New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-17
GENERAL POLITICAL NEWS,
MISSISSIPPI ELECTION METHODS.


TURNED FROM THE WITH DISTRICT.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEl
WASHINGTON. Dec. 10.-General Chalmers has
taken time by the fOrelock. He was found re-
Gently in the room of the Committee on Elections
engaged in collecting authorities to be used In his
contest with j. Il. Lynch. who claims TO have been
elected 20 the XLVIIth Congress in the With Mis-
s'sspi District by amajority of 503 over General
Chalmers who holds the Governors certificate.
General Chalmers claims that he was elected by
majority of 1878. A TRIBUNE correspondent
asked General Chalmers whether he thought
he could satisfy the House of Representatives that
he and not Mr.. Lynch had been elected.
Yes. if any regard is paid the law of Missis-
sippi," be replied. Oar law provides that # any
ballot bears any mark except the titles of the OIL
GERS to be voted for ana the names OF the candi-
dates it shall not be counted. The law Is not drec-
tory but mandatory"
How many ballots were thrown on in Warren
County because they marked and who dis-
covered the nformalityW
Twenty vote, east for me and 2.o20 votes for
Lynch were thrown out. They were first discovered
by one Of the Election Commissioners. lie brought
a sample of them to my law partner AMI asked HIM
il they were not in violation OF law. lie was told
that they were and wa, advised 10 reject them
do you think the colorcd Republican voters
could distinguish any difference between those bal
lots and the Democratic tickets because of the
printers dashes on the formerW
Certainly they could They had been instructed
beforehand. They had been made % believe that
my friends would nave tickets printed with General
Garhcld's and my own name On them. These da>hes
were put on Lynchs tickets 80 that MS fieucs who
could not read should not make a mistake and vote
ior me- The 20 ballots for NE which were thrown
Cow wei "a W.
were marked w..h dashes exactly like the Lynch
ii, kets which were thrown out
WHAT about ihe bollot-box which WAS shot
gunned ont, I'm Jefferson County, according to
newspaper rerortsG - asked tae correspondent.
well, tina. is something of a mystery t, use. he
result of the vote a that DOLL had bce1 reported by
Telegraph a. 247 foI Lynch and 9S ter me. Tie box
was star ed for tie county seat but never reached
there. # it wa, shOt-gunaed 10 was nothing bu'
a froc OF some of he boys 't might have been de-
srroytd by some Of Lyncfs own friends. 50 That he
would have chance 10 kick 40 row. NJ all events,
the votes in that hoX wero not counted think tat
under the circumstances, however they ought 10
be couuted.'
low many votes Tor lynch were thrown out in
tie whole district ::
II think abOut 5000. The remainder. beside
tlo.c have mentioned. were thrown ont because
rious other informal ties
what was the entire vote in the district p
- think 1t was about 1000" was the reply.
How do YOU account for the fac. that m" vote
Of siSsipp at the recent elect on was l. 600 ,css
than that cat eight ears ago. Has the population
of she state decreased since 1-72 .
'"No: the population has increased. ! think
cen Civ. Won re sons for the failing of ia the vote
IN thc first place, for the last iye years ar all ocal
elections IN my state, the candidates for The Leai--
laturc and for the county and minor offices have
been in the habit Of spending crea deal o. money
The consequence has been that = great many men
now refuse vote at ali ue,~ deg are paid FOR IT,
This wear not So much money was paid orr. Then
if you were TO see the returns by precincts OF the
Miss s,lppi election YOU woad find chat at a great
many OF the polling places not single Republican
vote wa, cast. Ii you made further Investigation
Won would discover that the l. publican tickets for
those precincts had been bought and destroyed by
the Democratic Committees. Why, during the last
campaign. had men approach mc al different 5lnes
and tell ue chat the Republican ii kets for certain
precincts were IN tler possession for distribution
and then of to sell ne the tickets for small co.,
sideration Of course could have nothing u do
wi n such q transaction, aud told them thai they
mus. 20 20 The Democratic Committee 20 make thtlr
bargains Thus You see another reason why ne
vote has diminished. still auoihcr reason was the
di.couTarpueut among Democrats caused by oar
uucxpected defeat ia Indiana IN October"
Ihen there was 70 intimidation or bullGozih%
IL your district 2
Nouc WA ever. Everything was done open and
al we board and | challenge any district IN The
>ou.h - show a cleaner record than the mucn-
abused VIA District OF Mississippi.
General Chalmers continued " agree entirely
with what Mr.. Conkliug sad IN one Of bis sp cchcs,
that the Intelligence ami property whicn pay m"
taxes shall draw all the drafts upon the public
Treasury OF course lie was striking at Us aud
sDeakIng OF the National Treasury. | say II IS q
good doctrine when applied to cur state. Self
nre.rrvo1lou IS The first law of Nature. l. FOR
am III favor OF using every means slort OF whence
10 preserve to the intelligent white people OF MIs-
SIS ppi supreme control Of political ahlIrs III that
Statc They are justified IN using means that W.T.
or m nev short OF open bribery can procure ID order
10 retain such control. Ii thdt !, the Ch1!m rlGm
of which have been accused, then ana by 1t and
...... ~ mn. ND of n llaL nILeIMI.-.-