The Portland daily press., 1878-12-30
Colonel Back and Southern Bull-Dozing.

colonel Back and Southern Bull.D0ZiDg.
The studied attempt made by the South
ern leaders to convince the Northern people
that there is no restriction upon the freedom
of the ballot in the South, and that the same
political liberty which is enjoyed by Demo-
Gratis is accorded to Republicans in that Sec
tion OF the country, has failed. The articles
resorted to have been many ard ingenious.
Misrepresentation is common, and down.
right falsehood has not been Stunned. A
favorite method has been for the reporters of
Southern papers to interview men of North
ern birth, question them about reported out
RACES concerning which they were not
familiar, and then quote them as denying the
existence of these or any other outrages.
The latest example is the case of Colonel
A. E. Buck, native OF Maine, who is now
Clerk of the United States Court at Atlanta.
A reporter of the Atlanta Constitution called
upon him, and asked him this question:
"Have you any notice, information or COM
plants of any fraud, violence or intimidation
during the late Congressional elections in
Georgia, whereby any person, Democrat or
Republican. was prevented from the free ex.
ercise of his right of sutfrage?" The reply,
as given in the Constitution was: '.None at
all. Have not heard Of nytaing of the kind
or seen anybody that has done so." That
was the extent of the interview, and the
Constitution published it with other inter-
views under the heading: "Hunting up Ma
terial for Blaine. But Republicans and all
agree that there is none for him in Georgia.
The impression sought to be given was that
there is no restriction upon freedom of the
ballot in Georgia, and that Republicans there
are opposed to the Blaine investigation.
Many Northern papers have received that
impression and quoted Col. Buck in substan-
tiation of the claim. But Col. Buck, in pur-
suaceU ef the e9utirorn plan of deceiying the
North, was misrepresented, as the following
card shows:
ATLANTA, GA, December 21, 1873.
:, EDITORS CONSTITUTIONS: In your article of
this morning on the Blaine resolution and the
election in Georgia. am made to assume
false position, and IN justice to myself request
tnat you put me right in tC-mOrroW'S issue bv
inserting this communication.
You state that 1T may BIZ said Of me that l
am not at all unanimous on Blane.'' The i'm
pllcation is that do not approve of his resolu-
ton for investigation. Now, have had no
conversation, that | recall, with any reporter
of the Constitution since Congress assembled.
and your reporter could not have got any such
idea from me. have no fault to find with
MIR: Blaine for presenting such a resolution,
ana II the elections in Georgia, or anywhere
else IN the country, were conducted as YOU
claim, no one, whatever may be his political
sentiments, ought to oppose, but rather should
welcom5 full and complete Investigation.
Your reporter called upon me sometime in
November, and have no doubt stated in an
swer TO his questions as to complaints of
Frauds, etc IN the last election that had come
to my knowledge, that had not heard or
known OF aoy.referrng to this part of the
state more particularly (which was true. But
also added substantially, which your reporter
fails to state, that there was no reason for any,
thing of the Kind, as the congressional contests
we're between DEMOCRATS only; that had the
Republicans put candidates in the field. it
would then have been far different as hereto
fore. Respectfully yours,
In this card Col. Buck has evidently
drawn it as mild as possible. He and all
other Republicans in Georgia do not hesitate
to acknowledge that the Republican party
has been crushed out in the South. Asa
private letter from that State puts it: "The
interests of humanity forbid the Republicans
running candidates. We cannot afford to
have SO many negroes killed and maltreated
in an effort to elect Republicans when if
votes were cast for our candidates they
would not be counted. If perchance we
should elect a Republican the result would
not be so returned, but he would be counted
out"
The studied effort of the Southern leaders,
by falsifying the statements of Republicans
and twisting every utterance to their own
purpose, to convey the impression that all is
right and peaceful in the South and that the
Southern Democrats are just and generous
toward their opponents, has already failed.
The investigation about to begin will bring
out the truth.