The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-10-13
ALABAMA.
SUNNY SOUTH, Aug, %, 1880.

SUNNY SOUTH, Aug, %, 1880.
ED. REPUBLICAN -
Dear Sir II wish to
place before the readers of your paper
some facts concerning the Solid South, and
"how they do it," fused to think, before
1 came South, that the reports which we
read i'm the papers were exaggerated, but
have concluded that there is more truth
than poetry about them. Ha'perS Weekly
hits the nail square on the head every time.
This county has always gone about $500
Republican to 200 Democratic; this and
one other county have been the only two
in the State that have been able heretofore
to get fair elections. This fall the Demo-
Gratis began early to hold public meetings
and "Barbecues" and to organize clubs,
and endeavored by every means in their
power to get the blacks to join them, which
they with very few exceptions refused to
do but the Democrats still claimed that
they would carry the county, and they did
carry it. will tell you how they did it :
In some precincts where the Republican
leaders anticipated fraud they told the
blacks not to go to the place of voting at
all, and they did notgo, but the inspectors
took the Registeration list and voted the
whole list Democratic themselves. An
other precinct turned up larger Demo
cratic majority than the census of 1886
shows it to have Of inhabitants over u
years of age, including male and female,
At another precinct at the opening of the
polls three men rode up and informed the
inspectors that they were going to hold
that election themselves; two of the reg
ular inspectors backed of, but the other
one told them that he had the Sherif7s
notice in his pocket appointing him in
spector at that place, and that he intended
to act so they compromised with hin
and all went we'll until noon, when the
two self-appointed Inspectors took th'
ballot box and went to another place anC
proceeded to run the thing to suit them
selves. That precinct went Democratic
solid. There is here at the county seat
military company which, shortly befor
the election, was furnished with arms b!
the State. myself saw fifteen or twent,
Of these fellows with their arms, cartridg
box and bayonet in their belts gallop OF
to precinct some fifteen miles distant
upon hearing a mere rumor that ther
was trouble there; they had no order
from the Sheriff or any one else. Ths
precinct went solid. This county wen
Democratic by larger majority than the
have votes. The blacks were much OK
cited, and but for the eXertions o. thei
| n, srrl,f hnx 1Nna
trouble. On the day that the returns wei
counted there was large crowd in tow
of all classes, and by taking notice or
could plainly distinguish the shape of th
pistol or knife, or both, under their coat
in some instances the weapon itself coul
be seen-and as they began to go home
saw several bring from their hiding pla'
; their Double Barrel Shot Guns. Now III
derstand that this was not done by Il
irresponsible classes, but by the so-callt
Chivalry of the South; church membe
and deacons of the church. A darkey,
talking the election over with friel
5 said: Use mighty big notion to wri
. dat ar up and send it Norf to de papers
and after moments reflection he adde
: "but 1 would not put my name to it, ka
j knows what would be DONE"
!. One word to my old friends in Fore
County, with whom have spent so MAJ
pleasant winters up the creek: Dol
u waste your votes; L can see other al
u more important issues since came Sou
;. III were there this fall knowing what l NJ
knoO to be the truth, I should vote Strai.
Republican but here such vote W
10 only swell the Democratic majority; !
e vote, as well as thousands of others, W
n be lost, or worse, counted out, and y
must endeavor to make up for them
North. j
- GENERAL WHITES CHALLENG