The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-01-25
BALLOT STUFFING AND BULL
DOING.

| There is q certain pleading employed by
contestants in our courts of justice, called a
demurrer, /" the Office of which is, to call
for judgment ON some fault in pleading.
We are told that it is popularity of the
demurrer, that being turned loose in the
case, it ransacks the whole record, and takes
effect ON the first fault bv whomsoever COM
mitted so it often happens that arty is
put out of court by his own demurrer act
ing like the gun in Hudibras-
(Which loaded and pointed at duck or plover,
Recoils and kicks the owner over"
Public opinion administers political JUS
tice by very much the same rule. The Re-
publican leaders put in demurrer to the
practices of bulldozing and ballot stufing.
These are great crimes against the freedom
of the ballot and if tolerated anywhere
must lead to the destruction of political
morality, and the degradation of all govern
ment State and national. They cannot be
defended. But let us 60 back to the first
fault before passing judgment. The South
ern States and people have been excep-
tionably free from the suspicion of coun-
tenancing election frauds so free indeed
that we would be authorized to assume, that
if the crimes which we have condem ned,
have been committed, and if they have
found toleration anywhere in the Southern
States, il must be because the ballot had
been already utterly degraded and set at
nought.
The putting of spurious tickets in
ballot box is very bad, but certainly not
worse than casting out genuine ballots, and
annulling returns ON forged affidavits. The
stuffing of ballot box, is a crime of great
magnitude, but in its consequences of less
moment to the country at large, than stuff
ing the electoral body with an enormous
mass of newly enfranchised African slaves,
with full knowledge that in four or five great
Commonwealth it was a transfer of politi-
cal power from the whites to the blacks 1t
was not supposed by any supporter of this
that it would be beneficial to our
institutions. A few men thought it might
benefit the negro, but the feeling for him
was languid compared to the malevolent
spirit and fierce appetites for party DONNA
lion which animated its chief supporters.
As an act of craftsmanship, it was blum
Ter withouts parallel. 1t is in vain that its
authors set up the plea of necessity. If
hey had the power to enact such
! measure, they had the power TO do any
hing they saw fit. They were reckless of
he consequences to the communities whom
hey subjected to this moustrous ordeal, if
" its means they could strengthen their
,arty. The measure had the form of law,
tut the objects for which it was passed
made it great crime against civilization.
Ne were told that property and intelligence
would control the ignorant mass but
measures were taken to destroy their in
luence. The army was employed as an
instrument of repression and the Return.
ng Board was established TO neutralize the
feet of any influence, however wholesome,
hich was adverse to the continued ascend
ncy of the Republican party. The prac-
ice of counting in, and counting out, of
warding offices by these Boards, regard
ess of the state of the poll, were SO per-
lstent and notorious, that elections ceased
D be the evidence of the popular will
Iere lies the first fault. We offer no ex-
use for violence or fraud. To what
xtent, If to any extent, they were en-
loye in the last elections, we know not,
ut there stood before these elections, the
lct that majority of the people of Flor
la voted for Mr.. Tilden for President, and
Returning Board reversed the popular
ill, and gave the Presidency to Mr. Hays.
hen we find the men who support this
It of the Florida Returning Board, can't {
6 about the sacredness of the ballot, we t
ii for judgment -"Wo unto him by )
hom the offence cometh." Fraud and
olence in elections is deplorable evil,
hich, if allowed to prevail, must afflict us
ore grievously, than those who affect
feel so strongly about it, and we sincere
hope, that our people will resist the s
nptation, and escape the contamination y
the very bad examples which the Repub- h
an party has set before them. o