Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-05-03
NUMBER II.

int was estimated at tnat time.
While am up, If the Senator will allow
me, will state one fact in reference 10
that, which think of some Importance.
Those figures. as he will recognize, made
the vote of South Carolina at thai time
$4,000. In that election there were 1885,
500 votes cast, and in that same election,
the election OF 1876, Mr.. Hayes, who was
the Presidential candidate, received nearly
10000 more votes than Gen. Grant received
In 1872. So there certainly could have
been no restriction upon the vote there, as
they polled the largest Republican vote
that had ever been cast in the State.
NJ. Frye.-I am obliged 10 the gentle
man for corroborating what said in rela
ton TO 1875; but there has been Il census
OF the people OF the State, and the colored
and the white population bear just about
that proportion of voters In the State. la
1865 Grant had $1,000, Seymour $4,000;
Republican majority 1000 In 1870, Scott.
Republican. received 10000, and the Dem
ocrat $4,000; Republican majority S,0l4.
In 1872 Grant, -, 900, Greeley 1000; Re
( publican majority ~, 9,5S7; and Moses the
Republican candidate for governor, had
3j,9i5 majority. In 1874 Chamberlain had
10000, Green 6s 900; Republican majority
1000. la 1873 the distinguished Senator,
Mr.. Hampton, received ~, $50 votes forg gov
ernor and scattering 2l3. In 1880, Mr.Gar
| field received - OIL, Hancock IL, ,3l2 aud
the Democratic candidate for governor re-
ceived liz, ,iS2, there being no Republican
| candidate. Gentlemen may say that colOrcd
| men have been converted, gentlemen may
say that colorCd men vote the Democratic
ticket, tell you the people OF this country.
at the North at any rate, will give no cred
It TO any such penticOstll conversions aS
those.
Mr. HImpioR.-May | make a suggcs-
tionI do not wish 10 interrupt the Sen
ator without his permission Is II disa-
grecable TO him:
Mr. FIRE. will yield for a question.
Nr. HdmptOH.-I wish simply 10 make 4
very short statement.
Nr. FTye.--I would prefer, IL the gentle
man will allow me, not 10 be Interrupted
for statement. do not wish 10 seem
! To be wanting in courtesy, but have talk
| ed longer now than intended TO have done.
How has this change been accomplished
in South Carolina. Have the colored men
been permitted free ballot there: II they
had, would they not have voted the Repub-
lican ticket: Sir, have been through the
South. | have had the privilege and the
painful duty of investigating elections
| through the South. | have seen some or the
| Democratic conversions down in Louisiana.
remember few OF them put on the stand
by the Democrats as members OF Demo
| cratic clubs, and remember on cross-eN-
animation II turned out that each one Of the
| Democratic black men who belonged -
the Democratic club, had a little ticket of
safety given him issued by the Democratic
.f., rIn nm ia Npffn
stand said IL was a ticket OF safety against
their own black brothers, but on cross-ex-
animation il proved TO be a ticket Of safety
against the Democracy, the conservative
gentlemen OF Louisiana.
The black men perhaps can he converted,
but II the black men know anything they
know that under God and the Republican
| party that they have been made free. II
they know anything they know that the
whole power OF that party for twenty years
has been devoted not only TO making them
| free, but TO securing them their rights a.
free men. Who can be led TO believe that
of their own accord and free will they to-
day will vote the Democratic ticket when
| the issue Is a national one!
Sir, Just before election the feeling Oh
both sides in South Carolina was most in-
tense and on the Democratic side extreme
desperate, and bitter. This Is the last
election. They forced into the question
the race issue, declared it a question OF
white civilization and supremacy, and for
getting the black code and ku klux out
RACES denounce the attempt TO restore Re
publican administration as treason TO the
State and q crime against humanity, de
serving of any eXercration and JustifyinS
or eXcusing any means by violence or fraud
to defeat it.
Again after election the particular acts
OF fraud throughout the State, the nurf6er
of which Is simply incalculable are merely
the result off deliberate and desperate con
spiracy of the whole Democratic organiza-
ton 10 defraud the acknowledged Republ-
| can majority OF the use of the suffrage be
| cause they denounce the result as ''nigger
| domination" The jury laws, the statute
| itself, force open the door OF the jury room 10
members ofthe very conspiracy and furnish
both its opportunity and protection against
| the Government
Again, methods. There was violence in
Greenville, Laurens, Hampton, and one or
two other counties, and OF fraud every
where, from voting twice TO stutiing and
counting out by wholesale. The election
process is, by three managers at each poll
ing precinct, all Democrats, who receive,
and Immediately count and make return 10
board OF county canvassers, all Democrats,
who aggregate the votes, and of course
where the returns on their face show by
accident Republican majority, sufficient
boxes are thrown out upon whatever plea
to tabulate a majority the other way. This
tabulation, with returns, poll-list, &C., IS
| forwarded To the State board ofcanyassers,
composed OF highest State officials, who,
upon the certified statements OF the county
board, make the official declaration.
Again, In the case of the United States
| VS. Webb there was testimony as TO the
method of ballot-stuliing in South Carolina
The stuiiing was done here and elsewhere
| in this county In two ways, by wrapping
small tickets In large one and cramming
them In, and by having wooden ballot-box-
es with sliding lids, on the inner surface
OF which packages OF forty or fifty tickets
were loosely fastened by strings pressed
by knifeblades into surface OF lid over the
package. Polls were required TO be open
| at six O'Clock, q. m. The managers, who
were all Democrats, would open the polls
before the Republican Supervisor or any
body reached there and lock the box.
When the Supervisor came and demanded
to inspect the box he was fatty denied on
the ground that he was too late, and they
would then outswear him onsthe stand. At
the close Of the polls they would unlock
the box, draw the lid sharply of, the pack
ages would fall and scatter and cover the
top Of the interior. They then counted
them. The proof was clear, as the excess
| OF ballots over the names on their own