Morning journal and courier., 1880-08-24
THEY HAVE THE COUNT.

 "We have the count" exultingly exc1ai4n l southern Democrats, and having the count they look calmly upon the rage of those who suffer by it, and sheer at the twain things imagined by those who would have political missionary work done in the South. That the confidence of the southernD Democrat ic counters in themselves is not misplaced has been strikingly illustrated in two recent cleo tions, that in Alabama and that in Shelby county, Tennessee The Republican State committee of Alabama have shown, by direct and overwhelming evidence, that the elec- tion there was disgrace to the whole system of popular government and that the great Democratic majority reported is a shameless swindle The committee are justified in de- claring that the purpose of the Democratic party in Alabama is to ignore, disregard and nullify the late constitutional amendments by disfranchising the entire colored population of the State"
 The same process that gave in Alabama a Democratic majority of 75,00o was used in Shelby county, Tennessee. The city of Mem phis is in this county. In an address by the Republican county committee are to be found these facts:
 The First ward of Memphis contains by the census just taken, 1,OS6 male persons over twenty-one years of age-5S7 white, 499 colored. The election returns give 1,16S Democratic, 167 Republican and B Green back voters total 1, 4Os votes. or 322 more than the entire voting population.
 The Second ward census shows 656 male persons of voting age; white 5O7, colored 149. The vote returned was 554 Democratic, 79 Republican, 47 Greenback total 68O. The poll book shows the names of 363 persons who are not on the census roll.
 In the Third ward the census gives the aggregate voting strength at 94O inoluding .817 white and 133 colored. The vote return ed vas: Democratic, ,015 Republican, 53; Greenback, 37.
 The Ninth ward has, by the census, 643 males above twenty-one years of age-331 white and 312 colored. The vote of the ward was: Democratic, 40; Republican, 2O9 i; Greenback, 93 total, 442. Now, the signif- icant fact is that in the Ninth ward there WAS one Republican judge, while in the other three the polls were wholly controlled by Democrats
 A feeble attempt to explain the size of the Democratic vote is made by saying that many colored men voted the Democratic ticket This can be admitted, and still the fact will remain that the Democratic vote returned exceeds the number of the whole voting pop ulation.
 The elections in Alabama and in Shelby county are specimens of the practice of a party which is preaching the maintenance at any cost of the right tosa free ballot, which of course includes an honest count General Hancock, who declared in his letter of ac- ceptance that Git is only by full vote, free ballot and fair count that the people can rule in fact" has not yet said anything in condemnation of these frauds, nor has any of the men or newspapers which support him. If General Hancock is elected it will be by those who 'ehave the count' and will use it as they have in Alabama and Shelby county. Let our readers ask themselves if they can conscientiously give them aid and comfort in their wicked and audacious assault upon the true foundations of popular gov ernment