Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-11-18
Election Abuses,

provides that where any flag or other de-
vice is printed upon the ballot, 1t shall
be q sufficient cause for invalidating the
bsllCt, and having it thrown out by the
csnvsssing board. This law, though es-
sentlally adopted by several other States,
seems TO be foolishly technical, and il It's
coustitutionality would stand the test OF
the courts, its propriety certainly would
not pass the ordeal of common sense. But
II Is the law in Mississippi, and the recent
election has shown what an unfair and
illegitimste use could be made of it in
defeating the choice Of the electors. In
the 9th congressional district, Confederate
General CHALMERS was the Democratic
candidate against Mr. LYNCH. RsDubli.
can, but the district was known to be
largely Republican. The election
took place, aud, as was expected,
Mr.. LYNCH had larg, msjority
Of The votes-at lesst over Thousand in
the district; but II occurred that in print
ing a portion OF the Republican tickets,
the printers had put in printers dashes
between some OF the lines or the tickets.
The very wise and candid csnvasscrs in.
terpreted the law az including the dash.
lines in the senae OF devices, and proceed.
ed for this cause to throw out some two
thousand votes which had Mr.. LYNCH's
name upon teen, and declared mtJ orlty
Tor CHALMERS OF about 700. As it now
seGG4s quite certain that the next House
Of Representatives will have 2 clear Re.
publican majority, these gentleman can
vsssgrs might have saved their oNn repu.
totiCn and that Of their party, 10 some
extent, if they had not resorled 10 this
pltilul subteriuge To count their man IN.
1t now seems very probable that the Re
pubIicAns will have q good working ma
jority in the House, and Mr.. LYNCH viii
apply 10 that body foI an IN.
Yestigaion OF this mstter. OF course this
mlstr able dodge Of CHALMERS to obtain
a seat under purely technical pretences
viii be promptly ovtrruled, and Mr.
LY.CH will be awarded his righttul seat.
But the matter will not rest with one
member. II will be good occasion, on
the assembling of the members OF the
new Congress, to right a good many Of
the m0nstrous wrongs viii, h have been
by their immediate predeces
sors, and TO establish rule under which
the people OF the Southern States as well
as Northern shall have some voice in the
ChOC sing OF Their rel lsentatives. There
Is no daub. but that in a good many other
Cor OCCASIONAL districts IN the Southern
states members will be declared elected
who will have no better title to their seats
than CHALMERS will have. 1t seems that
bull-dozing and intimidation have by no
means gone out OF fashion, and that same
machinery which was put In opera
ton in 1876 has been kept running
10 To the late election. 1t is time
now to throw it out of gear, and to re-
and reinstate the Legitimate
right CT franchise. Election results have
too long been subject to the srbitrsment
Of the shotgun policy and the rifle, club,
red shirt rule. Tissue ballots must no
longer be held to determine elections,
nor must bal,ot box stealing, ballot box
tutliug or bslot-box changing be longer
sanctioned or tolerated. The free, un-
trammeled vote Cf every legal voter must
be received and counted; the fraudulent
vote of every repeater or illegal voter
must be rejected, aud the offender VINO
offers it must BE- severely punished. The
Southern States must come back to con-
st,tudonsl principles. They must no
LONGER be allowed to disfranchlse taose
10 whose hands the ballot has been placed
nv the constitution sud laws of the Ma
ton, They must no longer tralnple these
organic and statutory laws under their
feet by fraudulent and unlawful methods
They must adopt AMI ACT upon, in It's let
ter aud in its spirit, the motto OF the late
Democratic STANDARD bearer-a full vote
= free ballot and fair count. When
these things shall be enforced, our govern
meat Will again be restored, in spirit and
essence, 10 It's true representative form.
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In seems That because \ wldoSer mar
I'D he u-itsia yraul .lauuhtrr the Dem,