The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-08-20

ing the war, had been their friends by resisting
Republican oppression, that they were the only
allies through whom they could hope to retain
their present aScendency in the Southern States,
and that they could not think of lending any
countenance to party whose influence was I'M
favorable to the success Of the Democratic
party in any Of the close Northern States. We
are now engaged, they said, in life-and-death
struggle, and cannot afford to do anything
which viii risk the success which seems now
within our grasp. We want every Democratic
vote this year, and then; when our party gets
into power, we viii settle this and all other
questions which arose out OF the bad admins
tration Of affairs while the Republicans have
had control of the country. Their appeals to
the people were based wholly upon sectional is
sues, and their speeches we're as intensely
Southern as anything have ever heard on Re-
publican platforms in the North has been of an
opposite character. / told them Cnat IN ali
such attempts to array the South against the
North they would be certain to be beaten, and
that they would deserve TO be.
He added to this statement the fact
that the Southern Democrats told him
freely that their purpose was to allow
the Opposition, whether Republican or
Independent, the broadcast latitude in
public meetings, and even in voting,
but "tO so count the UOtes as to insure
a Democratic n,gjority." De La Matyr
convinced himself by personal scrutiny
of the relative strength of parties in
Alabama that !" it is impossible the
Democrats can have a majority of 50,-
900 except by false count. In fact, the
Democrats before election only claimed
10000 majority over the Republicans Mt
estimates that ignored the Greenback
vote altogether. The practice is to ap-
point two shrewd Democratic judges in
each polling place along with one igno-l
rant or pliable colored man to throw
out all opposition ballots that have even
an accidental pencil-mark to take ev-
cry advantage pending the vote, and.
when necessary, make any changes In
the count that may be required to give
the Democrats q majority. 8ls
Messrs. Weaver and DE La Matyr are
fair and competent witnesses as to the
political condition and methods Of tile
South. These gentlemen have no SYM
pathy with the Republican party per Sc.
In fact, they are more hostile to it than
they are to the Democratic party, be-
cause they know that it is mainly due
W 1SCpuDIACd1 ClAOlu tlldt tl1CI1 oCu0ulCo
have been defeated and resumption
achieved. When, therefore, they bring
North an explicit confirmation of the
intolerance, fraud and despera'i ion of
the Southern Bourbons, their state
ments must be received with entire con-
fidence. What does it mean? Why is
it that the ex-Confederates now contend
that they are engaged in ga iife-and-
death struggled" What is the ultimate
purpose that suggests all manner of
fraud and violence to achieve Demo-
cratic victory this year2 1t is no longer
a devotion to" Home Rule, I" for the ex-
Confederates enjoy that in the fullest
sense. The proposed seizure of the
General Government must have some
deep design that is concealed from the
general view if the effort to that end is
really "a hfe-and-death struggle" .f