The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-08-25
ELECTIONS IN THE SOUTH.
How Republicans Have Been Beaten.
FRAUDS IN ALABAMA.

cx-Governor William III. Smith, OF
that State. Ia Governor Jewell. Chair
man Of the National Republican
Committee. Extracts from 1t are
given below
WHY THE STATE WAS so STRONGLY
DEMOCRATIC.
Letters received at the Republican
headquarters confirm the statements
already made that there was most
outrageous fraud practised at the re-
cent election in Alabama. Ex-Gov.
William II. Smith. of that State, re-
Gently appointed United States Dis
trict-Attorncv for Alabama, has
written the following letter to Mar
shall Sewcll. Chairman of the Ma
tional Committee
The Republicans in this state put
forth no candidates for any of the
State offices, agreeing to vote for the
Grcenback candidates for State otfi-
GERS. and Greenback and lndcpend-
ent for county officers. The reason
for this was that the leaders Of that
party pledged themselves that if
thev succeeded hcnceforth there
should bc in Alabama a free ballot
and a fair count BY thus voting
the Republicans expected 10 secure
a fair count of their votes for Gar
field and Arthur in November next.
The Democrats knew of this inten-
ton of the Republicans to vote the
Grecnback and Independent tickets,
and it alarmed them very much.
knowing. a. they did. that these
clements constituted a large maiori-
tv of the voters Of the State.
BY the laws of Alabama, the
Probate Judge. Sheriff and Clerk of
the Circuit Court. orany two Of them,
must. at least thirty DAYS before the
holding Of any election in their coun-
ty, appoint three inspectors of cleo
ton for each place OF voting, two Of
whom shall be members of opposing
political parties, if practicable In
most of the counties OF the state the
Judge OF Probate, Sheriff and Clerk
are Democrats, or at least two oi
them are: consequently, it was in
their power to carry cut the law in
good faith or to make use Of their
power for fraudulent partisan pur-
poses.
They did the latter in every coun-
~ where they had the power, by Sc
lecting such men for inspectors aS
would do the dirty work necessary
TO overcome the known majority Of
Grccnhackcrs Independents, and
Republicans. IN this (AIontgomcry)
county. where the Republican ma
iority. independent of the Greenback
and Independent vote, Is at least
300. the Sheriff and Clerk Of the
Circuit Court being Democrats and
the clerk being a candidate for re
election and the Sheriff candidate
ior Tax Collector. selected the IN
spcctors. utterly disregardine any
suggestions of the Judge of Probate,
who j. a Republican and also a can
didatc for reelection
For each voting place the Clerk
and Sheriff selected the Democratic
and Republican inspectors, taking
care in every material case to select
a. colorcd man as Republican inspcc-
tor. and refusing to accept rs Repub-
Hcan inspectors well-lnown, high
minded. honest white Republicans
suggested by the Probate Judge.
The Democrats selected for inspect
ors were in almost every case men of
VIGOROUSLY doubtful character for
political honesty. and the colored
men. with few exceptions. could
neither read nor write. Thus the
preparation was made beforehand
for the count of the ballots
1t is claimed by the Republicans
that the colored men have never vo-
ted so solidly since 1865 as at the re-
cent election; that more white men
voted against the Democrats than
ever before. and far more white men
refused to vote than usual Not
withstanding. the Democrats claim
10 have carried the election in this
county by about 200 majority, and
the vote has actually been counted
that way. ! viii illustrate by giving
YOU what believe to be the facts in
relation to counting the votes in Pre-
cinct No. 9 in this county, known as
McGee's Switch:
At thisvoting place the Sheriff and
the Clerk, by mistake Il suppose,
selected a colored man who can read
and write, and who had the nerve to
contend for a fair count. This so
frustrated the plans for counting that
box that the Democrats had To re-
sort to the means described in this
affidavit to collect the ballots The
final count Of this voting place gives
to the Democrats $40 votes and to
the Republicans Is, as printed in
The Montgomery Adgcriiar of the Sth
inst \ colored man by the name
of II. A. Draper, as each colorcd man
passed him. was informed how he
intended TO vote. until he had taken
down a list of l32 names. Aitcrt that
he tailed each voter until his list
reached 400
The frauds in every voting place
IN this county are Just as palpable as
in this one. and can be easily proved.
The Democrats claim that large
numbers of colored men voted the
Democraticticket. The Republicans
deny 1t. suppose YOU publish an
open letter reciting the frauds as
herein mentioned. stating that the
Democrats deny this truth. and in
order to settle the question whether
the Democrats have committed these
frauds, or whether the Republicans
have he'd. you propose to the chair
man of the Democratic National
Committee to send an equal number
of Trustworthy Republicans and
Democrats 10 investigate the mat
ter.
The Republicans can and will get
IN this county the afiidavits of at
least 6,000 men who will testify that
thcy voted against the Democrats at
the late election. If the Democrats
accept your proposition. we viii
prove the frauds by exhibiting 5000
men who voted rs we say they did.
If the Democrats decline Your prop