The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-05-14

SOsnbf6 SOutnerm DtsfRict.
WARHINGToN, May 4.-The fol
lowing statement, which will b.
brought to the attention Of the Hous,
of Representatives in a day or two
will serve to emphasize, aud at ths
same time illustrate, the strong de
termination of the white Democracy
of Alabama to have free elections and
preserve the purity Of the ballot
box:
In the lyth Congressional District
of Alabama the registered white vote
is $500, and the registered colored
vote is $4,000 At the Congression-
al election 10 1876 the Republicans
cast about 1000 and the Democrats
1856 votes. Last Jolly, the Hon.
Jeremiah HARRISON, a colored Re.
publican, who had served in Cou-
gress, announced himself az q Re-
publican candidate for Represents
tive at the election ensuing in No.
vember. The Democratic candidate,
General c. NJ Shelley. and bis
friends, at once sought to drive Har.
alison from the field by intimidation.
The leading Democratic newspaper,
published at Selma, in al editorial
addressed to him personally, said:
Now, while we will not advise
anyone to shoot you, we are free to
say iha, if you continue in your pres
ent course We shall shed no tears
over your demise. We understand
that you were supplied by the Radi.
cal Executive Committee with funds
to return to this district and whoop
'em up in the style We have alluded
to. If this is SO, you had better use
your unexpended balance 10 getting
away from this county and section.
MIR. Harslson's offence was that OF
being the Republican candidate for
Congress in district which, in a
fair election, would have given an
overwhelming Republican majority.
When the vote was canvassed it was
declared that Shelley, Democrat. had
received S.5l4 votes, and HarslsoD
6.540 Haralson served a notice of
contest, and began to make list of
bis witnesses At this point be met
with unexpected trouble. No notary
public or other officer authorized to
administer oaths could be found Tor
q long lime who would tax the depo-
sitious OF the witnesses. Fhe officers
were all Democrats. and urged that
if they were to perform this duty
their business would suffer. At
length circuit judge, a Republican,
was found who consented to act, and
q large number Of witnesses were
summoned. As soon as they had
appeared and the examination had
been begun, Shelley and his Demo-
cratic friends procured indictments
against all of tIem on charges trump
ed-up for the occasion, aud they
were arrested and thrown into Jail,
where they remained until the time
within v hich their depositions could
be of service in the election contest
had expired, wi hen they were releas-
ed ilaralson's attorney was also
indicted false charge aud driven
from the State. A mob Of white
Democrats asssiled HARRISON and
compelled him also to leave the
SAFE.
In Lowndes county, where there
is a large Republican majority, it is
charged that the election officers in
number Of precincts were bribed by
Shelley TO seud 10 the election returns
unsigned, which they did, and the
returns were of course rejected By
the County Canvassers. In other
precincts, where there were only ten
or dozen white voters and ten times
as many colored voters, the polls
were not opened at sll. Mr.. Haral-
son complains that although a large
number of the inspectors OF elections
were indicted in the United States
Court, the District Attorney refused
to allow him to examine the papers !;
but be AYERS that number of these
Indicted officials were members Of
the Grand Jury which indicted his
attorney and witnesses on false char
ges.
This case cannot be Investigated
by the Committee on Elections, be
cause, as Mr.. HARRISON will claim,
ali bis lawful means of establishing
his right to seat in the House have
been oyerthrown aud rendered nu-
gatory by the action Of General Shell
ley, the sitting member, and his
friends; because it is impossible un-
der existing law to tske deposi,ions
in the case "by reason of the fixed
and ayowsd parpose Of the political
and personal friends Of Gen. Shelley
in the district TO deny TO tie freed
men all civil and political rights, and
TO set st defiance all laws which pro-
vide any remedy tor such conduct on
their part; and because of the
charge Of bribery against Gen. Shell
ley, which if proved will disqualIify
him from holding his seat as q Rep
Mr.. Haralson will
therefore ask the House to inyesti-
gate the matter.
Mr.. Shelley, the sitting member,
was brigadier-general in the Con-
federate army, and 10 the present
Congress is staunch supporter Of
the revolutionary schemes of the
Democrats. although, so far as be
is concerned, be appears to
have found it easy to evade and prao-
ticslly to annul the laws cor the pro-
lection of the ballot-box.