National Republican., 1880-09-16
THE rRAUp ACxNowLEperp.

While the subservient democratic papers
of the north, aided by certain so called in
dependent sheets, have been denying the
existence of fraud in tho Alabama election,
the newspapers of that state have scarcely
thought il worth while to defend their
state aud party from the charges. Most of
them have not concealed their exultation
in the thoroughness with which the work
was done. The fact that the fraud was
overdone seems, however, to have at last
struck the consciousness of one of them.
The True Issue, published at Birming-
ham, has an article upon the subject, which
we commend to the consideration of those
who profess to want "full vote, a FREQ
ballot and fair count" The True Issue
floats the banner of HANCOCK and ENG
LIsH at the head of its editorial columns: :
1t is amusing TO read tho many different
reasons given by the papers for the vote of
Alabama in the recent election. Scarcely any
two of them agree, and all seem anxious TO
persuade the world that there Is n reason.
None rs yet have given the true one. This
would be damaging 1t is necessary, how
ever, that they should print II for tho enlight-
aud regret that it exists. They also regret
that it is necessary to make so many and SO
various excuses for the result Of an election in
this state. They realize the fact and regret
1t also, that great damage has been done to
General HANCOCK in his race for the presi
dcncy by the pul-up majority of $4,000. Tho
cry of fraud has been raised by n cheated and
wronged people and is repeated throughout
the land, exaggerated doubtless, and IL is tell
ing feariully against him in the north, and
blighting, we fear, chances that wcro bright up
to tho time the manipulators handled that
iniquity that disgrnces the legislation OF last
session, tho new election law. Had 1t not
been used rs II was 1t would have failed, per.
haps of its purpose. 1t bears on its face fraud,
and, of course, as it was intended to defraud,
it was so used. 1t was too much used, how
ever, aud tho $1,000 majority looks about Us
ugly now as the eight-to-. even commission
| did four years ago. used to cheat TILDEN out
| of the presidency. Both these democratic per-
| formances are understood by the great mass
of the people, and they are not so much sur
| prisod at eithor as the press seems to bo now
at the $4,000 majority. They know who
| planned and executed them, and what for, and
they will not fail to say If HANCOCK is de-
| feated that the defeat came to him through
| the same channel rs the cheat did 10 TILDEN.
There was in our opinion, no necessity
| for SO gigantic a fraud for any party purposes.
| The eight-to-seven commission was d regular
bonanza OF the kind, and there need not have
been all effort Oh the part Of the 'so.called''
to pale the Iaurels already won. Twenty OF
twenty-five thousand majority would have
been enough to fully secure al the officers OF
the state aud tested the working capacity oi
the "mAchine"-a machine that can grind oul
ballots aud add up mijorities that don't exist
That disfranchises the people and denies them
tho right of a free ballot aud AN honest count
the most sacr, d civil rght over wrested from
the citizen Alabama, carried by the fraud 0
a mean, villanous election law, loses TO tn,
party ia these United States the choice of 1
president, and makes, perhaps, radical con
gress. What may the people hope from
party that SO ouLrages them and their right
Nothing but woe to them and the country.