The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-11-30
Democratic Purity in Virginia.

UuL ttiat tllE AepuClIcaNS NHi cutib hhySS
in by fraud il South Carolina, Louisiana and
Florida. There is nothing, so far, to Justify
any such conclusion. The presumption is
all in favoI of the Republicans having car
ried those States by decided naiorities. TO
contend til at Tilden received majority of
the votes cast. is tantamount to the admis-
sion OF intimidation and fraud. The three
States are Republican. No fair man doubts,
in an unembarrassed and free election, that
they would vote the Republican ticket. lt
is in evidence that in several counties in
South Carolina there was no fair election.
Large numbers of armed men were present
from Georgia, aid voted the Democratic
ticket. They not only prevented colored
people from voting the Republican ticket,
but forced them BY threats to deposit Demo-
cratic ballots. In this way several large Re-
publican counties were made to give Demo-
cratic maiorities. No honest man will deny
the right of the Returning Board to purge
the polls OF fraud where it is plain that fraud
has been committed. With this concession. the
State is undoubtedly Republican, both on
the State and National tickets. and on the
National ticket without the purgation.
In Louisiana, the same condition OF af-
fairs exists. Whole districts were domina-
ted by terrorism, and where heretofore large
Republican maiorties were polled, in this
election only one or two Republ can votes
were cast. Here the legal supervision Of the
Returning Board--sloing exact justice under
the law, to both parties. would give the State
largely to the Republicans,
In Florida the Republican majority, upon
fair count, is none the less pronounced.
All three OF the States are properly claimed
by the Republicans, and it would be the
mos aggravated fraud il they are not count
ed for Hayes.
The bubbles and subterfnees resorted to
by the Democrats, in each State show that
they are struggling for technical advantages.
They are not willing to abide by the sub
stantial justice ol the case, and accept the
arbitranent upon st;ci, rules as would be
commended by honest and fair men the
country over.
1t has been the uniform practice OF Re-
turning Boards, not only in those States.
but in other States, to act ministerially and
juhicially. 1t docs not answer the purpose
of the Democrats that they should DO so now
in those States, because the Boards are made
up Of Republicans.
How is it in Virginia? Here the Board and
the Election Commissioners are democratic.
They act Enthusiastically and julicially. just as
it suits the end in view, and in doing so
have, OIL various occasions awaited themselves
of their ministerial and judicial powers, to
reverse the verdict OF the people upon the
most fiimsy technicalities, founded in fraud.
The first notable instance was in the Mayors
election in Richmond in 1869. Gailoon had
undoubtedly been elected by several hun
dr,d majority. 10 defeat this result. it re-
CURED tie most daring violence and fraud.
In broad daylight, the ballot-boxes from two
Republican precincts were seized as they
were being taken to the Clerks Office,
broken up and the ballots destroyed The
Commissioners counted the returns before
them, ana those from the two precincts not
having been received because Of their pre-
arranged destruction, the democratic candi-
date was counted in. THIS was q municipal
case, not coming under the recognition OF
ciple.
The next was the municipal election in
Petersburg, where 4 Republican majority Of
900 was overcome by fraud and violence and
the democratic ticket counted in.
In the case OF Brady VS.. Gayle, contest
for the seat in the State Senate from Ports
| mouth, the most stupendous frauds were es-
tablished, and it was made SO clear that
Brady, the Republican, had been elected
that the Committee on Elections. composed
of majority OF Democrats, reported in his
favor. The Democratic Senate, purely upon
partizan grounds, refused to accept the re-
port of their own Committee. and deprived
Brady Of his seat.
In the case of Pistte VS.. Goode, for Il seat
in Congress from the 2d district. it was I'M
disputed that Platte had received majority
of the votes cast; but the Returning Board,
acting judicially, threw out enough votes
upon technical grounds to give Goode the
certificate. 4 democratic Committee, in
Congress, reversed this decision, and de-
clared that Platte was entitled to the seat,
but q democratic House for purely partizan
considerations. refused to concur in the
Committees report, and gave the seat to
Goode.
1t is now stated that this same Returning
Board OF Virginia is going to perpetrate an
other political outrage, under the cover OF
its judicial functions. Jorgenscn has been
declared elected to Congress in TIL, 4th dis
trict by about 1900 majority. 1t is publish
ed that the poll books from several Repu bill
can counties are somewhat Informal, and
this is to be the reason why the Board will
Issue the certificate Of election to Hinton,
the democratic candidate. We can scarcely
think that an outrage so transparent will be
perpetrated, and will only so conclude when
the act Is known to have been accomplished.
In conversation with democratic resi-
dent of Richmond, thoroughly acquainted
with the ways OF the politicians of that city,
he remarked that the leaders of his party in
that city were the most unmtigatel rascals
that ever went nnhung-that the ring had
the machinery of fraud so perfected that
they could elect any one they pleased, and
cited the case OF johnson, now in the State
Senate, who was placed there BY fraud over
Knight, another democrat. These ballot
box manipulators run in the interest OF
machine politics, and any man who dares to
cross their path, although he may be simon
pure democrat, must be borne down by their
peculiar methods of management and trick
cry. We submit, that with this record, it
does not add to the moral force Of the indig-
nation these reformers express at the alleged
frauds in the more Southern States. II ali
they say is true OF the Republican managers
in the three States in dispute, it does rot
begin to compare in wickelness to the
known facts connected with the political
leaders, on the democratic side, in the Sd,