Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-08
THE ELECTION IN CHATHAM.
A Quiet Day and Light VOte-Ntch-
ola, Ma jOrIty SOI-An Interesting
Test Case.

The election yesterday passed off very
quietly, there being not the slightest dis
turbance of any character around the polls,
and no excitement untI towards the closing
hour. when the situation became a little
lively.
The challengers, Democratic and Repub-
lfcau, were quite active, and during the az
ternoon the latter resorted to challenging,
apparently with the object of causing delay,
as we saw several voters, well known natives
Of this city, challenged on the ground of non
citizenship. few parties were arrested and
sent from the polls for attempting to vote
Illegally, and number who were challenged
refused to take the oath rendered and did
not vote.
It has been the custom of the managers
OF election to number each ballot before 1t
Is passed into the box, and there has always
been objection to It, the general opinion
being that 1t is unconstitutional. No steps,
however, have heretofore been taken
to test the right OF the managers IN this
respect, and the voters have aequiesced.
The matter now will be brought into the
courts and finally determined. During the
morning Mr. j. j. Abrams approached box
No on Bull street and rendered his ballot
Il was taken, and one of the managers was
about to number 1t when he protested, and
insisted that 1. be deposited In the box I'M
marked. Magistrate Waring Russell, Jr.,
who superintendent the box, stated that the
bsllot would have TO be numbered, when
Mr.. Abrams inquired II. his vote would be
refused should he not consent, and was in
formed that it would. He thereupon de-
elined to vote and notified the managers
that he would bring suit against them for
thus preventing his exercise OF the elective
franchise.
The constitution declares that 'In all
elections by the people the electors shall
vote by ballot"
Section 1888 Of the Code, paragraph 1.
say: "The vote shall be given by ballot
Paragraph 2. "There shall be kept by the
Superintendents or by the clerks under their
appointment three lists of the names Of
voters, which shall be numbered In the order
OF their vote"
Paragraph g. As each ballot IS received
he number of the voter on the list shall be
marked on his ballot before the ballot is
| deDosited in the box.
Il Is under this section of the code that
the managers have acted, but MIR. Abrams
takes the ground that the section is uncon-
s'itutional, as It violates the secrecy Of the
ballot.
The Court OF Appeals of New York, the
Supreme Courts Of Vermont, Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, on similar
statutes passed Under similar constitu-
tiOnal provisions mat voting snOutd De Dy
ballot, have sll declared that the statute is
unconstitutional and violative OF the Sc
crecy OF the ballot, as It enables persons to
ascertain how an elector has voted. The
issue OF this test case will be awaited with
interest.
some OF the United States Deputy Mar
shals, the majority of whom were colored,
made several arrests of colored voters on
trivial charges, but they were released, and
charges were also made against some of the
Democratic chsllengers of bribing
negroes, but they were not sustained
One old colOred man, who had
voted the Democratic ticket, was sent be-
fore United States Commissioner Wilson, on
some pretense, and prominent Democrat,
who knew the old fellow, hearing OF It,,
proceeded at once to the office to have
him released, when he was confronted
with the charge of having bribed the
prisoner and was arrested. The gen
tieman proved the falsitY OF the charge,
and stated that the old man had asked him
for a little change to get drink, and ne mad
given It to him. The matter was thereupoR
dismissed by the Commissioners. There
were several similar cases OF this kind which
It Is not worth while to mention.
At six O'Clock the polls were formally
closed by Sheriff Roman, when there was
the usual cheering and outburst OF enthusl-
Asm. The boxes were then closed and re-
moved to the CITY Court room, when the
counting OF the ballots was at once com
menced, and was proceeded with rapidly.
The count wss finished about nine O'Clock,
and was as follows: