The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-02-08
The Election Law.

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The law in this State prescribing the manner
of conducting elections is disgrace to the
statute book Of any free and civilized people.
1t is so admitted even by the leaders and infu.
entail members of the Radical party and vet,
although bill to amend it and expunge its
most Objectionable features was introduced and
favorably reported upon by the Committee on
Elections, and its necessity and propriety clear
ly demonstrated in debate at the session Of
1901, it still cumbers the calendar of the
Senate, or is stuck in some pigeon-hole of q
committee, and is likely to remain there The
prominent objections to the law, as it nov
stands, are, first, the unlimited and dangerous
power given the Governor, in the appointment
of the commissioners of election, and conse-
quent control of the managers; and, second,
the unusual length of time in which the man
ayers are allowed to count the votes and make
their return to the commissioners.
/, The Governor, by confning his appointments
to his own particular satellites, can secure, his
own election and whatever of the other candi-
dates may be acceptable to him, without any
regard to the ballots of the people. But even
should the Governor be above the employment
of such fraudulent measures to accomplish his
ends, the people are left to the tender mercies
of the managers themselves, who, if they are
so disposed, can stuff the boxes to their hearts
content, to aid the election of their special ia
vorites. 0r....
The bill referred to above, as amendatory Of
of the Act now in force provides for the i'm.
mediate counting of the votes after the closing
of the polls, as was the old custom in our State
and further requires that each political party
in the field be represented upon the board Of
managers and the board of commissioners Of
election, if there are not more than three par.
ties. The opposition to the new bill, urged
last winter, was the flimsy pretext that the ap7
poinrment of Democrats to take a share of the
management and supervision of the elections,
was an act of justice that would not be accord
ed the Republicans were the Democrats in the
ascendancy. In other words, the great God
and morality" party should, according to these
solons adopt as the rule of their conduct the
very iniquities which they charge against their
political enemies. But even this ground of ex-
cuse, untenable and self-contradictory as it is
under any circumstances, cannot be maintained
now. The indications are, nay, We feel justi-
fed in saying with certainty, that the Democ-
racy of South Carolina will not make nomina-
tions or support party candidates at the ap-
preaching elections. The field will be left to
the Republicans entirely, and the contest will
be between rival factions of that party. The
Democrats will look quietly on; try to run In
Sucn goOd men as tney can Ior county Omcess
and as for the others, seek for the least dishon-
est Radicals, and vote for them. In view Of
this condition of things, it may be we'll for the
opponents of Scott and the present corrupt ad-
ministration in the Legislature, 1--WE mean the
Republicans to see to it that the election law
be so amended, before adjournment, as to secnre
fair election, and preclude those opportunities
for frauds which characterized the elections in
1868 in every County where there was the
smallest apprehension of closely contested
race If r. K. Scott becomes again candidate
for reelection to the gubernatorial chair, all
efforts to defeat him, even by majority of
his own political party, will prove utterly futile,
if the election laws remain as they now are.
If he does not have himself elected it will be
because he is too honorable, pure and chival-
rous to practice fraud when the way is clear
and every, temptation before him, Of unholy
ambition and avaricious greed, to entice him
on. We leave every one to judge for himself,
basing his conclusions upon the conduct of his
Excellency for the past four years, how that
magnate would act under such circumstances,
with the simple suggestion from us that it is
not prudent to subject any man, however high
his character and integrity, to such extraordi-
nary temptation Columbia Phenir.