New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-27
ATALK WITH MR.. RAINEY.
THREE REPUBLICAN COSGRRssMEN SURE IN SOUTH
CAROLINA II THERE Is FREE ELECTIoN-THE
RIFLE CLUBS ARHISG, HOWEVER - FRAUDS
FFARFD
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUSE.l

CAROLINA II THERE IS A FREE ELECTIoN-THE
RIFLE CLUBS ARMING, HOWEVER - FRAUDS
FEARED.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUSE.l
WASHINGTON, June 26.-Mr Rainey, the colored
member Of Congress from South Carolina, who made
himself conspicuous and exceptionally useful on the
last night ,of the session. by behaving himself
and mindng his business, says with regard to
the political outlook in South Carolina, that If Gov
ernor Hampton fulflls his promise and gives the
people fair election. the Republicans cannot fail to
return three Congressman next Fall by good maIor-
ties. Only two elements of doubt exist One is of
the Governors ability to enforce quiet and fair
election and the other of his disposition to do So
Mr.. Rainey personally entertans no doubt Of
Governor Hampton's sincerity. He has given evil
dence of his desire to act impartlally toward all
classes and has so cOmpOrted himself that he will
be almost sure to receive the votes of large portion
of the colored people for reelection. In regard to
National politics. however, Mr. Rainey says the
color line is still quite clearly drawn, and where
this IS not the case there are about many white
Republicans as colored Democrats The white mil
itary clubs are already fully organized all over the
State evidently for political purposes. but not APP
parently with intent to commit violence. Yet the
fact that these clubs exist brings to the minds of
colored voters their terrible experience in past years
and may make it difficult to reassure them suflic-
emily to bring them out on election day.
The greatest danger which the Republicans have
to apprehend, Mr. Raney thinks is from frauds in
counting the returns, and in throwing out returns
from precincts where the Republicans are known to
have majority. The opportunities for fraud. he
says, are very ample aud they may be perpetrated
where the disposition exists while the proceedings
will on the surface have the appearance Of great
fairness BY the present law two ballot-boxes are
required TO be placed at every polling place, one to
receive the votes for State and municipal officers.
and the other TO receive the votes for Congressman
and Presidential electors The boxes are required to
be kept fifty or one hundred feet apart The law also
requires that three supervisors shall be appointed to
watch the polling for candidates for National officers;
and the custom has been TO appoint two Of these
from the party In power aud one from the OPPOSE
ton OF oourse the selection OF all three Of these
supervisors rests with the Democratic State author
tiles and as the colored people and Republicans
have no organization through which to make pro-
test in case an incompetent is selected TO watch
their interests il lies in the power of the Democrats
10 appoint some good fellow from the colored Re
publicans. one who is nodpersonally obnoxious and
yet who is wholly unftted to guard the in
terests Of his party against the adroit frauds
which are often practised at the polls. They NAV
then. with a show Of fairness, set him to doing
such as administering the oath to voters, and by
purposely leading him into some slight informality
they can lay a foundation upon which they may
afterward base protests and vItiate the whole re-
turn if the Republicans are found to be in the ma
iority The Democrats are expressing their deter
mination 10 redeem the three Republican Con-
Qressional Districts, and one has only 70 refer to
their past record 20 know what some of them are
capable of if not held back by the strong nand Of
authority. -
MIR. Raney mentions one instance of fraud in
recent municipal election, which occurred in town
in his district and which probably has no parallel
| for simplicity and assurance The Republicans had
large majority although by intimidation orsome OF
the other dark ways known to Southern politics, the
Democrats had carried the previous election and
were in possession of the offices, Intimidation would
not work again. and TO be successful the Democrats
were compelled TO hit upon device. The State
| law requires the ballOt-bOxes to be opened not
| earlier than o'clock in the morning and to be
| closed not later than o'clock on the evening OF
election day; but the charter OF the town put fur
ther limit on the time of voting by fixing the hour
! at o'clock before which the boxes should not be
| opened The authorities on the day in question
opened their balOt-bOxes at quarter OF an hour be-
fore the time fixed in the town charter, then threw
ont the entire vote Of the town on account OF tins
pformality and quietly settled themselves IN their
| offices for another term of two years. Did you
| ever" asked Mr. Rainey " hear the like OF thatT