Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-08-20
That "Eull Vote, Free Ballet and Fair
Count" in Alabama.

| SSuut AZ <24aS34Aio.
| Col Waddell of North Carolina is in the
habit of declaring, in his speeches on the
stump in Vermont that every negro in the
South can 60 to the polls and cast his vote
that he has every political privilege of the
white man" By the side Of, and as the best
comment on this bold assertion, we put the
news which is now coming by every mail
from Alabama One gentleman, in letter
to Commissioner Raum, describes the scene
at the polls in Huntsville, Ala. Professions
of voters who intended TO vote the Demo-
cratic ticket came to the polls led by brass
bands and were not molested, of course; but
when the colored men came forward in pro-
cession, shouting for the candidate of the
combination ticket, they were attacked and
dispersed, some of them being badly hurt.
He continues:
can election law in this State which
| forbids the numbering of tickets to cor
respond with the tally-list, and in this
| way destroys every evidence that tends to
establish basis for purging the polls of lille
gal votes, together with the fact that the
| Democratic managers took pains to put on
as one of the Judges of Election at each place
men of Republican antecedents who could
not read in many instances, certainly estab-
| fishes margin for fraud that it appears can
not be detected and punished. The evils
| complained of by the Republicans were
treated with Indifference, and the Demo-
Gratis refused to make any correction. The
State has, perhaps, given larger Democratic
vote than ever before since she has had a
| Republican vote, and under the Election laws
and the means resorted'to with Democrat
| ic machinery, it is not any surprise to any
man that is at all informed upon Alabama or
| Southern politics"
| One of the leading men Of the State sends
the following to Secretary SHERMAN
The late election in this State, as most of
us anticipated, was mere farce. Whatever
of decency remained in the Democratic party
was on this occasion entirely cast aside, and
| frauds the most unblushing and stupendous
committed. In many counties, where the
population was largely colored, the Republi-
cans did not vote, knowing that their votes
would swell the Democratic majority. In
some counties where we had 4 county ticket
| in the field we brought out the full Repub-
lican strength, and it was in such cases the
counting out was done. In Lowndes county,
Judge NJ. Duifield got $3.50 votes actually
voted for him and put into the box, each
| voter showing his ticket openly as he went
| to the polls. The Democratic vote of the
county is not over 1.3G0, and yet they re-
turned 4 majority of 1860 against him.
| In two beats there was an honest count. He
carried one by over 400 majority, and the
other, which was always carried by the
Democrats, he carried by 4 majority. In
/ toll
kept in like manner, the Republicans openly
voted over 500 votes and the Democrats 40,
and this beat returned Democratic ma
| jority of 230. These are only specimen
bricks When you apply it to the State
you can see how the Democrats got
their $4,000 majority" The writer then
inserts the following from private letter
sent to him from Montgomery ''Such a
grand rally of the Republicans of the county
has not been seen since 1868. Such intelli-
gent determination to carry the election on
the part of the colored people was never
known before. But votes don't count. The
election was the biggest fraud you ever saw
or heard of. The Democrats themselves ad :
nit it. We know it. 1t is perfectly useless to
make any effort in this State from present
appearances. The real fact is in this State,
that the Democrats intend to hold the State
government at all prices and hazards And
this they regard rs their imperative duty.
Of course they say if we win in the National
campaign it will be so much better, but they
look upon Alabama as their country, and
the United States and the power of the Ma
tional Government as foreign power and a
despotsm put upon them against their will
and consent" lie closes his letter to the
Secretary as follows: This is the true key
to the Southern problem. Home rule and
State rights mean that no man elected by the
votes of black men shall be permitted to
hold office in Southern state. They cou-
slider it high moral duty 10 defrnud the
black man OF his vote.