Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1881-10-27
For the Advertiser.
The Anti-StOCk Law Mass Meeting
and Its Queer Election.

EDITORS ADvERTIsER.-The pro-
ceeding Of the late Anti-Stock Law
Mass Meeting at Edgefeld G. H., es,
pecially the queer election that the
meeting ordered, is certainly strange
conduct for white men, who are good
Democrats, to engage in.
If any election in regard to fencing
stock or crops is to be binding and
become part Of the law Of the land,
then only the County Commissioners
could order it and appoint managers.
So, too, any election on the Stock
Law or on any other subject involv-
ing the welfare of the Democratic
party in Edgefeld, to be binding on
Democrats, could be properly ordered
only by the Executive Committee of
the party in the County. Article V
of the Constitution of the Demo cratic
party of Edgefeld expressly provides:
"The County Executive Committee
shall direct and conduct the political
campaigns of the Democratic party Of
Edgefeld.
AS the County Executive Commit
tee refused, after full and free discus.
sion to order an election within the
party on the Stock Law, but instead
ordered the sense Of the party to be
taken by petition, how can any good
Democrat either order or vote at a
party election, on the Stock Law, aua-
less he is prepared to set mp as an In
dependent, and spit upon the organ
lied action of the constitutional au-
thorities Of the party?
Again, either in the administration
Of the civil law Of the land, or in de-
Gliding party question within po-
litical party, who ever heard before
in the history Of the world Of an el5c-
tion being ordered andsconducted by
and under the auspices Of those who
maintain the negative Of a proposition? ?
The thing is 80 absurd and unprece-
dented that it..sounds like a joke.
That the majority; must govern is
the rule Of true Democracy every
where, and as the majority Of the
County Executive Committee Of the
Democratic party have decided to
hold no election within the party on
the Fence Question, erc1y good Dem :
Oc,ot aOiU strictly obey Mc,ony organ
i-cd nouthpiece otAis party and 'ri1l
therefore auoid Attending OF comatc.
nonclng IN any 'oisc M election orc7er-
ed By the minority acAo also represent
the ncgatirc.
Let us stick to the landmarks, or
we shall coon get shipwrecked. The
fact that so many negroes attended
the late negative mass meeting which
ordered this negative election, is ON
nous. Moreover, this negative
election was ordered by an unorgon
l;-ed mass meeting Of so called Demo
crats-not by even a minority Of the
organized Executive Copae,1yfee ofthe
Democratic party in DgCounty. 1t
is confidently asserted that ia fair
7fecti0n sfze-a57-i:i7i w71s H5fd Democratic
Club for . member on Sunty Ex-
ecutive Committee, notS Srth Of
the Clubs could elect rnem6er op-
posed TO fencing stock, if the question
were raised. The petitions which
have been honestly circulated and
signed, prove this. Then why have
any election at.all.?' Or rather, why
repeat the election, as Il general sign
ing of the petitions is virtually an
election to get at the will OF the ina
iority The Constitution OF the State
and Of the United States both recog
nize the right Of the people to. ."reti-
ton fer redress OF grievances, but
they nowhere say there shall be. an
election on the subject.
Signing petition is not .only,.jnsl
as etiectual, but it is perhaps even a
more honest way to get at swell set
tied public opinion,.on given mat
ter, inan holding an election. Be-
sides, signing the petition isa peace
ful method, whereas holding sn elec
tion might result. In turbulence ana
IN opportunities TAR. orga":inq ana
dcrcloping an meiwc" split IN M(
Democratic porN
II lie present members Of the Leg.
islature are still in doubt as to which
side ofthe Fence question the majority
of white voters are on, Mc,s nothing
can cn1iyhlen them, and the voters
must elect men next time apho ar
mol AFRAID Of Tie responsibility Of en-
acting the ~W OF Mcmojoriiyinto lar
Entire unanimity among thirty-fvf
hundred white voters about anything
is impossible noac. it was possible IL
1876, 10 put do'c" negro ,Nlc, but We
seem to have forgotten the horrors o
that in the five years Of freedom We
have enjoyed. However the masses
may have better memories than th'
sore-headed politicians give then
credit for The will of the majority
is not only Democracy, but it is th'
voice of God, and all good Democrat
Ill Lo;L C.,u.u loun Tho fuhr;s n