Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-11-18
Ways that are Dark.
From the New York Herald. |

10 the iuliuWl1g facts In relation to their
course aud responsibilities 10 that State bear
ing Oh the election aud the count, and sh owing
clearly 70 everybody that the eec.ioo machiu-
cry has been constituted and is used there by
tha republicans in a suspiciously uuf.r and
partisan manner. Governor Chamberlain be-
ing candidate for reelection, he 80 managed
the appointment of the ninety six Coumis
sicuers oil Election in the counties that seventy
ally clndiiates ior election to he Legislature,
while for are Office holders, who tod their
place ~ t,hatnher:aiu's appointment. Such
gross and iD!ccent pariiSau-hip in offices which
are irdicial will make it d t6cul for lb" repub-
lcao> to rebut charges OF fraud 10 the local
count. or of 'ampcriug with the vote after it is
counted, if such made. Already we hear
Of one case where republican commissioner,
being charged with delivering the cauny re
turaS and ballots 70 the Returning Board 1T
Columbia his failed to deliver them aud has
kept them in his possession at Columbia Tor
several days. This man is not only election
commissioner, but candidate for the Lagisla-
ture; ue is rapubc:n n oluIat.o, hot rarisau
of Champer!ala Complaint Of his conduct
has been made By the democrats, but has re-
ccivci 30 attcn;io,, ircm Cham bcrlain or the
Rcturuiog Boar. l. uot extremely impru
dent for the republicans to tolerate such
gross abuse Of ,ru~t? How Gao they answer
for it to the couDtry hereafter?
But this is uc, all. The State Returning
Board, framed by republican authority, consists
IF five persons, al rcpublIcaDs and four oil them
candidates for election, apd assuming therefore
TO sit 10 judgment on their owa cases. and with
,,,,tr fftpr noll ma hnr n ne
other side. This Returning Board is formed
strictly according to law; but its character is SO
mou>trousy unjust, the indeceDcy of final
court thus constituted is 80 great that it will
be impossible for the republican leaders, not in
South Carolina alone, but all over the country,
to avoid toe odlum 81 couDtenanc!Dg 1t 1t the
conduct Of this Board should not eutlIely salts
ty the public The whole course OF the election
in South CaroliuS suti, c;s the republican lead
rrs 20 the most embarrassing suspicious oil
raud. They sect troops to the State without
public or satisfactory proof OF disorder; Cham
berlain has GU his ticket men notorIousy ur
scrupu!nuS and cnrrupt; his Own nomluaton
was brought about by an arrangement With
corruptiouist, who had threatened exposures.
and who is himself 90 the ticket. Moses aud
Whipper. the judges whom Chamberlain him
self had den uDcad as Infamous, were somehow
vocptcs on the stump. Chamberlain for days
after the clectiop p:o!c:scd to have 40 returns,
tough the State IS small and all the couuties
~aSlly accessible. and even new he telegraphs
roty, "AIi is sale, though transcripts OF tue
official returns have been public tor several
days and show democratic majority.
We turn next to ,ulsana. There, too, the
republicans sent troops and authorized Pack
ard, candidate for Governor, and until long
si}cr bis uominat3 Uoited States Marshal, TO
make arbitrary arrests on the eve of the elec
.!ru, which was doue; but the election day
;assed 10 entire peace. 1t is charged by the
G.mocrats that IN some Democratic parishes
!ne commissioners Of Election were Withdrawn
/, e vercor Kellogg 50 that the voters could
iot cast "A vote according to legal forms. Lit is
u;tarlous thar il louisiana, as in South Caro-
iloa, the Whole power and Influence OF the tede-
- government were used to favor the repubh.
CA party An! nuW there, as 10 South Caro-
liu4. while trat scripts OF the county votes are
ct~!'y accessible, apd have, in fact, been pub.
>hcd. Packard aud Kellogg continue to assert
that hey have no returns. but that "the State
Is all right Tor Hayes and Packard" The vote
Is now to be haudlcd by the Returning Board.
The present members of this Board were COO
dcmned by a republican House, in 1875, OF
l!avug trauduentl5 manipulated the vote OF
I>74 The formal words in which this was
oIc, ally done were these:
W;,creas said committee has unanimously re-
;rortei lha. me Returning Board ofthat State,
IL c.avassipg and oompiiug said returns aud
premuIga;ing the results, wrougfully applied
au erroneous rule Of law, by reason whereof
yrsous wsre awarded seats 10 the House OF
REPRESENTATIVES 70 which they we're not entitled,
anG j, rSUuS entitled to seats were deprived or
tbem.
Rsso7red That it is recon meuded to the
Hau>. 4 Representatives in Louisiana to take
immediate steps to remedy said injustice aud
10 place the persons rghlfully entitled 10 their
seats.
;ue Unanimous. report 6udiog fraud was
signed hy Mr Wheeler, DOW republican candi-
do" 'or the Vice Presidency.
y n is this all. Or the members OF this
Boari SO condemned cut still holding ONCE
oMe, Wells is now, by Preside t Grants ap'
pllntmtut aud a republican Senate comma
ton, Surveyor OF the Port OF New Oreaos
Another, Anderson, was rewarded oy Ga'lng
relative appointed cadet at West Point. Two
others received their reward from Governor
Kellogg in local sir, cures for relatives. The
mocra!c member resigned. 1t is DOW pro-
p >cd 10 fill Que vacancy iu the Board by the
appointment of Flanders, Federal othce hold
cr, Ass s,ant Uuitea States Treasurer, the
manager Tor Packard 10 the last Louisa "a re-
puoNcan convention, and who brought about
his oUminatlop for Governor.
Can the natiota republican party afford to
cIuutenauce and to take advantage OF Such
methods as these, 20 matter how strictly they
my be according to the letter OF the
law? Can 1t afford to be put before the
country as the alder and abettor 10 suon
manltesty unjust, such glarlngiy, indecent pro-
cscdiugs? And can it afford to declare oy 'he
h lp Of returoiog boards 50 constituted ana ol
poi appllauces of such nature as we have
rvc,ted, that its candidate is elected uoless this
shall be sEown to the entire satisfaction OF ooth
parties We believe moi. IF its leaders hope;
Tor political future, if they have any regard
tor he esteem OF the patton, they must to, Gay
prefer hat Mr.. Tiiden shall be returned. 1t IL