Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-27
4aiIg Aennfbtf Journal.
Augusta, Saturday Morning, Nov. 81.
Wrongs to be Righted.

edly perpetrated in the fraudulent
return of minority members from
southern congressional districts. The
means by which the frauds have
been consummated have been some
what modified OF late. and dishonest count
ing has taken the place Of ''bull-dozing"
as1d midnight riding. But the perversion
of the popular will has been even more
reckless and high handed, and the cleo
tons recently held afford instances as
fragrant as any that have occurred.
The shameless Garcelonizing by which
four democratic congressional candidates
have been returned as elected in Alabama.
the counting out of John K. Lynch the
colored Congressman, from the .'shoe-
string'' district of Mississippi, and the
methods that have been pursued in South
Carolina, are facts familiar to all of our
readers. In many of the Southern States
the. polling places are under the exclusive
control Of democratic managers. The
ballot boxes are allowed to be stuffed with
number of votes thrown il enormously in
excess Of the names on the registry list.
When the counting is made. this excess is
ascertained, and a sufficient number OF re-
publican votes are Withdrawn from the
boxes to make the two totals correspond.
At the recent election in the Charleston
s. c., district, by this process a majority
of 4O5 in that city for O'Connor. the dem
ocratic candidate, was raised to 5,l77-
enough, of course, to swamp all the re-
publican majorities the interior towns
could roll up. BY these scandalous
means not only Mackey, of the Charles
ten district, but probably two other rerub-
Leans have been counted out. The first
returns indicated the election of at least
two republican Congressman from Arkan-
sas, and the reports, even from democrat
ic sources, made the result very doubtful.
and significant majorities for the demo-
cratic candidates. In Florida, where two
democratic Congressman are returned.
evidence of fraud is coming to light suffi
cient to vitiate the whole election.
The republicans of the South were pow
erless to prevent these outrages, for the
whole election machinery, the State gov
ernments and the courts are in the hands
of men who sympathize with and stand
ready to shelter and defend the perpetra-
tors of this shameless work. Even the
Federal courts are to great extent pow
erless. for since the repeal of the jury laws
which excluded disloyalists from the
panel, it has been almost impossible to Sc
cure jury which would, even on the
clearest evidence. convict a man indicted
under the election laws. There is. how
ever. a means of redress in the hands of
the republicans which they must use with
out fear or favor. They will control the
organization of the next House. and re-
publican Speaker will have the appoint
ment of the committees The Committee
on Elections mast be made up with Il view
TO the rigorous work it will have to per-
form. The closcness of the House will
compel large representation OF demo-
Gratis on all the committees. but this
committee should not be left with a
narrow majority. Above all espec-
ial care should he exercised in the
make mp of this committee. 1t should
contain no nominal republicans of the
Prof Seelye stripe-men whose tender
scruples and milk -and-water convictions
keep them continually on the lookout for
an opportunity to vote on the democratic
side. The power of Congress in deter
mining the qualification of its own men,
hers is absolute and supreme. 1t is fully
authorized to go behind the returns and
investigate the election from the begin
ming. 1t may GO back to the ballots them
selves il it wishes. and they can he OBJ
tanned. 1t may even ignore the actual
state Of the polls, and take into considera-
ton bribery, or any other improper influ-
ences which may have affected the ballot
ing. For this purpose it may summon
witnesses and confront dishonest election
officers with the proofs of their guilt.
The republicans of the country will cx-
pect their representatives 20 employ all
these means with an unsparing hand
There should be no squeamshness in deal
ing with enormities of this character. The
only way to teach Southern ierrorizers and
ballot-box suffers that their day is over is
to follow them up with unrclenting sever
ity. and undo their vile work whenever it
can be detected. 1t is high time they
learned that there is n God in Israel. and
that means are provided to circumvent vii
lainv, even when the villains cannot be
reached. This is the duty which is now
cast upon republican Congress. and to
which it must without hesitation address
itself
Wouldn't Stand the Truth.
A certain fusion sachem living in Mt. Yer
non, became the victim of misplaced conf