Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-01-26

These 800 900 voters lived in the States
They voted the Republican ticket in 1872
and at previous elections. They are black
men and they have not emigrated. If al
lowed to vote as they desired, they would
have cast their ballots for Hayes and Vince
Ter, but they did not vote. If there was no
intimidation no violence in the cotton
States-what has become of them?
The Democrats have recently been en-
gagged in a very determined effort TO over
throw the testimony given by Republican
witnesses before the Louisiana Returning
Board, but they have not met with much
success. Having failed in Louisiana, per-
haps thev will next turn their attention to
Mississippi. II they do, their first duty
should be to tell the public by what means
they carried the much-talked-of Sixth Con-
gressional District in that State.
Although there has been great deal
written about this district, all the startling
facts regarding it are not generally known.
| 1t was established after the Democrats came
| into power, with the understanding that it
was to contain all the heayy black counties,
and that so relieved of the bulk of the Re
publican vote, all the other districts in the
State could be carried by the Democrats. In
accordance with this plan, the Sixth District
was made of the counties of Coah0ma,
Adams, Bolivar Wilkinson, Tunica, Washing
ton, Issaquena, Warren, Claiborne, and
Jefferson, every one Of which contains
an overwhelming black Republican majority.
For instance, in Warren county, the negroes
outnumber the whites seven to one. Again.
in Issaquena county there are only III
whites-men, women and children. The
black population is G.l46. or nearly ten to
one. In the entire district there are LOG, 500
blacks and 80, $50 whites, and about 100
Republicans to 80 Democrats but at the
election hsld on November eth, last. the
Democrats carried the district by IA majority
of 4, ,O00i If there was no intimidation, no
violence, no riot, no tumult, no fraud-what
became of the Republican votes Turning
to Georgia, very much the same question
can be asked. In that State, according to II
census made under the supervision and by
the direction Of tho Democrats themselves,
there are 10000 colored voters. Yet, at
the last election, only 4iOOO OF them east
their votes. What became of the remain
ing 76 900? II there was no intimidation,
no violence. no fraud-how were these votes
suppressed? If it were not for these negro
votes Georgia would have only five, instead
ofnine Congressmen, as at present. The extra
four are appOrtiOned to the State in order
that these 10. 900 black men may be prop
erly represented in the national Legislature.
Yet they have absolutely no representation
either in the Senate or the House oi Repre-
sentatiyes, for every man in the Georgm
delegation is Democrat, and with one ex,
ception they were all rebels to the core :.
The same condition Of things exists in Mis-
sissppi. In that State the white population
is not so great as the entire population o
the city of Brooklyn, and still the white
people of Mississippi are to be represented
in the next Congress by six Democratic
members of the lower house and two UNITED
States Senators. These arc plain facts
which cannot be denied or disputed, ant
sooner or later the American people will b.
called upon to decide whether or not such 1
state of things should be allowed to exist II
what has been called the ireest country II
the world Before making decision, tbe'
should remember that 100 years ago thei
furefathers went to war because they wer'
taxed without representation.