The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1879-05-08
Rly0netS n file Polls,

Iuhui iOt PIOuivitiuS uo'ioual IIO'
lection OF voters at the polls comes
from those who are themselves re.
sponsible for unlawfully and forcibly
excluding voters from the polls. and
for stufling the boxes with tissue bal.
lots. These persons naturally desired
to be free from any control. They
feel that they are justified in using
any means to escape negro domino.
ton. When they demand the exolu.
sion OF the national authority, they
propose that that tho States shall
take care OF the elections. But then
are the States. Why did not the
States suppress the KuKlux? Why
did not the States arrest and punish
the bulldoZers? Because these very
persons who decry the bayonet at th.
polls compose the rife clubs at the
polls, and the juries who try alleged
ofIei ders. and tho public opinion
wich lies behind all. The most recent
and impartial evidence upon this
point is the second paper OF SiI
George CAMPBELL. P. n. He says
and IL is the general opinion OF OBJ.
servers that violence and distur-
bance i'm the Southern States since
the war have been due TO the white
minority. not to the freedmen. The
rifle clubs, he says are IN armed Polit.
ical organization outside OF the
militia. and the excuse for its terror
ization has been that negro or carpet
bag rule was So wicked as to Justify
any kind OF redress. But he was I'm.
able to find that the ~black Legisia-
lures" made bad laws. and the real
trouble was general corruption. Sir
George says distinctly that it was
understood that "the Democrats were
determined to win every thing in the
South He states that there was
perfect frankness in speaking OF the
way in which things were managed
in tho election OF last autumn, and he
was there at the time. There was
was not very great amount OF vio-
lenence or Intimidation" "Great
Democratic mai )rities were obtained
by the simple process OF what is Fall
ed 'stuffing the ballot boxes" No.
body pretended that the tissue bal
lots were designed for any other pur-
pose than that Of fraud. In one dis
trict, where not more than a Thousand
persons voted, there were moro than
three thousand ballots in the box.
In other districts the number OF poll
ing places was so reduced that IL was
impossible for all TO vote who wished.
At other polls the inspectors kept
away. In short" says this perfectly
unprjudiced observer, II have no
hesitation in saying. as matter within
my own knowledge. that il these cleo
tons had taken plac, in England,
there were irregularities which must
have Initiated them before an election
judge hundred times over"
Now when ballot-box suffers by
their representatives demand the re-
peal of existing national safeguards
OF the ballot box. on the ground that
it Is incompatible with free govern
ment, and uncon stituiioaal. and that
the States will take care OF the mat.
ter. we say. and every sensible man
will say, that it Is mere pretense,
and that the demand really is one for
cheatiag. The vital
point Is free and fair election; but
no one who demands tho repeal OF the
safeguards has shown any interest in
that point. II arms at the polls are
so obnoxious, why Is all the protest
levelled against the arms or the
United States, which are not even
charged with Intimidation, and not a
word ag iinst those OF rifle club and
red Shirts" which are confsssedly
present to intimidate? IL the party
which inveighs so loudly against bay
onets at the polls were not the very
party which brings them there. and
for an unlawful purpose. 1t might ex.
pect that its position would be re-
spected, and its plea OF redre ssing
grievances and OF threatened liberty
would be heard with patience.
In a word, experience has shown
that the elections In certain States
are unfair, and that tho controlling
opinion OF those States does not wish
them to be fair. II. therefore. every
form and degree or national super
vision be Withdrawn from those
States. the knowledge OF the country
that the election or majority in
Congress or a President has been de-
termined by such States would inevi-
tably produce situation which 40
good citizen wishes to see. 1t is true,
rs Senator Davis says. that We need
rest from sectional passion. But il
our statement be correct, can he or
any other honorable man assert that
the States In q uestion are not rspon-
si3le for arousing those passions?