Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-25
ID IL,x
POST MTELLIGENCER.
rerg sALlors AT ruE seUrn.

gREE BALLOTS At TIE seUTu.
From eli accounts thus far published
xegarding the election riot at Danville,
Virginia, IL is plain enough that. put
ting aside the disputed question as to
Who was responsible for its inception,
fte effect was exactly what the Demo
cratic party desired. II resulted, 40
ccraing to the undispused statements of
both sides, in preventing the greater
number Of colored electors from voting.
We're the public not generally aware Of
Southern methods respecting elections
1t uould appear very strange that when
ever collisions appear between tho
whites and colored people relative TO
election matters, the inevitable result 10
thai The latter, although outnumbering
in many cases their Democratic opp
nnnts. invariably get very much the
w0rse of il, and the votes they had in
tended to cast are not deposited. This
wzxs the case at Danvi!le and elsewhere
IN Virginia at the last election. Ii has
been 50 everywhere in the South since
BSE. We are not sorry that the Demo
srats carried the day in Virginia, not
becanse of sympathy With the Bourbon
elimination, but for the reason that the
alliance of the Republican party with
Malone and the repudiationists was
zasacreditable, and deservedly unsoccess-
fui. Victory under such leader and
with snch principles, or lack Of princi-
plck, at the bottom OF the movement,
could reflect no credit upon the Kepub-
sican party, and in the very nature OF
things could be but Of temporary dura-
ian-
But while thus viewing without sor-
row the result in Virginia, 1t is proper
to call attention to the fact that IL Is
by Just such methods and occurrences
n that at Danville that the solidity of |
Democratic control in tho Southern |
Sta1es is maintained. Not denying the
assertion that. in respect Of legal rights |
in genera, il has become In a great |
measure the policy and fashion at the
South to deal justly with the oolored
people, II rs yet true that when ii comes |
to the free exercise by them of the cleo
tive franchise the same tolerance is not
<uxnifested nor freedom of action Sc
suxsd. II In a well known fact, 80 well
known as TO be almost axiomatic, that,
left free 10 act, undeterred by menaoes
md faar of violence. nine tenths of the
r6i0red vote wogld DO cast for the Re-
puhlican party. In three Of the South
era States Louisiana, Miseis-
sippi and south Carolina-the colored
sssupis are in numerical majority. and
In several others the numbers of the
tive races are very nearly equally di-
qided. Yet In the three States named,
am OF a'total vote for President in 1880
a. He,074, the majority for Hancock
uas ll0,l74. Argument against such
figures 10 needless waste of labor. They
skow that the colored vote was not fully
rast and counted. Nothing else ex-
ptains the result. II il undeniable that
xnasdom in the exercise of the ballot
uzs mot extended to the oolorea man in
these States and others at the South.
Tss boldest of the bourbon papers do
not hesitate to say that Republican suo-
ssas means negro domination, and that
snch will never be permitted.
HE effect OF this attitude in the South
will 30 TO solidify the North. II IL is to
t,s the issue, prolonged indefinitely,
wf,cther or not every citizen entitled to |
kka franchise shall be allowed its free,
mifrxmlueled exercise--if this is to be- |
ei,o pivotal point of contest, there 10 NO
doubt of the result. The North will be- |
- solidly Republican as during the war |
md for years succeeding its close. This
xssair at Danyille has already redirect
ID public attention to the fact, which,
sinoe tho campaign Of 1876, has been /
'Raistly ignored, that free ballot in the
<sxAtes south Of Mason and Dixon's line |
daDas NOT exist. A realization of that
Ssot by liberty loving and fair minded |
Asrth will inevitably array against the
Denoratio party sterner opposition |
4han has for years been felt and mani |
anstsd- Tho Republican party 10 pledged
- shs enforcement Of its guarantee to
10 cOlored man that his vote shall be
frsa1s cast and honestly counted. II
~iA not cease In lis efforts to achieve
s1mt Just result.