Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-11-22
... From the New York Times.
The Triumph Of Fraud.

From the New York Times.
The Tfiumph of Fraud.
As the Official figures are received it be-
comes more and more apparent that the
frauds committed by Southern democrats dur
ing the last election were as extensive as
they were barefaced and unblushing. They
were, indeed, 20 extensive, and at the same
time perpetrated with 30 little effort at con-
cealn,snt, that even the most pronounced Of
White League journals are now at loss to
find excuses for them. The figures tell their
disgracefdl story SO clearly, so Enthusiastically,
that no rhetoric, no argument. can alter or
amend it. For instance, and it is only one
instance in many, in the county Of Montgom-
cry, in Alabama, it is claimed that the re-
publicans have majority Of four thousand
votes. This claim may or may not be just
one, but it is fact beyond dispute that at
the registration prior to the election for
members Of the Legislature, held on the 9Th
Of last August. the republicans registered
upward of 5000 votes, and the democrats
only few score more than 1900. On the
day Of election the republican ticket, headed
by Paul Strobach, a most popular gentleman,
of spotless record, is known to have re-
ceived enthusiastic and undivided support.
In short, it is known. by an actual count
made by persons stationed at the polls, that
upward Of FIVE thousand republican votes
were east in the county Of Montgomery on
the day of election. After delaying their
report week, however, the democratic man.
ayers declared that their party friends had
cast 4, 1873 votes, that the republican vote
amounted to only 1851, and that conse-
quently the majority for the democratic can
didates was more than fifteen hundred. OF
course. tho republicans protested, but they
could not right the great wrong which they
knew had been done them. Now, however,
they have at least the satisfaction of being
able to prove conclusively that all their
charges of fraud and false counting were
justified by the facts.
At the last election in Montgomery County
held, it will be remembered, only three
months after this memorable August contest,
the republican leaders, knowing how useless
would be the effort, refused to nominate a
candidate for Congress, at the same time,
however, indorsing, and calling upon their
followers TO vote for an Independent demo-
crat, who had gone into the canvass against
the regular White-League nominee. Mr..
Armstrong, the Independent democrat in
question, is job printer, man who, in the
old days before the war for freedom, would
have been known and despised as ga poor
white" He was bitterly opposed by "the
native and best" element, and the democrat
ic newspapers of the State now claim that he
received only three hundred white votes, and
that all the rest Of his support came from the
republicans. This admission is for them q
fatal one for, though Mr.. Armstrong had
only three hundred white supporters, he was
through their fundamentally, able to secure
fair count They were for the most part
workers in railway and other shops, men who
could not be trifed with. They watched the
boxes on election day, watched them unit
the official return had been made. Whal
was the result? It was declared that il
Montgomery County Mr.. Armstrong, who
according to democratic statements, received
only three hundred democratic votes, and who
is known TO have been supported by only on,
wing of the republican party, had, neyerthe
less, majority Of over two thousand votes
OF course, this result proves clearly the enor
nifty Of the fraud committed by the demo
cratic managers in the August election. |
Mr.. Armstrong, who received only lukewarn
support from the republicans, and only few
score votes from the democrats, is still de
clared 10 have received two thousand MAORI
ty Of the election held in November, who ca
believe that there was majority of fiftee
hundred sgainst the regular and warmly -sur
ported republican nominees who ran onl
three months beiore3 When the democrat
Of Alabama can satisfactorily answer thi
question, it will be time enough for them +
claim that The last political campaign In AL
absne was fairly and honestly conducted.
Bat it i pot alone in Alabama that frau,
Of the most glaring character can be prove,