Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-10-18
AnalrS In Georgia.
The y. Y. Times publishes the following
letter from 4 republican in Savannah

Affairs In Georgia.
The y. Y. Times publishes the following
letter from 4 republican in Savannah
SAVANNAH, Ga, Friday. Oct. 4, 1872.
DEAR SIR We fear that our friends at
the North do not realize our situation. and
the tremendous fight We have to make, with
the odds there are against Us. The mass Of
our voters are ignorant colOred men, and
there are bat few white men to lead and di-
! rect them. The enemy We contend with are
desperate and determined, and previous to
our recent election | was informed by demo-
Gratis that they would carry the election at
all hazards, if they even had to do it
through blood, and the arrangements that
We're made by the democrats and the charac-
ter of the men they had in charge of, and
surrounding the polls prove that they
meant what they said. In managing the
| election colored voters, whose right to vote
Is unqueStiOned, were not allowed 10 east
their votes. Hundreds who had paid their
| poll tax, and the money in payment Of them
was in the hands Of the tax collector. were
turned away, and the voters oath prescrib-
ed by the Constitution of the State. when
demanded to be administered was refused
by the managers.
The tax collector ; Office was adyertized to
be kept open all day on the day of election
10 receive taxes Of those who wished to paw
A highly respectable citizen (white,) and
republican, took to the Tax Collector on
that day Ss22, and the list Of S22 names,
and offered the money in payment of these
men 5 taxes, not even demanding the re-
ceipts, hut only asking that money be re-
ceiyed in order that these men could vote
by taking the oath prescribed by the Consti-
tuition Of the State The tender of the
money was absolutely refused Nearly all
over the State the same state Of things oc-
Cured The fight we are engaged in is, az
it were, fight for life, and is with despe-
rate band The expenses attending the elec
ton are necessarily heavy, and have to be
borne by the few whites that are leaders
and they are all of them poor in this
worlds goods, and. the draft on
their resources is such "a can hardly be
met In attempting 90 east our votes,
we DO il in the face of danger For mo-
ment look at the surroundings at the poll,
at this late election. The managers were
all democrats The sheriff and about one
hundred special deputies were democrats,
and the very worst characters in this city,
all armed with heavy clubs, and were 10
use them under the protection Of law ; then
l25 policemen were on the ground. with
riAed muskets and hay0nets, and quartered
in buildings near the polls were 700 armed
men. The Georgia Hussars were out early
in the morning, and picketed the roads lead
ing from the city, to prevent voters in the
county living out Of the city coming in 20
cast their votes They We're also, during
the day, paradci in couples on horseback
throughout the city. The cannon of the
Chatham Artillery was in readiness, with
horses hanessed, TO be called ont at any
.
not their friends. but c0lOred men. republi-
cans. and men loyal to the government.
These military companies are COM
posed of men who served in the
Confederate army. The same Is true
of the police. and the others who were
sworn in as peace officer. that surrounded
the polls There are over eight thousand
votes in this county; there was established
but one precinct for voting, and but four
place 20 deposit the votes, and these all in
the Court House in this city There are Two
thousand voters living out OF the limits of
the city, and there are eighborho0d- outside
the city where from five 10 eight hundred
voters live in an immediate neighborho0d.
What can we do 90 have protection in Nov
ember3 We are aware that. by United
States law, the United States Marshal can,
in cities Of twenty thousand iuhabitants. take
charge Of the polls with unlimited number Of
deputy mar-hal-. when the election Of a
member Of Congress Is involved. bat the DIFF
fculty Is that the number of white repub-
licans in this city are limited, and colored
men viii have to be taken. and in this
community this viii boz repugnant. and may
lead 20 diMcuity and hi0odshel. Coald q
regiment of United STATES soldiers De or
dered TO this city 90 be- called on under the
law, when the uited States Marshal could