The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-01-25
THE VOTE OF THE SOUTH.

Thousand Republican Votes Suppressed
The Work of the Cotton States Dem
ocrats-Startling Statistics
[From the New York T1mesl
1t is one of the cardinal principles Of DEM
Ocratic politician never to recede from po-
iition which he has once taken. This state
nent is true Of all the species, and is as appli-
cable to the fire. eating, bull-dosing leaders Of
ihe Red river parishes of Louisiana as to the
equally lawless and ignorant ruffians who con-
;rol the party machinery in the Fourth and
Sixth wards of the city Of New York. The
arguments of reason and logic have no weight
with men of this class, and, OF course, it would
DO waste Of time to attempt to convince them
Of the absurdity of certain statements regard
ing the recent election which are still persisted
in by a number Of Democratic newspapers.
They have been told, for instance that the
popular majority for Mr.. Tilden was "nea1ly
half million, End they will probably never
be convinced Of the fact that even son the
face of the returns" to use Mr.. Hewitt's pet
expression, this sc-called majority was only
241 ,461. As this is the case, it would be worse
than useless to attempt to demonstrate to the
partisans in question that over 300 600 Repub-
ican votes were suppressed In the cotton
States, and that it was by suppression OF those
votes that Mr.. Tilden obtained his much
boosted popular majority. Such is the fact,
however, as can easily be proved to the salts
faction OF all fair-rninded and impartial men.
SUGGESTIVE FIGURES.
In 1872 Alabama gave the Republican nom-
inee for President a majority OF 10, 825 votes ;
Florida gave q Republican majority of 1885, in
Louisiana the Republican majority was ID, 634,
In Mississippi 81, 887 in North Curalina d. CTS,
and in South Carolina 49, $751; This year, how
ever, all these States are claimed by the Dem
oerats. They are claimed by them IN spite Of
The fact that the nepuDncan vote cast at the
asst election in the twenty two Northern States
exceeded the vote cast for Grant in 1872 by
t20, 889 Ia net Republican gain in four years
If 16 ITO per cent. In other words, the Re-
publican gain in the twenty-five free States
las been 16 ITO per cent, while in the slave
Jtates the Repub lean loss has been over 100
)er cent. Why is there this difference be-
ween the two sections? How can it be &C
ounted for, unless upon the theory that by
ONE means the Republican vote i'll the cotton
tates was suppressed, and never reached the
allot-box? Where are the Republican major
lies of the South What has been done with
ne Republican voters Of that section? These
re questions which sooner or later must be
answered. 1t is useless for Mr.. Tilden, or
enator Randolph or Mr.. Hewitt or any of
heir friends, to declare that the negroes want
d a change and have gone over to the Demo
ratio party. Such a statement, coming from
ven more trustworthy and respectable sources,
ould only be regarded as ridiculous. No man
Vho knows anything about the South can be-
ieve such stories, for every man who has
travelled or lived in the section named is well
ware that Republicanism is the freedmen'5
'elgion. The negroes almost to man are Re-
publican, particularly on questions of national
Importance. They are quite as ignorant as are
;he Irish Democrats of New York and other
arge cities, and it is equally hard-indeed it is
II NrN 411NpN frN nn
party to which they have given ihs cir allegiance.
II left to themselves, if allowed to
exercise the rights of citizenship as freely
and as fearlessly as do their white neigh
bors ninety-nne out OF every hundred
of them would vote the Republican ticket.
do not make this statement at random, but
after careful observation and investigation.
During the recent political campaign in South
Carolina and Louisiana. for instance it was
frequently asserted by Gen. Wade Hampton,
Gary, Butler, McEnery and others, that the
colored men were attending their meetings
and joining their clubs by thousands but no
man in South Carolina or Louisiana ever saw
more than score or 80 of negroes at Demo-
cratic meeting or marching IN q Democratic
procession. 1t was stated by the rifle club Or
CANS in all parts of the South that 500 colored
men attended the great Hampton meeting held
in Aiken. l was at that meeting. By actual
count there were just eighteen black voters
present in the Hampton uniform, and they
were the old body-servants who Travelled over
the State with the Democratic speakers and
appeared at all their meetings. But without
at present going further into this part Of the
subject, it may be we'll to inquire why the ne
groes are Republicans, and what inducements
the Democrats offer them to change their pol
tics. The questions are easily answered.
WHY THE CoLoRED MEN ARE REPUBLICANS.
T,Nk l1n klOa 1af,, cd %hn
Republican party because 1t was in the name
and by the efforts of that party that they OBJ
tanned their freedom and the right to vote at
all. They have continued to act with the Re-
publican organization FOR very much the same
reasons which bind the Irish voters to the
Democracy They are recognized by the Re-
publican party; it extends to them the right
hand of fellowship; by it men Of their own
race, their own color, are nominated and elect
ed to important and representative public
Offices, and they are taught by their
spiritual advisers to be Republicans On
the other hand, the negroes have absolutely
nothing to hope for from the Democrats.
They offer them no political representation
allow them to take no part in their nominating
conventions and caucuses, give them no places
on their tickets, permit them to have no share
in the management and control Of State
or local affairs, prevent them from
them with death if they do not give up
policies or vote the Democratic ticket.
The negroes would be no moro or less than
human If they were long in deciding which of
the two political parties they would act with.
They are ignorant men, it is true but their po-
litical instinct is remarkably acute, and, of
course, they vote with the party that recog-
nizes and gives them power and place. This
fact is 80 obvious as to need no further discus
sion. 1t only goes to prove that by some means
the Democrats have overcome, got rid of, and
suppressed the maiorities which the Southern
States, at fair, free, and full election, would
give the Republican party. How these ma
jorities were overcome-now the black vote
was suppressed-is already known to the read
ing public, but the people of the North have
not yet been made familiar with the extent OF
the vote which has been thus suppressed and
which has gone to produce Mr.. Tlldens : great
popular majority" The following table viii
throw some light upon the subject. 1t ha;
been prepared with care from official sources
and can be relied upon as correct. 1t is a fail
estimate of the suppressed Republican votes
in the States named, including, of course, the
votes which the negroes were forced to cast
for the Democratic nominee