The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-09-20
/. y. CA1CHINGFS,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
jackson Miss, September II, 1882.
Full Vote, Free Ballot and Fair
Count.

| The praling and twaddle OF the Republican
| leaders about 'fuli vote free ballot and fair
| count is really amusing to those who are at
| oil familiar with the past history of the repub-
| lican party in the Southern States Does not
| every one know that that party whilst in
| power were guilty of the most fragrant and
monstrous frauds at the ballot boxes in every
| Southern State. That in many instances the
boxes at large white precincts, after voting,
were taken by force or surreplitiously and de-
stroyed, that at large negro precincts it was
the common and favorite practice Of that party
to take possession Of the polls and by riotous,
boisterons and disorder!y conduct, deter the
white voters from the ballot boxes; that in
hundreds OF instances the ballot boxes were
stuffed to sueh an extent as 10 return on the
poll sheets, voters far in excess of the voters
ut the precincts. That to defeat and rob he
Democratic candidates Of the Offices to which
they had been fairly elected, the managers of
the elections would trump up charges Of fraud
on the part Of the whites, sustain them by the
most willfdl and corrupt perjury, aud on such
charges throw out votes enough tC elect their
own republican candidates.
The biggest and most gigantic steal, the
most stupenduous fraud ever committed at the
ballot box was by that party in 1876, when the
highest Office known to the republic was most
foully stolen from Filden who had been fairly
elected to it, and given TO a man, who, in pub
lie speech after the election was known, de-
clared he had been defeated Yet this same
christian gentleman, (G0d save the mark
after he became President, boldly and shame
fully rewarded the perpetrators of the fraud
by giving them positions of profit and honor
in the Government. Not only was this fraud
participated in by the immediate actors in the
States of Louisiana, Florida and South Caro-
lima, but many of the most prominent and
distinguished Republican leaders from other
States hastened to the scene of action to con-
summate and perfect the infamy by their
counsel and aid. One Of the ablest, most eff
cient and conspicuous of these was James A.
Garfield, OF Ohio, who, for the part he played
in this vilauy, was elected President in $780,
Nor does the shameful mockery stop here
Eight of the commissioners, of the fifteen ap-
pointed under an act of Congress, taken from
the House of Representatives the Senate and
the Supreme Court of the United States, by
perjury and corruption sustained the fraudu-
lent count puttingin r. B. Hayes.
All this was right because il resulted to the
advantage of the Republican party, aud during
all the years of Republican rule in the South, |
when these wrongs and frauds and outrages
were being perpetrated against the elective
franchise not one word of condemnation ever
emanated from Republican lips. No, it was +
all then right, but evidence of sincere piety |
and high moral character with that party, be- |
cause it kept them in place and power. But
now, under Democratic rule acting on the false |
presumption that all negroes are Republicans, |
and that where, at large negro precincts they |
do not poll their full strength, the howl of |
fraud is at once raised all along the line.