The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-01-13
THEBOURBON OUTRAGE In MIS-.
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From the Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune.
IT public statement recently made
by lie Chairman of the Republican
Stet Central Committee, and of the
Natal Greenback Labor Central Com
mite in Mississippi, shows that the
shbtln and the various atrocities of
the llldozer are not the only methods
by aich the Bourbons have kept down
the republican majority in that State.
Reinstatement confirms what has often
beelalleged, namely: that the most
shanless acts of fraud have been com-
mitti under the open sanction of those
who's duty it was to uphold the purity
of tB ele .tion laws. The browning
fraudRas perpetrated at the last State
electn. In this contest, Benjamin
King was the Gubernatorial candi-
datef the Republicans, GTeenback-
ers nd Independent Democrats, who
coaleed and united upon one ticket to
defes the Burbons, whose ticket was
heida by Robert Lowry. The fraud
commenced by cheating the combination
party)ut of its commissioners and in
spectts Of election, whose appointment
devoles by law upon the Governor,
Lieutnant Governor and Secretary of
State. In twenty. nine counties, which
are stongly Republican, the commits
stones and inspectors appointed were
in complete sympathy with the Bour-
bons. or, in some cases, were ignorant,
Incompetent and timid negroes instead
OF the competent representatives Sc
letted by the Republicans and their
allies. Haying packed the list of
commissioners and inspectors as the
first stel, the methods of fraud to be
practice. were reinforced by the methods
of violece which for ten years past have
been il vogue in the Bourbon ridden
and ngro-kllling State. Meetings were
broker up, midnight gangs Of ruffians
threateled violence to colored voters,
and eva at the polls cavalcades of red
shirted ruffians, heavily armed, rode up
and scared away the tinid. At the polls
every conceivable form of swindling was
practicel. Ballot boxes were openly
stuffed. Tally-sheets were reversed,
the volts cast for the anti Bourbons be-.
ing counted for the Bourbons. The
names d voters were scratched off the
registry lists. In numerous cases the
ballot boxes were carried Off and kept
several days by the Bourbons, and were
returned after their contents had been
fixed lp to suit their candidate. All
this could be easily done, because even
in districts where anti-Bourbon COM
missioners and inspectors were allowed
they werenot the intelligent and COM
petent p9sons selected by the commit
tees, but negroes picked out by the
Bourbo1s, and were too timid to act, or
too Ignorant to read and write, or too
incompetent to know what was going on.
y1eSt thesresuft was, rratIer .sGch man
ipulation of votes as this, is shown by
the following analysis of the figures
made by the Chairmen of committees.
The returns thus far made show a total
of 127, 729 votes, of which King (anti-
BourbDn) has 81, 1854 and Lowry 76, 1865,
The voting strength of the whites is
about 95, 600, and of the colored popu-
100000. The colored vote is Re-
publican, and to this, if there had been
fair election, would have been added
the Greenback vote and that of the dis
contented Democrats. Only three
fifths of the votes were cast.
What the political character of
the remaining two-ffths was
it is not difficult to infer. in the twenty
four strongest nti-Bourbon counties the
Bourbons rolled up their heaviest ma
joritieS. How that was ACCOMPLISHED it
is not difficult to infer. In the whole
State, upon a three fifth's vote, the
BourbOns ostensibly secured Is, 900 ma
iority. If there had been fair election
it is easy enough to see that the anti
Bourbon candidate would have received
an immense majority, and, even as it Is;
the Clairmen believe that majority Of
4O,000was actually cast for him, and, of
course. counted out, or rather not
counted at all, but thrown out, or
turned over in lump to the Bourbon
candidate.
How much longer is this abominable
political iniquity to be tolerated? Is
there no honesty or decency in the State
of Mississippi? Apparently the only
hope Is to wait until the wave Of anti.
BourbDnism which started in Virginia
and is gaining some Roadway in' North
and South Carolina and Georgia reaches
Mississippi. Even then, viii the down
trodden, prosecuted and terrorized voters
have the courage to rally? Every other
issue should be thrown aside, and voters
of every class who are honest and law
abiding men, who believe in indicating
the law and establishing and maintain
ing the purity of the ballot-box, ought
to unite, whatever their political princi-
pies may be, in an overwhelming on
slauqhI against the frauds and corrup-
ton of the Bourbons. Hurl them from
power first. Re.establish honesty Of
elections, and settle political issues after
ward. That is the duty of the people Of
Mississippi.