New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-01
POLITICS IN THE SOUTH.

HOW 1T WAS PERVERTED FROM ITS ORIGINAL
PURPosE-MscHEP DONE BY ADVENTURES.
IRON SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE1
TARBoRo. NJ c., April BIN writing Of political
matters in the Southern States report what is said
to me by persons belonging to different classes who
are interested in politics in these States, and con-
nected in different ways, with political manage
ment and activities. Among the chief Of these
classes may be guished first, the principal
citizens Of Southern States white men of property.
intelligence and influence in connection with tho
old order of things These are nearly all Demo-
Gratis at present-at least they are nomnaly so-and
with their families they constitute almost entirely
what is called society nearly everywhere in tho
South
The negroes may be put in the second place.
They constitute the difficulty the problem, the
bone Of contention" the balance Of power"
They embody or are the of nearly all
the politics" now TO be fonnd in tile South and
of nearly all Northern interest in Southern political
affairs. They mostly Republicans, though there
are many negro Democrats almost everywhere, and
their number il undoubtedly increasing in all the
regions which have visited.
The next class is that of the Republican Office
holders and politicians. in the Southern Statesi
Nearly all of these whom have Northern
men. Many of them are postmastcrs and nearly all
of them wish to be- or to hold some other office in
the South by appointment from the National Gov
ernment.
There are also few eminent men in the Rcpub-
lican party in the Southern States. who are, in
character and conduct, above the grade of nero
politicians, and who should always be distinguished
from them in survey of the Southern situation y"
such men az General Williams c. Wickbam, of
Virginia. and General Wilder of Chattanooga,
Tenn; but their number is not large.
Then, lastly, there is very considerable number
of Democrats who waiting to be bought
most of them very cheaply-by any party class Of
men, or by any individual, who may be in need Of
tools for the performance of dirty work of any
kind This class has representatives in every
Southern town and region of the country that
have visited They are entirely without peudices.
being equally ready 10 serve any cause or and tho
fortunes of any party or movement II they can
thereby " turn an honest penny" and their demands
are usually extremely moderate They are often
found useful, as they have been all sides, and
know all the ins and outs" of local political combi-
nations and management They can always re-
member or forget anything whatever, as the inter-
ests of Z" the cause may require.
SOUTHERN ELECTION METHODS.
have not myself seen an election in the South.
though should like much to be an observer on
such an occasion in some regions which | have
yisitcd-and therefore only report what is said
such matters by persons Of the different classes
above mentioned. In Mississippi in Southern
Alabama and in louisiana the negroes not
permitted to without restriction; or, if they
permitted to vote. their vote is not fully regis
tered and returned. They are hinderrd from vot-
ing; and in making records and returns their vote
is to a considerable and efcctual extent neutrazed
or excluded. do not say that this is done every
where, at every election, in the States have
just namcd but it has been done, widely, fire.
quently and recently. conclude that the negro
vote is thus restricted nterfercd with in these
regions. because the leading citizens. Democrats,
have themselves told me that is done. that they
themselves did and managed the work. and they
have described to me the methods by which it was
accomplished.
In Southern Alabama prominent leaders in Demo.
cratic politics say that in the black d>'rcts 1t is
common 10 have AZ each place of holding IN clec-'
tion two balot-boNes one tor white voters and the
other for the negroes The approach each ballot
box. they say. is by a long, narrow passage or
"gangway," inclo>cd by a railing on each side. IL
the blacks present. anl likely To vol" in such
numbers a. TO threaten the overthrow of society"
or give cause of alarm Ia the leading white citizens,
the offered vote of some ignorant negro il chal-
rngcd The gaugway" is full behind him with
a long line of negroes pressing forward in single
file. and impatient To vote. The negr" selected for
challenge is always one who lives in "A distant part
of the township district. somebody Is dispatched
to summon witnesses from his nclghb0rhood, or
some other cause Of delay is discovered. Every
thing is conducted with judicial quictnes- dignity
and deliberatencss. II course the other
not vote until this j. settled. Ii comes to an
end by and by and the decision reached j. usually.
that the challenged negro h, ia" right Ia vote. AMI
his ballot is accepted II /, not th" plan - rcfiIso
the right or opportunity II voting t" any individual
negro. That wonld rritatc the negroes. and put
the guardians of society" al a diSady vantage. Tho
CHALLENGED ncgros vote Is taken. and the voting
zoe, on quietly and pcacoahly, until II X necessary
10 repeat the performance above dcS' rlbcd. When
the hour for closing the polls comes there has not
been sufficient time for the full negro Republican
vote To be polle the counting of thc ballots shows
that there is a sufficient Democratic majority and
that the intelligence of thr country has again snc-
ccrded in preventing the overthrow Of society by
ignorance and incapacity.
But" asked, what if the negroes brcomc tired
of this enforced waiting. and, understanding its
purpose. should push forward and demand that
their votes shall be received "
"Thrn" answered my iniornants significantly, r
" there is a collision. The ncro"s are tie attacking
party and. of course. they viii bc worsel.
In some parts of Mississippi the methods of pre-
venting the overthrow of socety are described TO
me by the actors being similar III essential fea-
lures though the particular arrangements by which
the object is accomplished are varied 10 suit tho
circumstances. Sometimes the negroes al
lowed To vote without restriction, and society is
saved by judciou, elimination and substitution in
making up the returns of the election. This is tho
method now most commonly used in Louisiana. or
in important portions of that State rs ! was in
formed by prominent citizens and business men.
Democrats.
All the other classes of citizens mentioned above