The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-25
THE ELECTION IN ALABAMA
rWIs THE MOST QUIET ONE THEY
rYER HELD IN THE STATE.
rhs Faulty Of spencer's Charges OF Fraud
and Iutimidstiou-wh tho Carpet-Bns-
,.r. Object to the New Election Laws
r., tbe blacks KepudiRtinG Grsntism.

.rd Iutimtda alton why tue thrptt-bht-
..r. Object TO the New Election Laws
rveu the Blacks Kepudintins Grsntism.
cprrSnoRo', Ala, Aug. 1s.-On the 11th
Ina, George T.. Spencer read In the Senate two
ao.,a,ches-one from his chief tool, Mayer, and
a.. other from smith, ono OF the leaders OF tho
Aru.spencer faction In this state. Both these
,or,h,es neither Of whom Is to be believed, II
tbs other and bis retainers are-concur In charg-
INC that our election the 7th Inst. was tainted
nv fraud and intimidation. Mayer alleges, spe-
.iarally, that the election was held under new
AVS BY color OF which thousands on thous-
inds" Of Republicans were denied the right Of
outrage.
Now, tho only material differences between
lhese new election laws and the old ones, are
these The new law SLOWS the challenge OF IL
legal votes the old punished the challenge OF
the vote of any one who had registered by $500
nne or slx months Impr sonmont. To this right
Of challenge 1t is due, that many OF these
thousands on thousands" such as minors and
non residents, did not vote, as heretofore. The
new law requires thirty days residence In tho
precinct where the ballot Is offered the old
law was such that any one might vote un-
pballenged at every precinct be could reach. aud
s many times at ch as he could give q name
On the registered lists OF the county with i'm
punty. and with hardly a possibility OF tho de-
The new law Furnishes, by heavy penalties, all
kinds OF illegal voting the old law punished
none but those voting under names not on the
registration lists. Tnese penalties OF the new
law intimidated" a large number Of Msyer's
thousands on thousands" aud the beat law"
which, | believe Is no new thing elsewhere,
parayzed the energies of even more OF them.
The law, as II now Ia, denies to all who have
been convicted Of larceny the right Of voting
me old law allowed them to vote, we'll as
honest citizens. The disfranchisement Of con-
victed thieves nade broad chasms In the serrled
ranks OF Mayors sable phslanx. In one county
alone, Dallas the number Of these Republicans
after Mayors own he art was nearly four hun
dred. For the state, three thousand would be
smoderIts estimate. Tue refusal Of the law to
allow these rascals to vote grieves and vexes
the righteous souls of Mayer. Smith, and Spen-
Ger. Ihls Is not surprising" fellow-feellng
makes us wondrous kind"
Under the existing law, no citizen appon te
Inspector Of Elections Is compelled to act as
such; but on failure Of the appointees to serve,
any three citizens of the precinct may supply
their places such was the law from 1919 to
1867. Under the late law, II was commonly sup
posed that failure to serve inspector was
penal. At the late election. citizens appointed
In few large radical precincts saw 1T to decline
acting, and other white citizens did not feel
bound to take their places. In most cases Of
this sort, Mayors Republic IN voters were desti-
tute OF sufhclent Intelligence to open and con-
duct the election. and none was held. In this
way, perhaps, three or four thousand in the
State failed to vote, by reason Of their own stu
pidity aud ignorance. Sucn are the voters. In
Competent even to the simple duty of holding
an election, by whose help Spencer and his fell
low reptiles propose to gag and control the In
faIit anil % tka a
recording TO their own behests the great Issues
now before II.
Such, believe, are all the differences between
the old and the " new law" OF which Mayer
speaks so dolefully That they are terriOls to
him and bis gang OF harpes have no doubt;
but we Of Alabama desire to submit to the calm
consideration OF our fellow-citiZens In other
States the inqury-as m omentous to them As to
as-whether in this Centennial year OF our free
dom, great State Is to be deniei representa-
hon In the grand council OF our union and par
icipation In the choice Of our Chief Magistrate,
because its laws require purity In the ballot box.
md repel from It the poliutins approval Of
ieons and thievesI
W. do not deny that these laws worked an In
crease in Houston's majority OF two years ago.
But other legitimate causes contributes largely
In tebling that majority One prominent
among these was the profound peace and good
ordor inaugurated with Gov. Houston, and
maintained 10y his honest and impartial admin
istration. This has done much To disarm the
fears which the cOlored people had Of Demo-
cratic ascendency, and has caused the more iu-
teiligent ana substantial among them to desire
and vote for Its con inusnce. believe that II
can be established, by the cearest proof that at
least 1ye thousand colored men who voted
against Houston two years ago, voted for him
openly few Gays since, while many ins ances
are known OF others VINO voted for him Sc e
crelly. because they feared the hatred and per
secution OF their own race. Another concur
ring cause has been the discovery by the ne
Rroes OF the dece9tioDs and treachery Of the
radical leaders, md the exposure Of cir un-
y ralleled yillnies Iheyiare at last learning the
value Of the promise Of forty acres and a
mule" and u the security OF their little depos-
Its In the Feedman's Bank. They begin to feel
that their faith has been alb used and their trust
BETRAYED. They nave learned TO regard their
leaders with suspicion, and their appeals for
support with indifference This iud ference has
been cOnhrmei by the Dltter hatreds aud strug-
giles Of SPENCER and his enemies In his own
party, ma IL was Increased wien soc illed In
dependent Democratic ticket was presented for
VI VI support Inc result was that thousands
OF them voluntarily stayed away from the pol s.
while others, believing thems selves sw.rn Ia
Note "hlY Tor hepuoliclis, aud finding no ticket
OF their own party In the fed. assigned their
oath IN the loyal league as reason for not sl.-
. porting woodruff
These are the chief causes which worked ont
1900 majority tor Houston IN the late election
There was no necessity Tor intimidation or
fraud as factOrs to produce the grand result.
would not be understood az denying that there
was any unfairness used IN tue late election
There may have been; but IA We no knowledge
Of any on eltner sile. II there wa, II va, TOO
ri gnt t. at CT the general result, and was as
nuch the work Of X deals as ~ their oppu-
Hents. As to Intimidation, II Is nonsense to
tax about II, exec wn-r- IL Was used to pre-
Yeht colored men from voting the Democratic
uckct. a more nrace Ule, orderly election was
never had anywhere. ] have heard OF but one
hght In The state on III da IL was IN one of
e lew counties rred b. Republicans, aud
bad no connection, as am told, win politics.
Now, II Demo 0rdtlc asctnC ency aud mOdeGa
tluu h.Ye won the confidence nd support Of
tie colored peO lie, while Republican vill.iuies
aud roche les have at last sicNened even their
Huch- enduring stOmhchs. ought AIaDam for
tils to De remtudrd 10 a terrtOfl j condition,
hud denied nr go AL rl.ht- ~ The UnOu2 ihis
J. ques lJu WNtcu We desire To nave answered
~ every hot est aud patriotic citizen Of the
hhple 4 IuiOn tur hlIi- H.
Ia tui, count, uf II le, wIlcI isin the heart
o. wat Is known IL the Bi.,k Drlt" Of Ala