Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-04-20
Punishment q Election Frauds.
nanIshnrg PalrIoL

harrisburg fatlloA
The administration Mt Washington is
proceeding with much alacrity and zeal
g. bring To trial certain parties in South
Cuolins charged with "A violation OF the
federal election laws. Let il be admit.
ted that IA speedy trial OF the accused Is
not Only proper but commcndhble. No
fault Is TO be found with the admins.
tratlon for an earnest endeavor on It's
part 10 execute the laws. Indeed so
tar as IA display OF vigor IN that direction
i concerned II deserves praise rtEIer
Lnan ceusure. But the history OF past
trials of cases in the South similar IN
character to those no" pending IN
South Carolina, is not calculated 10 give
assurance that the prosecution OF demo
crats Tor oifrnses against the election
laws IN that section l. intended TO sub.
serve the ENDS OF justice, tut rather im
presses the impartial mind with AN Id, a
that II Is to br made the instrument ot
revenge in the nauds oi defeated and
dis appointed politicians. Tue Ku Klux
trails. 1t will hr remembered, were the
merest trayts,ies ot Justice. Innocent
men were made the victims OF laws
framed To condemn and iurles organic.
theexcited ImaRlnatIOns OF superstition,
and deluded freedmen was made to
satisfy an ignorant jury and partisan
court. In one notable instance the
evidence OF n neRress who had unsexed
herSel was sufficient to secure convit.
tlon. The mru WHO fell under the han
of this shameless judicial persecution
were thrown into prison, some OF them
never to come out alive and Others To be
pardoned by republican admlnistra-
lion which virtually confessed the harsh.
ness Oi the laws and the injustice OF the
courts by which they were deprived of
their liberty. Is history about to repeat
itself in these South Carolina cases and
must there be another sacrifice to the
Moloch of partisan hate? The testimo.
ny already taken indicates that some OF
the witnesses tor the government are
accomplished knaves and it remains to
be seen whether the court and jury are
emulous OF the lntamy that will iorev
damn the proceedings IN the ku klux
trials.
Meanwhile what is the law Of the
United States in South Carolina is or
ought to be the law in New York or
Massachusetts. 1t negroes were intimi
dated at the elections IN South Carroll.
ma, white workIngmen were treated in
a like manner at the polls in the north.
err states. If tissue ballots were
voted in O'Conor's congressional dis.
trict Chinese ballots were thrust into
the hands OF the laboring men by die.
tatorial bosses IN almost every manufac
turing town in the north. II fraud and
corruption revalled in the southern
elections, they also carried b. day IN
New York and Brooxlyn and gave the
electoral vote OF the Empire state to
Garfield and Arthur. IL Is not to be
argued that the wrongs committed in
the interest OF one political party ought
to be condemned because there was
equally taRrant violation OF the law for
the benefit OF its adversary. 90 the
contrary crimes against the purity and
freedom OF the ballot should toe punished
wherever perpetrated no IN tier who are
the guilty parties The lay should be
enforced with perfect imparIiality, with
out regard 20 locality or party politics.
This has not been done in the past.
Even when conviction OF q most d,s.
perate and notorious offender wns had
IN the person Of Brown. the Phiadel-
phIa 'twrnty.tirner.' a speedy pardon
followed through the clpmeucy OF n re.
publican president. There l. plenty OF
work Tor the federal courts in the north
ern states Of a nature like that which
nov eneross.s the attention of the de.
Partmeut oi justice IN South CsrOina
Perhaps the only reason why prosecu
tiUns under the laws Of the Uuited
States have been begun in New York aud
MAssachu-etts con-Ists in the tact that
the people Of those states have not been
taught t. look beyond their own local
laws tor the protection OF the ballot box
But even rs the Mohometan turns his
face towards Mecca when be makes his
Invocation TO Allah, 20 the southern re-.
publican politician looks towards Wash.
ington for redress OF his grievances.
The federal Office. holders in the south,
too, are active in string up prosecutions
of democrats under the laws Of the
United States. They fnd their account
in that sort uf work in securi ug fees aud
in earning the favor OF the powers that
be. 1t is different in the north where
not even the republicans have yet learn.
ed to regard the federal authority as
the be-all and end-ali Of civil govern.
menl. But II the election Laws Of the
United States are to be enforced in one
section of the country for the sake OF
enabling defeated partisans to wreak
their petty reyenges. it will not be long
ere an effort will be made TO put them
in motion elsewhere al least Tor the pro.
lection OF the ballot and the punish.
ment Of scoundrels who are guillier far
than the men who are now on trial in
South Carolina.
GeHtiemeH--Y Your Hop B,tters bave
hon Of rrnnI unlnn 10 rr,n I rrnn Lii