Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-12-02

FoRc. THE STATE INTO DEMOCRATIC
R,NKs-THg CRIMINALS FEELING SURE
or IMMrNIrY-INsrANcgs OF BOURBON
NioLENcE-WoRK FOR THE COURTS.
JACKSONVILLE. Fla, Nov. lj.-Florida.
so far as an election is concerned, does not
to-day form an integral part of the United
States. The audacity Of the frauds enacted
in this State on election day have never
been exceled in the history of elections.
Even Alabama and South Carolina pale in
the execution of democratic fraudulent elec-
ton schemes when compared with the overt
acts of the democratic kuklux in this State
during the late so called election.
There is hardly provision of the State
statutes relating to elections that was not on
election day openly and boldly violated, and
the United States laws and the officers act
ing Hereunder we're treated with the utmost
contempt United States supervisors and
marshas were driven from the polling
places. and in some instances they were car
ricd bodil, out of the State. They were rt-
fused admission inside the polling places,
and denied the rights given them BY law.
Republican inspectors were entirely ignored.
Armed white men on horseback. with drawn
pistols. charged upon hundreds Of republ
cen colored voters and kept them from the
polls. In fact, the scenes enacted IN this
State on election day bcggar all description,
and we're of such disgraccful character
that TO mention them il almost TO have
them. for the honor OF the country, discrcdit-
ed.
The frauds most boldly executed were IN
the counties of Madison, Jefferson, Leon.
Gadsdcn, and Jack son. known as the BLACK
Bclt." though middle Florida was hy no
means exempt These counties comprise
that portion of Florida where white rrpubI-
cans cannot live, and where the Bourbon
element will murder any white man to-day
that endeayors 20 see justice done the
colurcd voter in election matters. The re-
publicans we're prepared TO encounter frauds,
hut not prepared To encounter hundreds of
armed men, intent upon murder and Flori-
da II democratic to-day. is so by conquest
and not by ballot. In the BLACK Bclt" the
colorcd men were entirely without the aid
Of white men either as Supervisors. Mar
shals. or Inspectors, and were absolutely
pow crlcss TO stem the tide Of democratic
IaWle,sncss.
To illustrate the boldncss Of those even
clothed with authority some nf the Gods
adopted and carried into effect by the dem
ocracy prior 10 election day, with the view
of DISTINGUISHING republican votes. may be
mentioned. The laws Of Florida require the
boards of county commissioners tthcn and
now entirely democratic throughout the
S,a,cl 10 meet on the first Monday Of Octo-
bcr IN each year for the purpose Of revising
the registration list, and ON the third Mon
day OF October in each wear for the purpose
Of hearing the complaints OF those thereby
aggrieycd. In the Black Belt the county
commissioners met on the first Monday Of
October and erased indlscrim,patyly the
names of hundred, of republican voters,
without color or pretcn,e Of reason OF law.
but on the third Monday they did not NEE,
to hear the complaints ot those aggrIcycd
The importance Of this will ~ gathered
from another section Of the State laws.
which requires any person whose name has
not been improperly erased from the regis
tration list hy the county commissioners To
produce a certificate signed BY the commits
sloncrs before they can again BE- placed on
the registration list. The action Of the
county comm ssioncrs in not meeting on the
third Monday in October deprived these
voters whose names had been stricken from
AAt llNAN. ~ tlif opportunity w ktA Alf tFELE-
ficate required by law, and in the absence Of
y hich the registration officers refused to reg
lstcr them. \ decision OF the Supreme
Court, (the court of last resort in this statel
rendered on the 9th day OF July last. de-
eided that in such cases the voter might
swear IN his vote.
70 counteract thi, the democrats hal a
man al the polling slAce Of each precinct to
challenge every voter, when an iuqulsitIon
vas begun by the democratic inspectors re-
gAr,iing the parentagc Of the grandfather
/ and grandmother OF the voter. In every
instxgcr where this failed they boldly drove
them from the polls. This Is shown by the
/ rrSu.t. For instance, in Jefferson county
the registration last contained Il republican
majority Of 1900 This cannot even now
be disputed. The republicans managed 10
get a little more than 500, though Wither-
spoon, colored, running for Congress, was
compelled 10 quit his bed at midnight and
leave his county. lie was hardly out of
his house when a band of masked and armed
kukluk entered and searched his house
The United States marshal was compelled
To take 10 the woods a; the same time
This is only an instance. Hundreds of
other, could be mentioned, but it il, neces-
| sary for the present to withhold names and
facts pending prosecution. 1t can be SAID.
however, that the United States courts will
find plenty to engage them for long time
The democrats have acted in this matter
under positive assurances that a democratic
president would be elected and that conyic-
tons in United States courts would be in
effectual. As il is, if there is sufficient
power i'll the government TO enforce the
process Of the courts, the brayado of these
democratic kuklux NAV yet be turned to
good use in the work shops of the peniten-
tiary. The same is true of the other coun-
ties, In every county where the registra-
ton shows a large republican majority, the
democrats took it forci5ly and detiantly. and
by these acts have demonstrated to the
world that there is no solid South unless
made so by shot-guns and pistols in the
hands of democratic kuklux.
The late rescue Of FIVE prisoners from
Deputy United States Marshal, in Madison
county, by fifty masked and armed kuklux,
aided and encouraged By democratic State
Adiutant General, is forcible reminder to
the North that if il would have US know
| that We are people governed by consti-
| tuition, the strong arm of the government
must intervene to enforce the mandates of
the courts created hereunder. The repub-
lican party in this state never better or
ganized or in better working condition than
in this election, and with any kind Of show
of fairness would have had a majority of
nearly 1900. Under this state Of facts
there can be little doubt that Congress will
seat Col. Bisbee from the first, and G. W.
Witherspoon from the second congressional
district. A vigorous contest in the state
may result in declaring the election invalid.
The republicans, smartng under real wrongs.
are determined to pursue their rights and
the wrong-doers to the end.-[N. T. Times.