New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-05-03
SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTION CASES
RETALIATION sUByERTING JUSTICE.

|
! TO FORCE A COMPROMISE.
| IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT TRIBUNH.l
| CHARLESTON, s. C., April 2G-The organ of tho
! Democratic party of this State openly proclaimed
| in leading editorial two days after the adjourn
ment of the United States Court that the trial and
conviction in that court Of the Democrats charged
with ballot-box stuting and other violations of the
| election laws would have lod to the arrest and
trial of hundreds of Republicans, known to be
guilty. to cOunterbalanco the trial and conviction
of hundreds of Democrats" In the same connec-
ton the editor contends that the policy of the
State is policy of amnesty and peace" but that
it was impossible 70 carry ont this policy as long
as the United States Government, by its pros
ecuting officers, was resolved to pursue and
prosecute Democrats for the trifling offence Of
ballot-box stuffng. Referring to the continuance
of the election cases the United States Court. he
says: "The United States have given the Statea
welcome opportunity, and the State will 60 at least
as far as the United States Will CO." In other
words the State will continue in its uts the
there pending against Republicans upon trumpet
up charges. that the United States has con-
nued the against the ballot-bOX suffers and
if the United States Court at its next session will
discontinue these cases. the State will do the
with its cases or 1t is expressed at the c0ncln
sion of the editorial: The State is ready to forgive
the public thieves, bat the United States must
throw the cloak Of its clemency over faults less
grieyous III their character and which brought no
personal advantage to those who committed Them
These admissions of the leading Democratic paper
of the state fully sustain the assertion made in the
United States Senate last Thursday by Senator
Blaine that the prosecutions against Republicans
in the State Courts were brought with view Of
forcing compromise in the election cases, at which
assertion our own Senator Butler seemed to grow
indignant
Not only the State Courts. but the entire power
of the State as administered by its Democratic 0ii
GERS have been used to shield the ballot-box suffers
and to force a compromise of the cases against
them When the men who stuffed the ballOt-bOxes
at the last election with tissue tickets, and in other
ways violated the election laws, first arrested
by the United States authorities, the State authori
ties Immediately began a series of counter arrests.
In Orangcburg, Webster and Livingstone, the two
leading white Republicans Of that county. were
rested for demanding the privilege of witnessing
the count which the law of the State required to be
done in public, and they were afterward indicted
by the State Court for conspiracy to prevent the
counting of the votes; In Sumter, Samuel Lee the
leading Republican Of that county arrested and
indicted for being absent from his Office of Probate
Judge after being driven out of it By Democratic
mob: in Williamsburg Pendergrast and fOur Others
were arrested and indicted for libel based upon let
tiers written by them in reference to the frauds
committed in tLoir county, which letters were pub
lished in The Washington RepabiicGa; in George
town. a number Of cOlored men, witnesses in some
of the election cases. were arrested for nterrupung
a Democratic mceting-a few unarmed colored men
interruptng a Democratic meeting, attended by
hundreds of red-shirt riders fully armed and
equipped, is charge that could be invented onlyby
a South Carolina Democrat-and all over the State
Republicans who had testified before United States
Commissioners in reference to the election frauds
were arrested on the charge of perjury for the evil
dence given before such Commissioners, although
the state authorities knew the Courts of the state
had no jurisdiction in snch cases; and IN several
instances even the Commissioners themselves were
arrested on some trivial pretext, while engaged IN
aTresting the yiOlators of the election laws. This
was the first step taken by the Democratic author
ies of this State 10 protect the baliot-bOX stuitr'
The next move in the same direction was the re-
fusal of tho Democratic Secretary Of state, acting
under the advice Of the Democratic Attorney-trn-
! eral TO produce in accordance with the sub DGna
of the United States Court the poll lists kept by the
| Democratic managers, which In many Instances
contain in themselves conclusive evidence that the
ballOt-bOxes had been stuffed. For instance the worst
eases of ballOt-b0X stuing occurred IN the Cly OF
Charleston, and the poll lists of the several election
precincts now on file in the office Of tho Secretary
| of State show that hundreds Of fictitious names
| were written on each of them that whole pages Of
| false names written by outside parties, and
afterwards inserted by the election officers between
sheets in all cases being written in a variety OF
handWTltings different from that of the regular
| clerk who kept the poll list while the voting was
going on, and who consequently bad not the time TO
engage IN the business OF making mp sheets OF lalSe
names. In one the handwriting IN which
| number of pages If false names are written IS
| clearly that of n female In another instance
| marion Engine House, Ward ~ the names read
thus: lard Peterson, Peterson Noble, Noble Prince
other page jacob Adams. Peter Adams, John
! Adams, Adam Rush, Peter Rush, Jacob Rush,
| Moses Green, Green Ray A. Ray, Dick PorcheT'
| Oliver POrcher. William Porcher, rom Rayenel
| Jacob Rayenel, Peter Rayene, {. Raycnel, aud 50
on Tor several pages. Need any one be surprised ~
| the resistance made by the Democratic state au-
thOrites 10 the production of these poll lists IN me
| United States Court In refusing 10 produce tne
poll lists the State officers were only endeayoung 70
| protect the men who had committed these frauds
| for the purpose of putting them in office,
The third and last step taken by the Democlsuo
State authorities to protect the balOt-boN siubers
| was the offer to pardon CardozO and Smalls, 10
grant trial to Lee aud to discontinue all cases
against Republicans IN the state Courts II lio
| United States would only discontinue the cases
against the ballot-bOX suers-a virtual adnSs'oho
Senator Blanes charge that the prosecutions asanIh
Republicans IN the state Courts were btougnt Vim
| a view of forcing a compromise III the tiev.IIn
cases. And yet, after using the whole power OF ZIG
State 10 protect and shield ballObOX stut r. south
Cardinals Democratic representatives IN Cohgless
join in the demand that the Federal eiectlOh ia|g
be repealed and that the guardianship OF Tue a.
lot-boX be left 20 the authorities OF the state rs,
| Democratic cry of tree election and free palios
| means South Carolina an election when tne
| Democrats shall be free 20 manage as they plo'eo
without being bothered by the presence OF hcPuD
hcan witness. in the form Of supcrVlsor WIN tIo
further privilege Of freely stutnng the rduot -
| When that time comes the State VIII be aDie 70
carry its policy Of amnesty and peace Mh ,aa'
the organ ofthe party IN this state says IL Is cn.
practicable 10 do SO long ~ the United Sta'es v
| eminent will pursue and prosecute men iot S'u"
ing ballotboxes.