New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-24
WoRKIYGs OF THE MISSISSIPPI PLAN.

u
gress who was defrauded of his election uuder-
takes the difficult task of gathering evidence
to make contest, do we get glimpse OF the
methods employed by the Democrats IN the re-
cent campaign to sOlidify the South. 1t takes
q great deal of labor and no small amount OF
money to prosecute contest for seat IN the
House in Northern STATE. where the contest
ant has the advantage OF strong political
organization, q vigorous local press, and de-
mani for fair play from the community at large
to sustain him. AT the South Republican
candidate, though beaten by the most glaring
and audaciOus frauds, finds the influence of the
bench the bar, the press. the pulpit, and the
large property-hoders united against him, and
ne must have considerable resources of
courage and money to carry on fight against
such tremendous odds. Probably not a tenth
mart of the crimes committed in the Southern
States against the integrity of the ballot at the
recent election will ever come to light. Hap
pily for the cause Of justice, however, there
are few men who have undertaken the task
of tearing aside some portions OF the veil
which hides the iLiquities perpetrated to sus-
tain the one-party-rule system.
One of these men is Colonel J. l.. Morphis,
Mississippi, the district which is the home of
Senator Lamar. Colonel MCrphis is native
Mississippian, planter, and an educated geu-
tleman who sat in Congress as Republican
previous to the shotgun campaign Of 1870.
Not being either a "nigger" or carpet
Dagger" there was no cause for personal hos
tihty toward him. The fact that he ran as
Republican was sufficient, however, to set at
work against him all the engineIy of intimlda-
ton and fraud which the Southern Democracy
has perfected. In his notice OF contest to Mr..
Muldyow, the Democrat returned as elected,
Colonel Morphis gives a long list Of the out
RACES on the suffrage perDetrated at the cleo
t,od. with careful details and specifications
The list covers nearly every method of sub
verting the popular will invented at the South
since the strong arm OF the Federal Govern
mept broke up the Ku-Klux organization.
Here are few specimen cases:
At Jones's Store, in LOwndes County, pre-
cnct where there is Republican majority Of
over 500, the Democratic election officers refused
to hold an election. This trick was practised in
q number of heavy Republican precincts. AT
Forests Shop, in Monroe County, the Repubii-
can Supervisor was elected from the room
where the election was held, and pistols were
drawn upon him when he attempted to return.
In OkolOna, the Democrats protested to be the
friends Of the negroes, and told them they were
right in wishing to vote ior Garfield. They
wanted to see their tickets to make sure that
tbey were really Garfield tickets, and while
looking at them managed to draw a pencil
mark across the name of the Republican can
didate for Congress. In this way Colonel
Morphis was deprived of more than hundred
votes. At Verona. in Lee County, Democrats
demanded the surrender of all the Republican
tickets When the man who had possession of
them refused to give item up, he was kEOcbed
down and cruelty beaten, the tickets were de-
stroycd, ana the Republicans were driven from
the polls. In Clay County general plan was
followed of refusing the votes OF Republicans
on various pretexts. In this way Republican
majority of 500 was converted into Demo
cratic majority of 900. The Mobile and Ohio
Railroad runs through LOwndes County, where
there is q heavy negro population. The night
before the election the Democrats mounted a
cannon on a platform car, hired an engine
and ran their train up and down the road all
night firing the cannon at short intervals to
brighten the coored people. In the morning
they hung red flags up at the polling places
and put up placards witt the inscription, I" Re-
member IS75-we mean business" In the
City of Columbus, when the negroes had assem-
b!ed at tho polls. the fire bell was rung and the
stores were simultaneously closed. This was
q harmless proceeding but it vas exceedingly
effective. At the election of 1875 the ringing
Of the bell and the closing of the stores were
the signals for the beginning OF massacre OF
the negroes. The coIored voters did not wait
TO sec whether the tragedy of five years ago
was to be repeated. They made haste to leave
the town as soon as they heard the ominous
tones OF the bell.
These are but few samples from Colonel
Morphiss long bill of particulars. The picture