New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-20

r,aa>u,e IN the State Senate and House OF Represen
tatives nj the time of its passage would be interest
ing reading for the Northern people Some timiu
souls there were who suggested that the law pro-
vided for election by the inspectors ana no, os
the people. but they were OVERCOME by the auVo
Gates OF the measure. who detained about inc
sacred secrecy" of the ballot and the outrage OF
dragging innocent men away from their homes OH
the testimony of ignorant and corrupt negroes that
they had voted contrary the ballots IN the boxes
purportinc 10 be theirs. Such "A travcstY OF Ia"
and If G aycrnmeut of the people never was DE-
fore presented
The foregoing constitute the chief alterations
made IN the election law by the Democratic party
since IT acquired power in this STATE, although there
are innumcrahle minor changes, necessary to the
smooth and easy working of their scheme OF fraud,
which point 10 their determination TO disfranchise
the black man as plainly those which have here
toforo been indicated.
YXAMPLEs OF DAMNING FRAUD.
A few instances not intended as an enGmeratlo
but as simplc examples OF that which occurred all
over the state at the election of the second OF tho
present month. will show that the spirit winch
actuaIed the Legislature and the Governor IN the
passa of these uquious election laws alive and
active IN all classes of the Democratic party and
that there is no division in that party upon the
proposition that the negro shall not he permitted to
have voice in the government Of the country
where lie lives although brief cXamnat on OF the
late Democratic caucus returns will show that he is
largely used to swell the basis of representation.
Ii should be promised that a majority OF the Re
publican county officers who have been elected at
previous elections have been forced from their posi-
tions by a law which required them TO find bonds
men within the limits of their own county law
which was designed for no other purpose than that
which 1t accomplished. No good reason can he
given why officers should not be permitted to make
their bonds. in whole in part, anywhere within
the limits of the State. except that bv continuing
them To rs small All area as possible such OF them
as were Republicans would, in some localities, be
subiectcd 10 the mercy of class of property holders
who are hostile to them and mmcsl to their reten-
ton in office 1t happened that in all tine large Re-
publican counties during aud preceding the present.
election a majority of the board of officers charged
by Law with the duty of appointing election man
agers were Internationally the only officers
remaining to the Republicans being the Probate
Judges who, by reason of their tenure Of office be-
ing longer than the other officers. and perhaps
b. ause of their judicial character. have been able
10 resist Democratic efforts of displacement more
successfully than the others. Ii Is singular fact,
upon any other hypothesis than that of an under
stood determination TO disregard the rights of Re
publican voters, that in all cases the voice Of the
AepuDiltdn ihliloIilN vi tAOSt O""'NS "'9 '-''N"'
and although the law-by some mishap-provided
that the election managers should be taken from
both political parties the persons who were recon-
mended by the Republicans were with some imma-
terial exceptions ignored and passed by and men
for whose appointment they had not askeG-and
who, if favorable 10 them. were utterly incom-
petent-were appointed TO guard their interests.
Such was the case in Montgomery, Autauga,
Lowndes Wilcox Madison and all other counties
similarly situated. In LOwndes the Democratic
Sherih and ClerK met without notifying the Rcpub-
hcan Probate Judge. and made appointments TO
suit themselves. After they had completed their
work they notified the Probate Judge that lie
could agree TO it OF not he pleased. but that 1t
should stand the action of the Board. This
shameless and disgrscefu action Of the county
officers foreshadowed very plainly what was 10 fol-
low election day.
AT MGHHEE's SWITCH.
At McGehee's Switch. in Montgomery County. the
Republicans polled 672 votes by actual count, the
Republican voters receiving their tickets from one
man. giving HIM their names and going straight
from HIM the polling place. holding their ticket
in view 10 enable him to that they deposited the
,ame ticket they had received These precautions
were adopted in order that the number of RepublI-
can votes polled there that day might be fixed
and asccrtalned beyond all doubt. because at the
election in that precinct for member of Congress
two years before their votes had been returned as
cast for the Democratic candidate. 1t is instructive
to interject here, parentheticany, that b. l.. Nc
Gehee. one of the Democratic inspectors at the
former election. and who is ut present under indict
ment in the United States Circuit Court for "suf
fng" the ballot-box that occasion. of the
persons chosen a guardian of the peoples ballots
at this box at this election
After the election had progressed, without one
.t.n IN, its IT 6pa fha
Republican inspector colored man. demanded that
the votes should be Immediately counted. as the
law directed, but could not persuade the other in
spectors TO join him In the count, first
and then another being offered for the delay. About
o'clock military company from Montgomery. the
"Grays" under command of Colonel Jones, COM |
manding the I'd Alabama Militia. appeared upon the
grounds supported by an armed posse of about
thirty citizens from Montgomery. Tho cause of
the delay then became apparent. The wretches
who were housed inside. contemplating the villany
they about to perpetrate became afraid of the
indignation and wrath of the large number of col
ored men who were quietly waiting the ground
to hear tho result of the election announced and
had report TO the city that they threat
ened by the colored men and that there danger
of collision The Governor of the State had there
upon issued his mandate. and mustered his bayonets
and dispatched them with all speed to the assist
ance of his threatened compatriots. The soldiers
took up their station and the count proceeded.
The details of the farce enacted here have been |
before published After counting l1o Republican |
and 90 Democratic votes the candle was accident |
ally extingushed, the balot-box disappeared from |
the table, reappeared the candle relighted the
box discovered to be full of tickets where it had |
before been only partially full by reason of the
dminuton caused by those already counted and |
large numbers of Republican ballots scattered |
oil over the room where before there had been
none. The colored Inspector. inexperienced though
he was could not mist axe the meaning Of all this,
and timid as he was inexperienced, he yet raised |
his yoic. in rrotest This was mint IN which