The daily gazette., 1878-11-21
NOVEMBER eI. 1879
DISHONEST EIEcrIoNs.-The Phila


delphia Press comes to us this morning
with an editorial under the head, inI
flaming black types, aShaIl Elections be
Honest ?'' This is very good subject
Tor the Republican papers to -dilate upon,
and we hope theyiwill continue TO make
the same inquiry for a good while to
come; unless they agree TO enforce the
necessity Of insisting that their own par
ty shall set the example in making "elec-
tions honest" since heretofore they have
invariably set the example of making
them as fraudulent as the ingenuity of
paid plotters could devise. Their sins |
in this direction are returning TO plague
their inventors. The Florida Return
Board in the hands of the Democrats is |
productive of q wonderful amount of
chagrin when it is found that possibly |
Florida may have the casting vote in the |
next House of Representatives should |
that body be required TO elect a President
in 1880. The Louisiana Return Board
in the hands of the Democrats is terri |
BILE eye-opener; and the South Carolina
Return Board has d tremendous effect to
sharpen the sight of these argus-eyed
people just now. They see all the dam
age and danger that Is before them as
plainly as the Thane of Cawder saw the |
ghost OF Banquo. And strangely enough
those Democrats in Florida, Louisiana
and South Carolina are as blind TO their
danger as was the good lady of Macbeth,
who could not understand the terrible
rights her guilty husband was so con-
stantly subject TO. If the late years
have shown anything it has proved that
the Southern people won't scare worth
cent, and now they have got hold of the
Republican process of returning elections
it is doubtful whether they will let 60 Of
it for awhile at last. No doubt they
would agree TO do so if the Republicans
would agree TO make amends for the
great fraud, aud require Mr.. Hayes to
step down and out after the 4th of March
next. Here is where the start ought to
be made to answer the question fairly,
''lShdH Elections be Honest ln None
know better than the Press that It's own
party are guilty of all the crimes that re-
cent elections have developed. The ger
rymandering system by which Legisla-
tive and Congressional districts were
made 10 give Republican majorities was
first introduced by the Republican party,
and it has returned to plague them, too.
The Registry law, a new and ingeniously
contrived arrangement to give Republi-
can majorities, notably in Marylant and
10 throw that good old State into the
hands of their negro allies, was made by
the Republican party ; and the Demo-
cratic people of Maryland are not now
disposed to give it up; and so lit is annoy
ing to the Republicans as it comes
eroaking home to them always freighted
with majofities against them. Here in
Delaware they sent five thousand negroes
10 the polls to oyerwhelm our elections
and now the negroes wont vote, and they
can't even run ticket with any hone NJ
success, they say, and therefore, will ,1,
none. What a pretty time they woult
have had had the Democracts resolved
not to oppose them after they had al
these ''election machines" ready made +,
cast Republican majorities? The Dem
ocrats toiled on and won. And, now. i,
the Press own city there is a system q
laws that organize majorities and n,
better place can be found in which +,
hegin to make elections honest.n vii
the Republicans continue their disbonec
election policy in Philadelphia. and sti
rob the people of their rights until som
day their own party revolts and the Den
ocrats find themselves in possession
the political machinery? We shall wa
and see. In the meantime we advise II
Press to examine more closely into /
own defects; acknowledge its sins. ar
then it will be more likely to find mo-
ready help in all parties to make ele
tions honest.