New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-19
THE EXPERIENCE OF Mr.. RAINEY.
THE ELECTION A FAECE-CAsEs or OUTRAGEOUS
FRAUD-ONE PROOF THAT THE CoLoRED VOTE
Is REPUBLICAN.

lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE!
WAsuryGroX. Nov. 1S.-Reprcscntativc Raincv.
of South Carolina. is now in Washington. His cX-
perience in the late canvass was widely different
from that of most Republicans OF whom the puOhc
has heard recently; but the result III his district
may be summed up in much the same terms. The
processes by which that result was reached only
serve to show that the Democratic managers
eyinccd considerable ingenuity and variety in their
methods Of rascalitv. Mr. RaIuey says that the
whole election was a farce, and that almost every
pretence of fairness was thrown aside. Barciaccd
frauds were pTactsed wherever there was danger
of Republican majority.
Mr. RaIuey was requested to give the specific
details regarding some of the frauds that came to
his knowledge. He said: " At Brook Green Pre-
clnct where there were probably less than twenty
Democratic votes cast during the day, the box was
| stuffed with Democratic ballots before the polls
! were opened. Two OF three hundred Republican
votes were cast during the day, and these were
| all found on top when the box was opened. The
number of Democratic ballots stuffed into the box
| before daylight was sufficient To give the pre-
| cinct to the Democracy, but the exact vote |
cannot remember. I'm Georgetown Precinct, the
managers, after closing the poll, retired to
| private room for supper taking the
ballot-box with them. 1t is generally re-
ported and believed that the box was changed
| for another which had been properly stuffed and
was kept in this room. The result at that precinct
was 5J3 Democrats to 252 Republicans. The
enormity of the cheat will be appreciated when 1t is
| remembered that the whole county contains only
6i3 white voters.
"At Santee Precinct, fourteen miles from George
town the Democratic managers tired an entirely
novel plan. One of them omitted to qualify prop
erly. The Republicans detected the game and
| questioned the managers about it, but they were
| told that it was all right, that the manager whose
| qualification was supposed 70 be insufficient had
| really taken the oath in proper form. So
| great was the doubt, however, that party
| of coored Republicans tramped fourteen miles TO
GEORGETOWN and tried TO cast their vote at that
poll They were refused tins permission, although
the laws of the State give them the right to vote
| wherever they choose, requiring them to swear
| that they have not voted anywhere else. Santcc
was carried by the Republicans, but on account OF
the nformality in the qualification Of one Of the
| managers the whole precinct was thrown out.
This again was n direct violation Of law, the ques-
ton having been repeatedly decided in the State
courts that the lack of qualification by manager
did not invalidate the ballots at his poll"
One very significant fact is told by Mr.. Rainey.
| In Horny County. which has always gone Demo
| cratic and where the census of 1875 gives voting
|
/ the Republican vote was 400, which is just about
the number polled by the party in that county for
| several years. OF course no bulldozng cheating
was attempted in that county, for there was ne
| cessity for it. This Mr. RaineY holds to be proof
conclusive that the stores that the colOred vote
largely Democratic this year are false. Indeed be
| says he has never known the Republicans TO stand
more firmly to their principles than this year, or
to make more determined efforts to get to the polls
| and vote.
Mr.. Rainey was not bulldozed He was at perfect
| liberty TO hold meetings wherever he desired in
| Georgetown County. At several of the meetings
the Democrats appeared and respectfully asked fol
| n division OF time. which was frankly accorded
Them At Others it was refused. and they submitted
Mr.. Rainey also says that "kiss" tissue paper
tickets were cast in his vicinity, but other methods
were adopted, shown above, which were equally
| effective.
Governor Hampton has tried to get a reputation