The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-12-21
Figures from South Carolina.

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The analysis of the vote of certal =
counties of South Carolina will repa iF
study. 1t has been said a great mag
times that figures cannot lie, and +
though the returns of some of Y
Southern election managers migA
lead us to question the familiar aptF
rism, there is a solid foundation
reason for it. An examination
these returns will sho " that hoWeWl
dishonest canvassers may have fiths
fed the count and poll clerks stutpl |,
the boxes with kiss jokes" the Ha
ures at last will tell the truth. WI
have taken for investigation toadg3
a single Congress district of Soui
/ Carolina, namely, the Ist, in WhiAl
! the candidates were the same Wbl !
contested the seat in 1876. .Is,s,ssE !.
| II. Rainey on the Republiean 8itasTSi
and John 5. Richardson on the Dem
ocratic. Rainey carried the district
in 1876 by a majority of 800 Rich-
ardson carries it now by majority
Of 5000. We invite our readers 10
look at the manner in which this
surprising change has been brought
about.
Eight counties are included in the
lst district. In tive-tO wit, Sumter,
Williamsburg, Darlington, Mari,
| borough and GeOrgetoWn-the col
ored people are largely in the major.
| ity, and these counties have always
! been considered safe for heavy Re
/ publican vote. In the other three
Marion, Chesterfield and Horny the
whites have had the prepOnderance,
and the Democratic majOritieS in
these counties have ranged in former
years from 600 to 200. Now the
election of 1878 was nOJ marked bV
any exceptional public excitement.
There was no reason whatever for
amy change in the relative situation
OF the two parties, aud it is hardly
necessary to remind intelligent men
that a revolution in politics is never
accomplished except in consequence
Of some great reYuloiOn in public
feeling, for which thIre must be a
visible, notorious cause. In fact, the
aggregate vote of the State WAS very
light. In 1876 it WAS about 1888 coo,
or 10 per cent of the population; this
year it is only 100000, or II per cent.
Supposing that the population has
increased since 1S7=s..t che s,.,..,., 80.
which obtained during the five years
previous to that date. But the col .
ored population increases in Sou'h .
Carolina at the rate of about I per +.
cent. per annum, while the white
population increases at the rate Of
only per cent. If, therefore, the
proportions Of white and Colorcd cit. .
liens who stayed away from thepolls
last month had been about equ l,amd
the election had been perfectly fair
and free, it would have been natural, /
allowing for this difference in the
ratio of increase, to expect the re- |
turns to show white vote somewhat /
less than il was in 1876, and cOIored
vote nearly the same as it was that
year, or even little larger.
1t is just such result as this that
we do find in the hOpelessly Demo.
cratic counties, where there was no
temptation to resort to shot guns and
"kiss-jokes." In Chesterfield, where
there are S,O00W hiteS TO 5000 negroes
the Republican vote remains about
what it was in 1876, and the Demo-
cratic vote is Sc less. In Horny coun.
ty. with about 10000 whites and
5000 blacks, there has been Re.
publican loss Of l6S votes, and d
Democratic loss Of 1876. In Marion
county the whites at the date of the
last Federal census were in the ma.
i0rity, but if the ratios of increase
here have been what we have found
them to be elsewhere, the two races
ought to be now about equal. In
Marion consequently, the Democrats
seem to have resOrted to heroic
means to correct the balance. The
Republican vote falls off 264. and
the Democratic vote increases 49l.
But now let lis turn from the Dem.
ocratic to the Republican strong
holds. There are five counties in
the district where the COlored people
have large majority of the
population, and have always
cast heretofore proportiOnately
large majority of the vote. In
Sumter they have lost since 1876
nearly 1000 votes, while the whites
have gained 400; in Williamsburg
they have lost 2l0, while the whites
have gained 1900; in Darlington
they have lost $50 and the whites
have gained 1,l50; in MARLBOROUGH
they have lost nearly 400 and the
whites haye gained about $50; in
! Eaproathuvn tbpN, hayp lpst I 50O gnd