Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-31
Tho Ou,rnec. in s:cor,;o.


"The advice which bore such splendid fruit
in Georgia is needed in many other parts
of the SOUTH" says the New York Tribune.
What this ''advice" was, and how it operated to
produce the splendid fruit SO much admired
by the Tribune, We have been told by many OBJ
servers of what was done. Hon. P. Clayton, of
Georgia, an old democrat, and a gentleman of
character and influence, has written letter in
which he tells as follows what was the character
and effect Of this ''advice";
GAS regards our election, it scarcely rose 10
the dignity of farce The general fact pre-
sented that the white vote is about the same,
and the colored vote falls off 10000, indicates
why the result was in favor of the coalition.
The question arises, why did the eoiored voters
absent themselves from the polls? In some
cases they were driven by force, as at Savannah,
Macon, and some few other localities. In many
cases they were worried by the rules laid down
by the coalition managers in making them pro-
duce the evidence of having paid their taxes,
that they abandoned the contest. In this coun-
ty, where the republicans are in the majority,
the coalition took charge of the polls, did not
during the day challenge solitary democrat,
and challenged nearly every republican that at
tempted TO vote, The colored man is naturally
Ilullu, anu ldlHSl illdli hdNV ulLiCulll Will
yield his rights.
at Macon the difficulty was premeditated
and its object was to intimidate the cOlored vote
in the November election. The coalition organ
Of that place fOreshadowed that there would be
a difficulty, and | have not a doubt that the
leaders of the party in that city had resolved
upon part of their programme before the
election. In Georgia the fifteenth amendment
of the constitution is nulllty. They are de-
termined the colorcd people shall not vote, and
by force and fraud they will carry out their de-
termination. To give you an idea of their law
lesSnesS, they have hung me in effigy and in
suited the female portion of my family In the
public streets, for no other reason under heaven
but because preferred and continue to prefer
Gen. Grant to Greeley. The question arises,
what is the remedyP As to congressman, the
house of representatives should recognize no
election that does not show that the colOred vote
was polled, which is easily done by reference to
the tax books, which show a complete list of
voters, both white and colored.
CAS- to bringing our people to recognize the
constitutional rights of every citizen | know of
no better remedy than TO withhold from them
some of the benefits of the government A
standing army TO awe them to obedience is re-
puisive TO our ideas of a free government; be-.
sides, it Is expensive and not efficient. Penal
laws are a dead letter, for, under our jury sys-
TEN, no law can be executed where the people
are opposed to it. 1t occurs to me that the most
humane, and at the same time the most
effective penalty against the lawlessness that
now pervades Georgia upon this question of the
colored mans right to vote, is TO withhold some
of the benefits of the government. For in
stance, take Macon, in this state. That com
munity rises up and eXpelS the colored man
from the polls, whose constitutional right to
vote is the same as the white man who invadeS
this right. The solid men Of the community
would take an interest in seeing that the rights
of all were respected and protected. As it is,
they are silent, and these outrages are the re-
suit of permission, and not approval, of the
good citizens in every community where they
are perpetrated.
Excuse the length of this letter. could
not say less; and duty to the peace and happi-
ness of the country ought to have made me say
more, but / have not time
"Yours, truly, P. CLAYTON"