Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-11-15

brethren Ia the South.
From the Boston Advertiser.
The Southern Frauds.
Honest men everywhere must feel a
s,nse Of indignation. and patriotic men a
sense Of shame ut the revelations made OF
democratic frauds in the Southern States.
Coming Immediately upon the great
p,ther made by that party about alleged
Frauds In the Presidential election, the in
sincerity Of its professions OF concern for
right and the fair working of our repubi-
can system 10 demonstrated. The publ
cation Of the cipher dispatches had al
ready shown that its managing men in the
Presidential campaign were smirched
with villanies lower and more corrupt
than any they have been able 10 bring
homo TO the republicans, and now the cleo
tons Of this autumn make it clear that the
Southern democrats. who have pretended
70 be 20 shocked by the proceedings of the
carpet-baggers. are not only capable of
outdoing them but prompt to do so at the
first opportunity. All their bowling and
protestation 10 the name of justice appears
~ hollow as were their professions of
love for the Union while plotting its de-
struction.
What species Of crime against the right
Of suffrage, the fundamental and sacred
~s~ks ,,r>u vvh;ch ran,,bI;oan tos,;,,fi,,a
are erected, and upon which alone they
can endure, have these dishonest allies of
TIE Northern democracy not committed in
their resolution to make the South once
more solid for the party OF oppression and
reactionf Take South Carolina for an ex
ample. In the first place, the legislature
which came in with Hampton enacted
laws designed to make it impossible for
the majority Of the people in districts
Of the State where the majority were not
democrats to vote at all. This was leg
islstive outrage against freedom, not only
despicably mean in itself, but doubly dis
honorable inasmuch as it violated the
pledges Of the party leaders to protect the
rights Of oil classes of citizens fairly in
case they had the control of their local
Affairs. II was treachery to obligations
solsmnly incurred, which will, as il ought
to do, brand those engaged in il with the
infamy Of men who pledge their honor
with purpose to be false to the pledge
when they have secured the end for which
they made it. They are doing what they
can to make the phrase Southern honor"
more VIGOROUSLY ironical than the classic
phrase "Punic faith
Some weeks ago we referred to this
scandalous action Of the legislature, and a
Charleston journal insisted that the facts,
asgiven BY us. were exaggerated and es-
sentially unjust. though it did not attempt
to deny the specific matters alleged. 1t is
coming to be pretty we'll understood here
q the North that almost any authority is
more trustworthy than Southern news
piper on question where party interest is
s,rved by dishonesty. We have now at
hand an address to the citizens OF Charles
ton by Mr.. James B. Campbell, an indie
pendent candidate for reelection to the
State Senate, issued November /. The
statements made by this gentleman con-
firm in every respect the truth of what we
alleged. He was member of the Sem
ate when the fraud was consummated, and
he details the method and motive of it.
Being an honest man he opposed it, and
b,cause he opposed it the democratic par
~ had no further use for him. Referring
70 Charleston county lie says: 1.-The num-
Der of precincts was reduced about one
third in the city and two-thirds in the
county, compelling the voter in some in
stances to make a round journey of even
forty miles, others of twenty, twenty five
and thirty miles, and in the greater num-
Der Of cases FIVE, ten or fifteen miles.
Most Of the voters are laboring men. poor
and without means of transportation"
The bill was passed in the house with
out any consultation with him, the sena-
tor from Charleston county. When it
came TO the senate he proposed some
amendments in the interest of decent fair
ness. The amendments, after having
been once adopted without opposition,
were defeated by General Gary, who an
aouneed that he was instructed by the
chairman Of the democratic county commit
tee TO ask that the bill be passed without The
amendments. Mr.. Campbell charges di-
rsctly that the law is natural out growth
Of what Is called the aggressive policy"
which had its initial and historical illustra-
tion In the massacre of Hamburg. the
Glencoe Of the nineteenth contry." The
crime against freedom and republicans in
itisled by Hamburg's massacre. continued
BY the violence and fraud which enabled
~ minority to seem to have chosen