The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-09-23
"SOlidifying" Alabama.

NJ =. Tribune. ga .s1.-e
"Solidifying" Alabama.
The report of the Republican State
Committee of Alabama upon the frauds
of the late election recites nothing un-
familiar, but it describes in detail the
by which "the South''-that is,
the Democratic vote-is made ''solid." !"
The report should be generally circu-
lated and read, because it treats of one
of the ways in which popular Govern
ment is overthrown by the Democratic
party, and of tho means by which Han
cocks Electoral vote is to be obtained.
The Democrats in Alabama, when they
came into power in 1874, changed the
excellent Electoral laws, so as to make
fraud easier. The changes are fully
described in the report, and their pur-
pose is obvious. One of the changes
enables inspectors to "coOk" the re-
turns without difficulty, and another
forbids distinguishing ballots by any
kind of mark or number. 1t is curious
to remark that the opposition to regis
tries and every other method of pre-
venting fraud and securing an honest
election proceeds from the Democratic
party. Naturalization frauds in New
York, repeating in Connecticut, the
Ku-Klux and bulldozing. the shotgun
and the tissue ballot, in the Southern
States, are familiar Democratic devices
for "a free vote and fair COUNT
The Alabama report mentions one in
cident to which 1.-THE Thoughtful patriot
who is much satirized, but who is
still the true American-should direct
his attention, and mediate q Presi-
Dental election carried by such means.
At one polling place in Montgomery
County the Republicans received their
tickets from one man, giving him their
names, and going directly from him,
holding the ballot in full view, and
dropping it in the box. By actual
count they ypolled. 672 votes, and at the
close of the poll one of the Republican
inspectors demanded that the vote. as
the law directs, should be counted inn
mediately. The Democratic inspectors,
one of whom was under indictment for
''stuffing" ballot-boxes, objected under
various pretexts. Presently a military
company appeared, under orders from
the Governor of the State, and ''bayo-
nets" surrounded the poll, summoned
by Democrats to protect the accom-
plishment of their intended fraud
against what they supposed would be
the indignation of the swindled voters,
under the plea that the inspectors were
threatened. The count was then
begun. After 116 Republican and SO
Democratic ballots had been counted,
the candle was blown out, and the
ballot-box vanished. When the can
die was lighted, the box was
found to be full of tickets. and the
colored Republican Inspector pro-
tested. His associates resented the
imputation upon their integrity in SO
demonstrative q way that he retreated.
Re-assured by his friends outside, the
Inspector attempted to return, but was
told that, having voluntarily abandoned
his post. he could not resume it; and
the other Inspectors completed the
count, making a return of 1872 Republi-
can and $40 Democratic votes. 1t thus
appears that while of the IT'S votes
taken from the box when the Republi-
can Inspector was present 116 were Re-
publican, of the 500 taken out when he
had left his post only 16 were Republi-
can. But if there were but 132 colored
Republicans, how could they have ter
rorized $40 colored and white Demo
Gratis so as to require an armed military
company to protect themp
This is the Democratic respect for
what the party platform calls "the
right preservative of all rights" 1t is
open, undeniable, and undenied fraud.
1t is the method by which the Demo
cratic party intends. to carry 1.-THE
South" and while it is doing so, it de-
nounces exposure of the crime as shak-
ing the bloody shirt. 1t is the most
deadly crime against popular govern
ment and National peace; but if any
Republican chooses to call atten-
ton to it instead of discussing
the currency or reform, he is accused
of fighting the war over again. 1t is
gravely asserted that if we lived in the
Southern States we should all do the
same, and that under no circumstances
should we submit TO "negro rule" "
That is merely to say that intelligent
citizens would not tolerate the govern
ment of the ignorant. 1t is untrue.
The greatest city on the continent toll
crates it. Hundreds of communities
everywhere in the country tolerate it.
Popular government always takes that
risk. But the man or the party or the
community that attempts to prevent it
by fraud or force overthrows popular
government and invites anarchy. The
white voters in Alabama and Mississip-
pi and South Carolina, when they stuff
ballot-boxes to prevent negro rule, !"
cheat New York, New England, the
Northwest, and the whole Union of its
honest and legal will. Reform of this
infamous outrage upon the central prin-
ciple of our Institutions is the most
urgent of all reforms. The systematic
destruction of the honest vote of large
districts is q peril which necessarily
takes precedence of all other issues in
popular Government. - Harper s
Weekly.
D% If frankness is to be admired,
then admiration is due the Alabama
Democrat who through the columns OF
the SomerviHe Critic advises General
Weaver that he is "correct about the
'stuffing of the ballot.boxes.' "We
did stuff them," admits this honest
John. "We stuffed them, and we mean
to do SO again in November for Han
cock" That is about cool enough to
freeze the Chicago Tribune.
D6r The Solid South is the reorgan-
lied Southern Confederacy. Slavery
has disappeared. In its place are claims
for damages done during the war, and
n demand for the expenditure of the
money of the Nation in local jobs.
We have the same old pretensions on
the part of the Southern politicians,
that thew are hy divine riOh1 the rulers