Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-10-24
EATON, OHIO, THURSDAY, OCTOBER "a, 1872

and at the ordinary ratio of voters to popula-
ton the total vote should have been abont
$4,000 instead of $4,000 it was. The occa-
sion of this discrepancy was the infamous
system of Acknowledgement incorporated in
the West Virginia Constitution at the time
the State was organized to assist the Radical
party by introducing a reinforcement very
much needed in 1862 in the United States
Senate. On the anti-proscriptionist victory
of 1870 the new Legislature proceeded to do
away with this ACKNOWLEDGMENT, and as a re-
suit of this step we find the total vote of
the State at the election on the 22d of August
last 81 ,402 an increase of some $4,000 over
that polled in 1870. 1t has often been assert
ed, and as often denied by Radicals, that
from 10000 to $4,000 men were disfranchised
in West Virginia, but in view of these figures
it no longer be controverted that the
State was held SO long for the Radical party
simply and solely by sweeping and most in
iquitous system of partisan disfranchisement.
Happily that is ali over now, and West Vir-
ginia is safe now an sCHcul1 SOeculOr'un1 for the
cause of honesty and good government; but
it is as well to put on record how Grant re-
ceived the electoral vote of this State in 1868,
and especially is this in point when we re-
member that Arkansas to-day is where West
Virginia wa year or so ago. No one doubts
thatArkansas is an anti-Grant Statewho knows
that its population by the census of 1870 was
362, ,115 whites and 122, 169 negroes, or about
1000 Democratic and Conservative voters
and 90, 900 Republican. That with this over
whelming preponderance of the white votes
lima will not seem wonderful when the system
of prescription and disfranchisement which is
in force is considered. To have held any
office before the war, even that of road in
spector or Justice of the peace, to have fur
nished supplies to the Confederacy, to have
voted against the reconstruction measures,
are sufficient to disfranchise any person
and if mono of these or numberless other like
objections lie, the registrars are allowed on
the broad, general ground of their own
knowledge or judgment to refuse registration.
Further still, while the weight of the four
teenth amendment has been lifted by act of
Congress from all but specified classes, and
while even in its worst estate that measure
only debarred from Office, it is still in full
force in Arkansas SO far as to disqualify from
voting all who are under its original terms.
Owing to these causes the total Arkansas
vote, which should be some SO, ,000 was at the
last election but 1878. These are the lowest
figures, for it is stated on excellent authority
that 81, 900 persons were disfranchised in
1870, but we WI; take it that the total ia but
&c, 900. All these are, of course, disfran-
chised simply and solely because they oppose
Grant. Could they approach the ballot-box
they would swell the Democratic vote to
81, 900, and bury out of sight the Republican
vote of 2S, 900 which now controls the State.
Arkansas six electoral votes would go
against Grant, and two Demcratice Senators
and four Congressman come up to Washing
ton to aid in parer management of public
affairs. To forbid this we have 5000 men
robbed of their votes.