The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-11-08
SOUTHERN SYSTEM.
THE WAY THEY MANAGE ELECTIONS
IN THE SOUTH.
THE sHoE.srRrxs DISTRICT.
An Overwhelmingly Republican Distriet
Submerged.

| Submerged.
vIcKBuKG, Miss, November o.-Your
correspondent voted last Tuesday the Re-
publican Presidential and Congressional
tickets; but when the Republican votes
came to be counted they were, under the
written opinion OF Martin Marshall, chair.
man Of the Congressional Executive com.
mittee, and law partner Of General Chal-
mers, the present Congressional incum-
bent and candidate for re election, thrown
out by the Commissioners OF Election.
Under the election laws OF this State all
| tickets are to be oil certain color and size,
aud they are to have the names simply OF
the candidates on them, without any marx
or device whatever. II these require.
ments are violated the law provides that
they shall not be counted. SoW mark the
result: The "Shoe string" DislTic. Is made
up OF eleven counties in the State, fronting
on the Mississippi river. With peAcea-
BILE election and an honest count the Re-
publican majority is not less than 1900,
but for the last four years Chalmers, by
methods OF bull.do2ing and bAllot.box
stuftipg, has overcome this majority, and
had himself twice seated us Congress
man. In tho election Just passed
be utterly failed to arouse any en-
thusiAsm in his district outside OF four
coupties. In Warren, the largest county
in the State, the same including the city
Of Vicksburg, John K, Lynch, the Repub-
lican nominee, beat him over ], 200 votes,
but, not strange to say, over 1000 Of his
votes were thrown out, and the county
given to Chalmers by an immense major
ity. The reason under the law for throw
ing out these 1900 votes was because the
tickets used by the Republicans in voting
had on them printers horizontal mark,
or dash about OnehAlt inch long,
betEeen the pames OF the different
candidates. This, now, WAS the
only mark or device on the Re-
publican tickets, and when it was known
that Lynch had carried the county by a
large majority, the law partner OF Chal-
mers went before the Judges OF election,
and filed protest in writing against the
counting OF any ticket which had upon it
this dash. General ". +. Fitzgerald, r.
F. Beck, and one or two other prominent
Republicans, hearing OF this, went in per.
son to the Judges, and insisted on these
votes being counted. 10 the homer and
credit OF the Judges they were counted,
and the vote as cast was returned by them
TO the Commissioners OF Election, who, to
the shame Of all that is free, fair and Just
in the ballot, threw ont the Republican
votes almost entirely. The Board oil Com
missioners is composed OF two hites Dem
ocrats), and one Republican (colored),
and their action merits the condemnation
ef all honest men.
1t is generally supposed and believed
that the Republican Commissioner was
either bought or bulldozed by the Demo.
Gratis. In the countiea of Adams, ClAi.
borne and Wilkinson, the Republicans
were not permitted to hold meetings.
Lynch was repeatedly warned sgainst
speaking at this or that place, and on the
Wednesday two weeks be fore the election,
a Republican meeting was bull.dozed and
broken up at NatcttI, Miss The truth,
and the whole truth IL that Lynch has
beaten Chalmers by al least Il, 900 votes,
but the subteriuges of the Democrats will
make Chalmers majority at least q. 600,
Thus it is that free ballot and an honest
count and = peacsable election are had in
the ''Shoe-striDy" District. The whole
thing is dreary farce. But will the next
House OF Congress- seat Mr.. ChalmesD
We ahall wait aud see. K. B.