The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-11-28

Treasurer Of 1851. They now give a
Democratic majority of 4,417, which
exceeds the Democratic vote caSt in
1874. The Democrats admit that, had
the Republican vote been poiled, the
Republicans would have had large ma.
jority. NV the controversy stands !:
Ga the one hani the Democrats insist
on the vote being counted in exact &C.
cor,lance with the number of tickets
cast; on he other hand, there are two
propositions
/ That the vote Of these parishes be
wholly disregarded and thrown out. on
the grounds ofintimidation, by the Can
vassing Board. =
2 That the vote polled be counted.
but that the Canvassirg Board reckon
also as polled the votes of those absen-
ting themselves from fear of bodily
harm
The average Northern voter has no
precedent for such condition of things
ss this In the first place, deadly intim-
idation is not known at the North, and
in the next place ittciU be difficult for a
Northern man Of any party TO understand
ho,c 2 1000 voters of one party in a county
can be so successfully ''intimidated' 6y
1000 os to be unable to approach the
polls, though the latter tcere protected. or
supposed to be by the United States Su-
perrisors Itioill be difficult to persuade
the people Of any Northern county shat
the minority, numbering 900 poters, could
so intinFdate the majority IN East Fell
ciona, numbering ] 800, that none IF the
latter dare sho,o themselves at the polls
Nevertheless, it is certain that the ne
groes did not vote for some reason.
We assume that those scho did cote
,oere legal votsrs, and know Of no right
recognized BY any lao Of any Stute where
the rotes Of legal votsrs, lorfuuy polled,
can 6erejected and they disfranehised -
We do not beliese, therefore, that the
moral sense of the American people sciN
consent to or tolerate that the election Of
a President ofthe United States shall be
determined and decided by thro,oing oat
the totes Of several thousands Of legal 20.
ters, legally polled in any State of the
Union Wetake it, therefore, that the
votes actually polled in these fire "buH
dozered' parishes. Of Louisiana wiH be
counted, no matter fchat may be the result
produced upon the election by so doing
If the facts be as stated, and we have
tried to collate Hhem fairly from the
statements Of both sides, the Republ-
cans of Louisiana and of the country
have to bear the consequences Of the
panic, which seems to have so stricken
the colored voters in these FIVE districts !.
We look upon it as calamity, because
We know of no legal remedy. There Is
no precedent knopn to any election ldw thai
zoe erer heard Of fUhers tie uotes Of persons
not soting, and not Offering to vote, can be
counted, no matter now strong may be
the presumption that if such votes had
been polled they would have changed
the result.
~ In 1874, the Democrats elected at
least fifty members to Congress in Re
publican districts because Republicans
stayed away and did not vote. For the
same reason the Democrats elected the
Governors OF several States, and ma
jority of the Legislature in several
States in 1874 No such thing as Offset.
ting the vote actually polled by that not
polled has ever been recognized at any
election in any State in this country
Even in the desperate conflict in Louis
lana four years ago both parties claimed
the election, but both parties assumed
the vote counted to have been polled.
It is claimed by the Democrats that
their party will have a majority Of the
whole vote of the State, over and above
their vote in these parishes; but, while
this ought to settle the matter, it may
not do SO, If the counting of. the non
polled vote be insisted upon by the
other side.
II, however, tie Democrats do not haue
a majority ercept By counting the vetes in
these fue parishes, and tie result 20 the
State depend on their being counted or not
counted, thcn the issue piilbe diyect one.
and one upon sohich The country Sill
promptly reach Judgment, and no Can.
rassiing Board soiu dare attempt to pvt The
judgment of the mation at defiance; aad
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL NEVER EN-
GAGE IN A CIVIL WAR TO UPHOLD THE
COUNTING OF VOTES NEVER CAST OR OFFER
Ed TO BE CAST, OR TO REJECT LAWFUL
VOTES LEGALLY CAST AND RECORDED ON
TIE POLL LISTS.