Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-09-01
HOW ALABAMA WAS CARRIED.


nature and extent OF the frauds prac-
tieed by the Democrats at the recent cleo
tion in that State. 1t is a document cal
culated to carry conviction to the most
preiudiced minds, for it is in the main
recitation of specific and thoroughly at
tested instances of the most open and
elaring fraud. The Democrats had pre-
pared the way for the methods they had
determined on using by repeating every
provision in the election laws which. could
have prevented fraud, or furnished the
basis for contest after election. Before
they gained control of the State an excel
lent election law had been framed by the
Republicans 1t provided that every bal
lot should be marked, previous to deposit
ton in the ballot box, with the number
opposite the voters name on the register.
This afforded simple but sufficient means
of tracing the ballots, and so long as it
was in force there was no possibility of
throwing out votes without detection. The
|
ballots, and prohibited the placing OF any
marks whatever upon them. In appointing
the Inspectors of Elections they either re-
fused to give the Republicans any repre-
sentation, or chose idiots, blind men, or
persons otherwise incompetent, to repre-
sent them. Having thus prepared for the
work in hand they were ready to let the
Republicans do as much voting as they
pleased, and as will be seen in the sequel
the shotgun policy was rendered unneces-
sary save in one or two instances. The
Republicans on their part took such pre-
cautions as enabled them afterwards to
demonstrate the extent of the frauds that
had been perpetrated, though of course
redress was out of the question. We
will now take few specific Illus
trations of the Democratic tactics,
beginning with the case of Nc
Gehee's Switch, in Montgomery county.
At this precinct the Republicans polled 672
votes by actual count, the voters all receiv-
ing their tickets from one man, giving him
their names, and then going straight to
the polls and depositing the ballots under
his eye. When the polls closed at
o'clock, the Republican inspector, a colored
man, demanded that the votes should be
counted Immediately, as the law directed.
The Democratic inspectors, however, con-
/ L / - 1alo
until 6 o'clock, when military company
from Montgomery was marched on the
| ground. The truth was that the Demo
Gratis, knowing that the villainy they in
tended could not be given a plausible ap-
pearance, and fearing the just anger of the
voters they were about to disfranchise,
had sent for these troops under the pre-
text that there was danger of a
riot, though the fact was that the
election had been perfectly quiet.
What followed may be given in the words
of the committee CATER counting ll6
q Republican and 50 Democratic votes, the
candle was accidentally extinguished, the
reappeared, the candle was relighted,
g the box discovered to be full of tickets,
whereas it had before been only partially
g full by reason of the diminution caused
'by those already counted, and large
& numbers of Republican ballots were
% scattered all over the room, where be-
90 fore there had been none" The colored
inspector ventured protest, whereupon
the others turned on him fercely, and
finally drove him out OF the room. Then
they finished the count, and gave the Re-
publicans l52 votes and the Democrats $40.
At Kendalrs beat, in Montgomery
county, jl4 Republican and 65 Democratic
votes were actually polled. Here the Re-
publican inspector was an old purblind
colored man, and the Democrats, relying
on his blindness, openly substituted DEM
ocratic Tor Republican votes. He, how
ever, saw more than they had expected,
and az he was firm and could not be
bullied, they generously allowed the Re
publicans majority of 4G votes, in place
of the 475 they had really polled. This
did not help the Republicans, however, for
the Supervisors afterwards threw out the
vote because more votes were returned
than appeared on the poll lists. At
Robrsons Cross Reads, Montgomery
county, 80 Republican votes were cast,
and the Democratic vote did not amount
to 80. During the day fight occurred be-
tween two colored men near the polls, but
no other disturbance. When the polls
were closed, however, and the Republican
inspector proposed to begin the count, he
was informed that the fight referred to had
invalidated the election, and they coolly
walked off with the ballot box, concerning
which nothing further has been heard.
/ At Porter's Bend the vote was 400 Republi-
cans to 80 Democrats. Here there was
no ground whatever for any pre-
| tense of disturbance, but here also
the inspectors simply refused to make any
count At Old Elan 446 Republican votes
to l6 Democratic were polled. When 200
Republican and ) Democratic votes had
been counted, the candle conveniently
went out. The Republican inspector was
an ignorant and stupid negro, and on the
pretense that no other light could be had
he yielded to the proposition that all the
votes should be bundled together and sent
in as the returns, thereby vltiating
the whole proceedings. In the city
of Montgomery the frauds were notorious
and unconcealed, the Republicans having
made the mistake OF supposing that pre-
cautions would only be needed in the
country precincts. Space fails us to emu
merate a 1.-THE of the frauds recited by the
committee, butthey are distributed through
out the State, and it is evident that they
were had recourse to everywhere. The COM
mittee assert, and with good reason, that
100000 voters were DISTINGUISHED at the
late election, and that on fair vote
Alabama would give Republican majority
% on n00 Tbaea an tho ,oatboJs h, ~, u; II,