New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-12-09
THE South CAROLINA ELECTIONS.

TIE SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTIONS.
We showed the other day, by an eXamina-
ton of the election returns from the LIST Con-
gresslonal District of South Carolina, that 1t
was only in the strong negro or Republican
counties of that part of the State that any
violent efforts were made to increase the
Democratic vote, or reduce the vote OF the
other party. We take up to-day the figures
from the lid and Hid Districts. These tell
the same story Where the whites had ma
jointly, they generally left the voters free TO
do as they chose, and the results were Just
what might have been expected III sea-
son of political dulncss. The negroes, as
q rule, held firmly to the Republican party !;
certainly they did not go over to the Democ-
racy, whose vote was in all cases largely re-
duced. Where the Republicans, however, have
heretofore pOlled large majoIlIles, enormous
reductions have been made in their vote, and
enormous gains have been credited to the
other side.
In Charleston County, for instance. we are
asked to believe that the Democrats in
two years have gained nearly $500 votes, and
the Republicans lost nearly 5000; III
Clarendon, that the Democrats have gained
756 votes and the Republicans lost 43S; IN
Orangeburg, that the Democrats have gained
1900 and the Republicans lost 1,S6O; IN Alb
beville, that the Democrats have gained 1000
and the Republicans lost 300; in Newberry,
that the Democrats have gained 900 and the
Republicans lost over 700; in Rlchland that
the Democrats have gained 1900 and the
Republicans lost 2,1O0. All these are negro
counties. In Laurcns, where the cOlOred peO-
ple are also III a majority. there is a slight
apparent gain on both sides; but this may be
accounted for by the fact that the recorded
vote of 1876 was the product Of such nOtOri-
Gus fraud and violence that the CanvaSsng
Board in that year threw out the returns. On
the other hand, in the three white counties CT
Anderson, Oconee and Pickens, there are losses
on both sides, the falling off in the Democratic
vote ranging from 491 to 5S7. and that
Of the Republicans from 800 to 500. In Lex
ington, which is also a white county. the con-
ditIon of affairs was peculiar. for there the
Democratic vote was reduced about 700,
while the Republican vote disappeared alto
gether.
If these reported majorities were really
cast as the consequence of change of sent-
ment among the freedmen, we have the strange
spcctacle of political revolution breaking
ont without warning, without dscOyerable
cause, In a season OF profound quiet, and run
ming, not all over the State, but zlg-zag among
the counties. This phenomenal revolution
has. moreover the incxphCable popularity
of raging only in the most unlikely places.
When political organization captures the fol-
lowers of its opponents, it always begins by
caDtnring minorities. The first to desert are
those who are outvOted. This Is in accord
auce with the well-known law of human ma
ture expressed by the vulgar saying that
Nothing succeeds like success" But III
South Carolina it would seem that the Repub-
licans were steadfast only where they were in
hopeless minority, with many inducements
TO change, and that they threw down their
arms only where they had a safe prepon-
derance, with everything TO lose by sur
render.
There is no way of accounting for this
South Carolina revulsiOn except upon the
theory of a daring and systematic fraud.
Some time ago MIR. James l.. Campbell, of
Charleston, Democrat Of wide reputation, n
leader of the South Carolina bar, gentleman
of unuuestioned ability and character, offered
to give testimony rs to the election in his
own city to any Democratic editor who chose
TO apply for it. He refused the information
to a correspondent of THE TRIBUNE, because
he was unwilling to be placed in the false
position of furnishing supplies to the enemy.
But the Democratic press does not reply to
his invitation. Is there no Democratic paper
which wishes to know the truth about the
South Carolina election
EASTERN BANKERS and RESUHPTION
The conference Of bankers of New-YOrk and