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

|
The Democratic papers insist that the
popular majority for Mr.. Tilden was "near-
ly half million" and 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 so-called ma
jority was only 24l, ,46l. But this has been
| demonstrated by the official figures and it
is as easy to show that this majority is a
false and violent one, secured by the sup
preston of over 800 900 Republican votes in
the cotton States. A correspondent of the
New York Times gives facts and figures
which will prove this to the satisfaction Of
all impartial men.
In 1872 Alabama gave the Republican
nominee for President majority of lO,S25
votes; Florida gave Republican majority
of . 1886 in Louisiana the Republican ma
jofity was II ,634; in Mississippi, "a ,SS7; in
North Carolina, 2i,675. and in South Caro-
lima, 40 .5S1. This year, however, all these
States are claimed by the Democrats. The
Republican gain over 1872 in the twenty
two free States was l6 40 per cent, while
in the slave States the Republican loss has
been over 100 per cent Why is there this
difference between the two sections? The
only explanation vouchsafeG BY the Demo-
crats and their allies of the independent
press" is that the negroes went over to the
Democratic party. The Times correspond
ent says, and says truly:
Such statement, coming from even more
trustworthy and respectable sources, could
only be regarded as ridiculous. No man
who knows anything about the South can
believe such stories, for every man who has
travelled or lived in the section named is
well aware that Republicanism is the freed
mems religion. The negroes almost to
man are Republican, particularly on ques-
tions Of national importance. They are
quite as ignorant as are the Irish Democrats
Of New York and other large cities. and it
is equally hard-indeed it is even more diff
cult-to turn them from the party to which
they have given their allegiance. If left to
themselves, if allowed to exercise the lights
Of citizenship as freely and as fearlessly as
do their white neighbors, 80 ont of every
100 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, Nc
Emery, 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 a score or so of negroes at a Democratic
meeting or marching in a Democratic pro-
cession. 1t was stated by the rifle club or
gans in all parts of the South that 500 col
ored men attended the great Hampton meet
ing held in Aiken. was ct that meeting.
By actual count there were Just eighteen
black voters present in the Hampton uni
form, and they were the old body-servants
who travelled over the State with the Demo-
cratic speakers and appeared at all their
meetings. 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 nomi-
mating conventions and caucuses, give them
no places on their tickets, permit them to
have no share in the management and con-
troll Of State or local affairs, prevent them
from serving on jur;es, and to crown all,
threaten them with death if they do not
give up politics or vote the Democratic
ticket. The negroes would be more 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 political instinct is re-
marksbly acute, and, of course, they vote
with the party that recognizes gnd gives
them power and place. This fact is so obyi-
Gus as to need no further discussion. 1t only
goes to prove that by some means the Demo
Gratis have overcome, got rid OF. and
suppressed the majorties which the South
ern States, at fair, free, and full election,
would give the Republican party. How these
majorities were overcome-hOw the black
vote was suppressed-is already known to
the reading 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.. Tilden's "great popular majority
The following table will throw some light
upon the subject. 1t has been prepared
with care from official sources and can be
relied upon as correct. 1t is a fair estimate
of the suppressed Republican votes in the
States named, including, Of course, the votes
which the negroes were forced to cast Tor
the Dem ocratic nominee