin another districD is officially re-
turned rs 5,3O7, of which 800 were given to
the Administration candidate. Now the popu-
lation of Halifax County has undergone no
sudden increase. BY the census Of 1870 it
was 2O,lOS. The closest and most exciting
elections, even at the North, III the most
thckly settled districts, never draw out more
than one vote to every five inhabitants. Inc
vote of Connecticut, always hotly con-
tested has never exceeded 100000, though
its population is about $4,000 The
vote of New-YoTk in 1868 was 3d.
900, while its population was 4,982OOO. Al
lowing even this proportion TO Halifax
County, N. c., it could not possibly have cast
over 400 legal votes. The extra 1900 arc
papaby clear, transparent, audaclous
cheat. Yet this single case is almost
sufficient to reverse the apparent ma
iority in the whole State. In 1863, the ag-
gregate vote Of Halifax County was 4,304; in
1870, ssh; in 1871 it suddenly swelled to within
200 of its present plethoric proportions. Fraud
ulent counting and balOt-box stufling clearly
began there in 1871, so that this year they are
adopts.
Yet even casting more votes in county
than the county has male adults has not fur
nished votes enough. Everybody expected the
Administration candidate for Governor to be
elected. Writing as early as the goth Of July
we expressly warned our readers that the con-
test, made up before the national nOmi-
nations were presented, could not
possibly be a measure of the strength of the
two parties, and that many Republicans were
supporting Caldwell on local grounds, who
avowed themselves in favor of Greeley and
Brown in the national canvass. The CORE
spondence of the TIE TRIBUNE uniformly
pointed to the same probabilities. Yet what
do we see7 The Administration finds itself
beaten in the Legislature, left with only three
Congressman out Of eight, deprived OF Its
U. S. Senator Pool, Inundated by the
rejection of ex-President Settle, and finally
forced to vindicate the casting OF more
votes in the county giving one OF Its
heaviest maioriues than there are adult
inhabitants as tho only means OF retain
ing its beggarly majority for Governor.
With or without the purging of the polls
which the revelations of the last three days
compel this victory is inspiring. That Merrl-
mon is fairly elected, we honestly believe ;
but even without that browning token OF the
triumph we gladly take up and repeat the
words with which we first hailed the con-
elusive returns, and in which the organs
have lately been seeking sad comfort -
"Well done noble North Carolina On
your soil the first Declaration of Independence
was made On your soil Jefferson Davis held
" his last Cabinet Council, and the Rebellion
dissolved. On your soil has been won the
first great victory Of the campaign that is to
"make us once more a united people. When
Cincinnati had declared the resolve of the
/" best brains and principle of the Republican
"party, it was the privilege of Tennessee,
"hOme of Andrew Jackson, and Of the noun
"tain loyalists, to give the response that
"spoke in advance the voice of Baltimore.
"Yours is yet moro electric utterance. That
"was but the verdict of historic National
"Party. You have pronounced in advance
"the verdict of Nation"