Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-11-16
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Situation Portrayed by One
Who Knows.
Special to the Chronicle.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Nov. 13, '76.
EDITOR CHRoNICLE-The suspense
and excitement here since Wednesday
last reminds one of war times when ii e
loyal men felt that the fate of the ma
ton and almost the existence of the
citizen depended upon the results OF
some battle then raging. Thousands
| here know well that the success of one
or other of the Presidential candidates
means daily bread to them individual
| ly, hence the existing uncertainty
comes more directly home to them
than in any other city, for 50 much
greater proportion here look to the
Government for daily support than
elsewhere. The rebel cheers for every
indication of Tilden's success, for in it
he hopes TO oust the loyalist in office,
while the incumbent clings to every
lstraw of comfort given through assu-
RANGES that Hayes will be elected. We
are close enough to rebeldom 10 thor
oughly appreciate what a change Ofad-
ministration from loyalist to the dis
lOyalist will bring not only the office
holder, but the Nation itself, and the
past dread and uncertainty to Us has
more in it by far than mere apprehen-
sion of loss of political power. We
gain comfort, however, as each day
brings more and more assurance that
Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina
have all gone for Hayes, and that a
mere approach to an honest count will
demonstrate the fact beyond all cavil
that these three States have given their
suffrage5 to him. Our apprehension
upon matter of count Lies in our knOwl-
edge of the pow er of rebeldom, aided
and abetted as it is by the Northern
Democrat, to commit fraud. NJ one
doubts the Republicans of Florida, Lou
isiana and South Carolina, are in clear
maiOrity-but whether the official
count will show these facts is the rub.
The Democrats in these States are ma
king deep and datnDable attempts, by
all kinds of violent and laWless efforts
to overthrow the results of the election,
and to prevent expression of the ma
jority of the voters. In Louisiana in
the two parishes of East end West
Feliciana, but one Republican was al
lowed to vote, while the returns show
s, 200 Confederate ballots were cast for
Tilden. This number equals the entire
voting population of these districts, and
y
not only did their own voting but that
of the colored man. In every parish
of Louisiana and county i'm South Caro-
lima and Florida, this same shotgun
terrorism, fraud and intimidation OBJ
tained, unless some strong power in
terposed to prevent, and now Loyal
men of the North can but wait in sus.
pense for the final result. The Presi
dent has issued explicit orders looking
to the protection of the ballOt-bOxes in
these States in so far as it can be done
or given. Several of these boxes have
already been destroyed by the White
Liners under their instructions from
their Northern Democratic leaders
But it is to be hoped that the Pres
dents peremptory orders may avail t(
prevent further fraud and violence
since they lock to the safe conduct tC
places designated by law for the coun
and the securing of a. fair and impartia
canvass of their contents. In this mat
, ter do not share in the sanguine ex
, pectations of the President and other!
that the final vote will show the will o
the majority of the voters of thes
: Southern States, which now, as pre-
( dicted by Mr.. Lincoln, is to determine
, by the ballot of the freedman who is I,
be our future Chief Magistrate.
Four years of experience after tn
war in charge of military district i
t q Southern State, and residence of
: portion of each year since,in other ret
o 81 States, have taught me clearly tn
: power OF the shotgun and bull dog
policy of the ex-Confederates to pre-
g vent the loyalist from expressing hi
e will by ballot. know that nOwher
lin any OF these Confederate States, ca