New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-01
THE DELAWARE PLOT.
THE DIsFRANCHIsED REPUBLICANS.


THE ASSESSMENT ROII-woRKINGs OF LAWS 81
| EXECUTED AS TO DI PRIvR POOR REPUBLICAN,
| OF THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP.
On Tuesday and Wednesday the surprised
Republicans of Delaware were making efforts
to get the names of disfranchised Republicans
restored to the assessment rolls from which
they had been omitted by Democratic officers
ColOrcd citizens have been the principal
sufferers from the strange restrictive laws and
q partisan execution of them. This struggle
for the right of voting has direct bearing on
the result Of the Presidential fight in Delaware
next Fall, and also upon the Senatorial pros
poets of Senator Bayard, who is confronted by
the influence of the Salisbury family.
DELAWARE'S TURN AT FRAUD.
BARE FACED OUTRAGE on HoNrsr REpuBLIcAN n
CITIZENs-HOw POLL AND DoG-TAXEs ENTER
NTO THE QUESTION OF RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE-
The REPUBLICANS THREATEN An INJUNCTION
RIVALRY OF TWO DEMOCRATIC sENAToRs-BAY-
ARD AGAINST THE SALISBURY FAMILY.
IFRoMA STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBUNE.l
NEWCASTLE, Del. March 3d." We are holding our
Presidential election here" said Wilmington law
yer to me this morning as VIC stood at the brick
terrace in front of the quaint, old, whitewashed
court house, in the midst of crowd of negroes who
had come to demand of the Levy Court their rights
citizens. "Thc contest will be virtually settled
tomorrow, so far our county is concerned. for
the who do not get upon the Assessors rolls by
the time this Court adjourns Wednesday afternoon
will not be able to vote next November"
described in n former letter the Democratic
scheme for DISTINGUISHING large numbers of Repub-
lican voters by emitting their names from the AS
sessOrs' rolls. The effort of the Republicans to get
these restored before the first of April and Of
the Democrats to keep as many of them of as pOss-
ble is more interesting phase of the Presidential
contest i'll Delaware than any likely to be dcvcl
Oped after the regular campaign begins. To wit
ness the process of relabitating citizens who have
been arbitrarily dsfranchised by the Democratic
assessors came this morning to this prm, ancient,
sleepy little town.
"Why did the assessor leave your name Off" l
asked of respectabc-loolling colorcd man in the
crowd hanging about the courthouse door,
Reckon it was because I'm Republican,"
"Maybe he didn't know you were Il voter"
He know'd me well as he know'd his own
father. done live In st. Georgcs Hundred desc ten
years. Ny house is within sight of hs'n."
An old negro with his head tied up in n scarlet
handkerchief said lie had lived twenty-cight years
in his Hundred township but the assessor refused
to put his name on the list He declared that more
than two hundred coIorcd men had been left off in
st. Georges. When the court door opened
the crowd of fdsfranchised black voters concentrated
into dense mass and began to pour through the
narrow entrance with deal of pushing aud squecz-
ing. o." Walk in. boys" said white man, who had |
prdcntly kept ont of the dark torrent Of humanity
Walk straight in You've good right there as |
anybody"
ave know we have" rcplico stalwart negro as |
nc shoudcrcd his way along and wc's just gwine
H."
In the cOuTt-roOm were the ten members of the |
evy Court, Il body answering in most respects to |
,ur Boards of Supervisors in NewYork, n dozen |
twenty thirty white spectators, and |
wo three hundred negroes. Every applicant for |
restoration 10 the voting list WAS required to present
himself With the affidavit of frecholdcr and tho
nan bonding for him was also required TO be
PRESENT.
The formula follows: The anldavits were
andcd in aftcr another to the members OF the
ourt. A member would move that John Jones be
laced upon the roll of such or such II Hundred |
hen the clerk would look over the delinquent book
Of that Hundred. and report whether the appli-
ants name upon il. II not the chairman rOse |
nd asked If John Jones were present. When |
ones responded. he was asked how long he had
we'd in the Hundred. Tho reply being satisfactory,
ic chairman said to his colleagues Are you ready
IT the question, and then put it to vote with all
irlnmcntary solcnnty whether John Joncss
lmc shoud 20 upon the roll
1t takes good deal of time to go through this per-
rlnancc and ~ the COnrt only sits from half past
n till four, with recess for dinner, it will he i'm
,ssbe for it to dispose of all tho before to-
OrrOw night The Republican leaders estimate
at they will have nearly 300 voters in this county
ut ont who arc entitled 10 go upon tho rolls.
Icy intend to bring as many Of these men ns they
"A Court |
their eases upon the table before the COmnlis- ,
,ncrs. and demand that their names he enrolled,
claring nj the time that il the Court refuses
plea of want of time to take them up separately II
cy will have the members indicted in the United n
ntrs Court under the Federal Election Laws | +,
lis was pursued i'll Kent County. and the L
wv Court Commissioners yielded after consulting q
til Senator salisbury, who camo Oh from wash n
Yearly all tho men have questioned during =,
e two hours | sat in the court-ruOm this morn NJ
E. were old residents Of their respective localities
e said he had lived thirteen years in bis lIml- :.
I'd, another cjghtr,it, another twrnty-cgllt and p
,pral declared that they had never lived ANY, ~
lcrc else There cond br question after hear h,
their statements that they have been purpoScly 81
Z OFF the Assessors rolls to prevent them from NJ
ting next Fall. al
)ne of the cases that caluo mp this forenoon ca
owed tho working of device for DISTINGUISHING "
,crs which was not described i'll my letter of NJ
,trrday; important part of the general scheme sn
opted in 1873 to reduce the Republican vote A
lite mechanic from Wilmington applied to be put
1n the roll. The delinquent tax book showed |
It he was returned March p. 1870 as drlin-
'nt for II poll tax assessed III 1873 The law pro- -
les that unless dclinqurntS nro returned at least Ill
days before the adjournment OF the Levy Court al
April l. their caacs cnnnot be taken up until CO
II the expiration Ol year from mat uatc, and TO-
y are thus disfrnnchlsed not only during that on
but for nearly the whole of the next year until tiN
Court meets again Ia February. Some of tho nn'
nocratic are in the habit of making re- De
ms of Republican deIinqilents nftrr the five days
il has expired so ms to keep them OFT the voting
s long as possible but delinqnents of their
D party arc looked after and advised in season.
, Wilmington mechanic found that because he of
not paid tax OF 80 cents in 1878 he was de- IN,
icd Of the privilege Of voting for President in nu
ID. r.
have Soon good many intriguing prOvisOs in n
~ ~ ~ ~ a .i;,.,,a'. ~, .,,t 80 epudiS mol
for mind you the voter has no remedy He