Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-02-01
Rourb ON Election Devices.


Carolina have black elephant on their
hands in devising laws and constitu'
tions to keep the State in Democratic
hands. As tn ere is on tull and tair
vote Republican majority of 4oooo IN
the State, they are driven to their NJ
most ends in devising sharp lodges by
which this majority can be overcome
They have succeeded admirably for the
past six years. but the UeVice which
carries them through one election as
general thing wears out before the
next, and unfortunately for the bour-
hons something new must be invented
every general election, or they would
be pushed to the wall. In 1879 such
noble and virtuous Democrats as Ham
burg, Butcher, Butler, the man
next to Bayard most worshipped by
the Bourbon Bayard organ OF this city,
devised and put in operation the red
shirt military system that looked as
harmless as a cats paw, but which was
effective in overturnlng the Republi'
can government of the State, and as a
reward Butler rode on the iron horse OF
power from the bloody massacres OF
Hamburg and Ellenton into the T. ).
Senate with, as Senator Wadleigh of
New Hampshire said, his fingers d1li-
ping with innocent blood. This was
the first overthrow of the Republicans
of South Carolina. Bit with such odds
as 40, 900 Republican majority against
them there was no rest for the Bour-
bons 1t would not do to repeat the
bloody scenes of the last campaign, 50
something else had 10 be invented. But
Butler and Hampton were equal to the
emergency. This time the velVety part
of the cats paw was extended to the
Republicans and sick and disguised
with bloody prosecutions the velvet
paw was grasped and by Republican
votes Wade HAMPTON rCda ajestiCal-
ly into the Governors chair, and from
which by preconcerted action 1t was
but step to the United States Senate
Betrayed, the Republicans ot.the State
began to reorganize their shattered
forces. The State government was
against them, the laws were against
them and everything seemed to be
against them, but having met before
slaughter and deception, in spite OF
all tdey rallied to the polls, but this
time only to have their ballots thrown
out of the ballot boxes and Democratic
ballots substituted intead, and in thu
face of 40 600 Republican majority, the
STATE was given to General Hancock
by 1000 majority AMI solid Demo
cratic delegation was sent to Congress.
Having succeeded first by murder,
second by deception anu the last lime
by fraud and cheating, these lave all
had their day and cannot be used as a
leading card for the failure, though they
will still come handy in making mp the
cast for the next play. But there hau
to be leading card or the game could
not be won. Such a people were not
lacking in expedients, and so we find
the present Legislature tinkering at the
election laws of the State again. The
latest scheme provides tor some seven
or eight ballot boxes, a box for each
Office to be voted for. and as the colored
Republicans of the State are unable to
read their ballots or the names upon the
boxes, they will get confused and put
their ballots in the wrong boxes, when
of course they cannot be counted. All
that is required to aid In the confusion
is for the election inspectors to change
the position Of the ballot boxes. From
last accounts this scheme had rot be.
come a law and was meeting with some
opposition. One Democratic kepresen-
tative named Haskell, is credited with
saying that the bill els but the Trojan
horse in which property qualification
is smuggledi into the statutes of the
State" and he further added, am
not willing to acknowledge that the
ratio party depended upon a jug
Cling trick for its success
Another Representative, named Nc.
Grady, who is the fat her of the numer.
Gus ballot box bill land whose oily
tongued oratory had considerable in
tiuence with the mem bers, whe u pressed
10 the wall threw off the mask and pre-.
sented the matter in its naked ugliness,
said he; What is our position" Here
we have population, as shown by the
census, Of an overwhelming majority
OF ignorant people. We all know thai
our whole trouble comes from the fact
That reconstruction thrust upon the
emancipated masses the right to vote
before they were prepafe! for it, The
census shows IS, 600 colored against G2, =
OOO white voters; 70, 600 Of these colored
voters cannot read the ballot thew are
casting. 1t is unfortunately true that
there are H. 600 white voters who ar.
in the same condition of igaorance, Won
know, as well as do that we are over
whelmed by the ignorance of the negro.
Let the negro 90 up to the ballot boxe,
alone and deposit his ballot. This is
the test that will show whether he
knows what he is about, and tits for tbi.
reason and this alone that this plan ha,
been adopted"
Amendments to prevent the changing
OF the position Of the ballot boxes dur
II ( the election, to allow managers to
explain 10 the voters in which box IN
put their ballot and .abolishing the pro.
vision calling for close space in which
only J.tt,ll