The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-11-19
THE NORTH CAROLINA ELECTIONS.
Cause. Of tho Increase OF Republican Vote.

Causes Of tho Increase OF Republican Votes.
RALEIGH. Nov 14.--The partial success Of
the Republicans In North Carolina is due to
two local causes. One Of these has attracted
some attention throughout the country. That
is tho passage Of an act by the last Legislature.
In which the Democratic party had large ma
jorty. submitting to the popular vote tho Qucs-
ton Of prohibiting the manufacture and sale OF
spirits and malt liquors. 1t Is true that the act
was voted for in the Legislature by men of both
parties in about equal proportions. and that 1t
was supported and opposed among the people
without the slightest reference to party lines I;
but the opportunity to hold tho Democracy re-
sponsible for an unpopular measure was too
good to be lost Tho act was voted down by a
majority OF 10000; and the revenue collectors.
who nrc the efficient leaders Of the Repub-
leans. saw their opportunity to use 1t for win
ming over thousands Of voters They Mt once
proceeded to organize party within the Re-
publican party on the basis OF free trade in
whiskey and anti-prohibtion. This move
enabled them to draw to their support the very
class Of blockade runners and moon
sinners" whom they had for years pur-
sued with the unrelenting vengeance of the
law. And 1t ia q noteworthy fact that we
now rarely hear OF those fierce and bloody con-
tests between the revenue officers and the vo-
lators OF the law who burrow in mountain
caves and ravines; or, II such things still oc-
cur. 1t is among the stff-necked and unregen-
crate Democrats who pursue the unlawful
traffic. and refuse to be converted.
Another local issue which has operated to
the disadvantage of the Democracy originated
in the retrogressive action OF that party in
1875. when they got possession of the State
Convention. called to amend the State Consti-
tutipp N n WI nh
then used their power in way calculated to
injure their permanent asccndancy The Con-
stitution OF 1868. called the Candy Constitu-
tion-and 1t must be owned that it was forced
upon the people when their hands were tied
and at the point of the bayonct-while 1t on
franchised the iliterate negroes. at the same
time overturned the immemorial method OF ap-
pointing Justices OF the Peace by the Governor.
on the recommendation Of the representatives
from tho several counties. and substituted in
its place popular elections. The people of each
township were empowered to elect bcnnially.
two or more Justices. who were invested with
civil jurisdiction in causes involving not above
an amount Of 5000. and criminal jurisdiction
Of offences to which the penalties annexed were
imprisonment not exceeding month or a fine
to assess ind collect the taxes for the govern
ment Of the township. and supervision Of roads
A new class Of officers familiar to Northern
people called County Commissioners. with cx-
iepslre g W ana IN T
elected by the people.
TO the business and bosoms" of the people
msnts Of the STATE and tho nation. ana no
bare 81 Of pTES GFsi sr
s%ra e' viii necessary work Ssdy There
are twenty-one OF the ninety-tour counties in
North Carolina in which the negroes are in the
majority. il several OF them in the proportion
OF two or three to one, and as many more in
Which the races are nearly equal in numbers.
most Of the counties are more or less divided
o az ae ,b rts ~, was nndsf The
large districts, embracing those parts Of The ne,
State in which wealth and Intelligence mostly
S be It, il herd for
effort 70 throw OF the yoke by the white people
M in s7 5oy wa 5ee natn pnd i da
TO the old system. which stripped tho people Of
the right OF election mistake was made 1t
would have been Tar wiser. under the circum-
stances. to regulate than TO overthrow the new
systcm An educational and rroperiy, Iualih-
eaton C isia Ghbt v f tb been r@Hried IT,
~ no ii!itcrate man can have any claim to sit
in Judgment on tile ri;;hts Of others: nor can n
man without home and fixed place in society
:, The Democrats in the Convention of 1875
who was elected as q Republican; and under
such circumstances they look from the people
appointment to the Governor and ut the same
time they gave the election of the Commits
sioners believe f2r haze not the Constitu-
ton before me-, to the Justices. These changes
We're made by the Convention without submit
ting them to the people for ratification. and
unfortunately for the Democracy the poorer
classes OF whites, especially in the western
counties are attached 20 the popular method
Of choosing Justices and mmssioncrs. The
overthrow of the popular election Of these off,
GERS has f"stercd and ranked in the breasts Of
! the people from 1873 10 the present time to
the prejudice Of the Democracy; and the re-
| cen; considerable gains of the Republicans. can
~ q great degree hc traced TO this caus" A
cianSe OF the Constitution is not easily effect
Ell and the same impeachment Ia Democratic
/ tNcc"ss,,S viii nrosent itself IN future cleo
| ii"nS. ihe whiskey issue may be regarded us
| having spent its force.