New-York tribune., 1880-02-16
sor rUTEY KLfCT0R1L VOTES

Every now and then some newspaper VI
nolitician expresses the belief that the KepuD-
lican nominee for the Presidency tins year VIII
carry two or three Southern States. Some
times the States are specified, and when the
nrophets come down TO particulars they usually
ipclude North Carolina, Florida and Louisiana
in their list and generally express hopes OF
VIRGINIA and South Carolina. Such predictions
mov show praisewortby hopefuluess, but they
also show a profound ignorance OF the South
ern situation. No matter who may be noml-
mated in Chicago, whether Grant, Blame,
sherman or any less prominent cahul-
date. he will have no chance OF getung
single electoral vote from the South
thar ia worth taking into account Tor mo-
ment in planning the campaign or estimating
tho nrobsble result. There are undoubtedly
enough Republicans in more than one or the
Southern States 10 carry 1t next Fan. fer-
hans they will be allowed TO vote. 1t Is posi-
| bile that the shotgun policy will be abandoned
IA expensive, disturbing to labor, and unnec-
essary. But this will signify nothing. Ihc
entire machinery of elections Is In the hands
| of the Democrats, and no matter how many
Republican votes may 90 into the boxes,
round Democratic majority will bo sure to
1
ought to be understood by this time in the
| Nnrtb that public sentiment in the South not
only excuses false counting and false returns,
made for the purpose OF defeating the hepuD-
| icans. hut actually demands the commission
of such frauds. The election officers regard
| themselves as charged with the duty OF seeing
that the supremacy of the white race suffer;
no detriment. They are not criminals in theil
own estimation or in that of their neighbors
when they take. a cipher off the end OF one
| column in n return and add it to another, Ol
shift the figures about so that the majority
given for O Republican candidate appears tC
have been thrown for his Democratic OPP
ponent they are only preventing the rest0ra-
ton of "ngger rule" They do what they
are expected to do, and they know that tho
| courts will not punish them and that they vii
have the moral support of the community
where they live.
When snch frauds are committed at every
local election how absurd it is to suppOst
that they will not be repeated when the stak'
IA the possession of the National Govern
ment. The South has been held together TO
the mast four years by her ruling politician
for the sole purpose of carrying the Presi
Dental election of 1880 by throwing he
solid electoral vote into the scale. Is
likely that this bold and cunning scheme 70
, iustifying the rebellion and grasping powe
, at one stroke is going to be abandoned by it
autaors when they have full ability to carr
, il out, so far as the action of their own State
ia concerned Are the Brigadiers going t
send around word to their followers tina
there must be honest elections this year TO
5 the first time since the Democrats GO
! mower in the South in order that tn
Republicans may carry South CarOlin
: and three OF four other Southern States
, The notion is preposterous. The Democrat
can count upon the electoral vote of ever
l one of the old Slave States with as much con
3 fidence as they can upon that OF Kentucky.
1t is time, all Republicans understood thi
: fact and appreciated its practical bearings
Y The lesson it conveys is that the Chicag
G nomination should be made with view
: carrying the close States of the North an
G | not with view to pleasing the Repul
n licans Of the South, who will be alb
q to do no more toward carrying tf
v election than they would il they lived Q