Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-10-09


national government, due force and eff
feet can only be given 10 the honest bal
lot OF one state by requiring that the bal
lots of all other states shall be honest.
The sscendancy of the ideas of polit-
| ical organization depends upon free ex-
preston of the sentiments of that party
through the ballot-box in all portions of
the country; and if they are deprived of
their rights in number of states, the in
evitable result will be, that minority
party will control.
The democratic party in congress have
recently set themselves up as the de-
tenders of the purity of elections; and
have made great outcry against the use
OF troops, supervisors, and depE'.~ mar
shals to keep the peace at the polls. They
have undertaken 10 show that tbs repub-
lican party is the enemy of fair elections,
| and that the legislation providing for
some sort of supervision, through United
States officers, at elections where presi-
DENTAL electors or members of congress
are voted for, are simply the contrlvances
OF corrupt party, by violence and fraud,
to keep themselves in power.
1t is always pleasant to believe that
our public men are candid in their posi-
tlons and statements; but in this case it
is too great tax upon our credulity to
suppose that any of the honorable sena-
tors and representatives who declaim SO
yaliantly against the use Of troops, or
deputy marshals, and supervisors, sup
| pose for ons moment that the army and
officers Of the United States are menace
| 10 the freedom Of elections
1t is truth beyond controversy that
no qualified elector, since the close of the
rebellion, has been turned away from the
polls or deprived of his vote by soldiers ;
aud it is equally we'll known that where
ever troops have been quartered near
| polling places, it has been to prevent
qualified voters from being deprived Of
their rights by force and violence.
SOUTHERN FRAUDS, INTIMID ALTON AND
MURDER.
The charges of intimidation and fraud
at elections against the republican, party
come with good grace from the democ-
racy, who own their maiOrities in both
houses Of congress to organized fraud,
intimidation and murder.
The record of the crimes of the demo
cratic party in the southern states since
1865 is enough TO make the blood run
cold. The whippings, murders, assas-
sinations and massacres psrpetrated by
them during this period, for political
purposes, show degree of cruelty and
treachery never excelled by the most
savage races. The deliberately planned
official massacre at the Mechanics Insti-
tute, New Orleans, in July, 1866; the
butcheries in st. Landry and Bossier
Parishes in 1869; the massacre in Grant
Parish in 1872; the killing of unarmed
prisoners, travelling under solemn
promise of safe conduct, in Coushatta,
III 1872; the cruel. pitiless killing of the
Chisolm family in Kemper county, Miss
issippi; down to the raidings and indis-
crimate slaughter of colored men in
Tensas and Cadde Parishes at the last
election in 1878, are as historical as the
massacres of Glencoe or Wyoming.
The breaking up Of the political
meetings; the intimidation and whipping g
by masked men of unoffending citizens
for political causes; the murders of men
singly, and by fives, tens, and hundreds
for the same reasons, have been so nu-
merous that it requires many printed
volumes to contain their details.
1t is within the bounds of reason tc
state that not less than $1,000 human be
ings have been murdered in the southern
states for the purpose Of securing the as
cendancy of the Democratic party.
White republicans and black have
alike fallen victims to the bludgeon, the
knife, the revolver, and the shotgun, il
the name of local self-government; and
when these lovers of free and fair elec
ton became fatigued of shedding blood
they resorted to the more quiet and order
ly method of tissue ballots for carrying
elections, and by this means, with conve
nient ease, converted Republican district:
into democratic stronghoids; and yet We
hear these men, whose political fortune!
were made by these murders and frauds
loud in their demands for fair election
unawed by United States soldiers, mar
shals or supervisors.
THE OBJECT IN VIEW.
It is evident that tbs object of thi!
clamor for the repeal of the United
States election laws is to give the demo
cratic party full swing in the election mex
year.
gOUTHERN INsINCERITY.
1t is tremendous draft upon the Gre
: dulity of any honorable man to ask hin
to believe in the sincerity Of profession:
of the southern democracy. They wagec
=, a four years war to perpetuate and extent
slavery, and yet pretend to be in favor O
freedom. After the war they denied tn,
: right TO vote, to hold office, to sit as ju
ror, to testify against white men, to beal
: arms, to acquire real estate, or to leave th'
, plantation and provided for his sale fOl
: for debt. These laws of tyrann,
/ and injustice were overthrown by the re
publican party, in opposition TO eyerl
t leading democrat; and yet they claim Il
3 be in favor of equal rights.
{ They use the state courts for the perse
8 cution of leading Republicans, infict ex
: cessive penalties upon negroes and crue
t and inhuman punishments in chain
: gangs, and this mode of punishment il
D SO approved by public opinion that Sena
l tor Gordon and ex-Gov. Brown, of Geor
! gia, can afford to become lessees OF chain
: gangs; and yet they set themselves up q
} the exemplars of humanity, justice, ant
| the equal enforcement of the laws. The,
: have, by military array, broken up put
s lie meetings, suppressed the right of fre
, speech, driven out and murdered lcadlnj
e republicans, have terrorized whole com
|; munities, and BY Installation compellet
republicans 10 remain from the polls 0
vote the democratic ticket. By thes
means they haYe seized control of
: majority of the southern states, ant
: have secured majorities in bot
8 houses of congress; and yet they Sc
themselves up as the champions of fre
and fair elections. Being the enemies o
: a free ballot themselves. with most trans
: parent hypocrisy they denounce the re
publican party as opposed to fair eet
tions, and threaten the very continuanc
L of the government in their efforts to II
: peal wholesome laws enacted for the pro
7 fec1inn of the nuritY of the ballot ]