The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1878-08-27
The Nations shame.

At an expense to the tax-paying por-
tion of our people Of not less, proba-
bly, than a quarter Of a million dollars,
the Potter Committee, with headquar-
ters in Washington, with branches in
Florida and Louisiana, has gone into a
search for fraud in connection with the
recent Presidential election. When il
is remembered that the controversy in
reference TO the result of the election
has been finally and amicably settled
by aud Electoral Commission, organic
ed at the suggestion OF the Democratic
party, as last resort when they saw
from the election returns that they had
been defeated. aud approved by the
entire Democratic representation in
the United States Senate and House OF
Representatives, what will the nation
aud world think of party and Dem
ocratic House that deliberately reopens
the question? Of a Democratic House
that orders an investigation OF the acts
OF the returning board Of certain States
aud forbids an inquiry into the meth
DDS employed TO carry the election in
remote and unprotected districts of
the same States? The Democratic
House and the Democratic majority Of
the Potter Committee know that there
are to-day large Republican majorities
in Mississippi. South Carolina, Louisi-
ana, and Florida; they know, too, that
these maiorities were defeated by in
timidation secured by means OF muir
der, assassination, aud house burning.
Yet, with all their knowledge OF these
acts, the Democratic Potter Committee
refuses to allow any inquiry into the
facts, or into any acts Of intimidation
committed prior 10 the election, where
fraud really existed 20 an alarming ex-
tent, but confine the investigation 10
the acts OF the returning boards.
The crime OF the dominant party in
the South is that II excludes the color
ed vote from the ballot-bo1 unless IL is
given for the Democratic party. Had
| this not been the case in all the South
ern States there would have been no
uncertain sound as TO the result Of the
late Presidential election. and none are
more convinced OF this than the fraud
ulent party itself
The great fact has been constitution
ally established that; "all citizens OF
| the United States. who are otherwise
1 qualified by law 20 vote at any election
by the people, in any State, Territory,
district, county, parish, township,
school district, municipality, or other
territorial sub division, shall be enti-
tied and allowed TO vote at such elec-
tions, without distinction OF race, color
or previous condition Of servitude, any
constitution, law, custom, usage, or
regulation OF any State or Territory, or
/ by or under its authority, 70 the con-
trary notwithstanding. Yet the en-
tire colored vote Of the South is pre-
vented from free exercise at the ballot
box by the bull-dozing practices of the
Democratic party. which bids defiance
TO all attempts to secure an honest
vote. and glories in its achievements
under which no colored citizen is al.
1 lowed. but at the risk Of his life 90
vote, unless his vote is for the Demo
cratic candidate. let these are the
men who are now searching for cleo
/ ton frauds under one-sided instruc-
tlons from the Democratic House.
This Is Democratic consistency.