The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-08-14
An Honest Count .

feel assured that the verdict of the people
will accord with til 1t rendered in each
successive election for President for the
past twenty-five years. But free ballot
and an honest count they do not expect in
anumber OF Southern States. They are JUS
titled in this conclusion from past expe-
rience. In pamphlet before us giving a
history of the election IN Louisiana in
1888 for Governor, we have the astound-
ing statement, giving in detail, each par
ish and the vote cast in it being enumer-
ated. that the actual vote cast for Steven
son, Republican, was II, 73S, and McEnery,
Democrat. 54,9SS-a Republican ma
iority Of l6.75O. The whole election ma
chinery of the State is in the hands of the
Governor. He appoints the returning Of
ficer of each parish, and this officer ap-
points all the commissioners and clerks OF
election. He appoints as many places for
voting as he pleases, and these voting
places are presided over by the commission
ers and the clerks he appoints. This places
in the hands of the Governor, as we have
said. the entire election machinery OF the
State, and as the officers are appointed
from partizan considerations and for par
titan purposes, it is not difficult to under
stand the returns, after they have passed
under the inspection of these officers. So,
notwithstanding the indisputable fact that
the Republican candidate for Governor
was elected by over 10000 majority, the
doctored returns gave to McEnery fifty
tsUo thousand. t,co hundred and 'lsaety-tUo
majority-placing the. aggregate vote for
McEnery SS,794, whereas his real vote
was 54,9ss, and that for Stevenson at
Al, SOP, when his real vote was ,7SS.
Mr.. Stevenson, since dead, we believe,
was wealthy planter of Louisiana. and
there had been revolt Of at least 10000
of the most influential and wealthy citi-
zens of the State against the New Orleans
Ring, who earnestly supported him. But
the machinery of the Ring was proof
against all such influences and by the most
brazen and barefaced frauds, the popular
will was defeated III the manner above in
Dictated.
| In South Carolina and Mississippi SINH
lar and equally effective methods prevail,
and without the least conjunction respec-
table citizens will admit, if not boast OF
the means they employ to make those
States thoroughly Democratic Alabama,
too, is 10 exception to this rule. There
the same iron hand is brought into action
and like results achieved.
1t was in contemplation of such con-
dition of things that Hon. Gideon Haines.
at Charleston, Mass, said that Mr.. Blaine
twill be backed by Republican Senate
and Republican House, and before his
term of service is finished he will find a
way to protect the people Of the South
when they go to the polls and see that the
vote is honestly counted" 1t was simply
an argument for free ballot and an hon
est COUNT which the Democratic party
has declared for in,its nationali platform
and declared for in1SS0. But because of this
the Richmond Dispatch takes up the sub
ject and extracts from it, by process.only
known to those bent on mischief, a ''bloody
shirt'' declaration land makes an inhamma
tory appeal to the country against this lin
famous Republican suggestion. Can any
fair-minded man who wants to respect the
laws and the constitution and the rights
and privileges they guarantee, except tx
what Gen. Haines says ? 1t is only
declaration that the laws and constitution
must be obeyed-that citizen rights must
be respected and that the ballot boz
shall be protected from violence and fraud
Itwas with a knowledge of the conditions
in South Cauplina, Louisiana, Mississippi
Alabama, &C., that Hon. Thos. ]. Mackey. %
South Carolina, anative of that State an(
a distinguished citizen, is reported to have
said:
1.-THE true theatre of political operations
in the coming campaign must be IN SIaCe'
of the North and in West Virginia. Vlr
GINA, and Florida alone OF the Southern
States. gIns these three last-named States
the election machinery is not OF suchs
character as to PREVENT Republicans iron
securing fair count. and the race ISSUE
does not enter distinctively into the cam
paign."
| Here is simply an expression OF the be
lief that the election machinery OF thu
States named would better assure "fail
count than that in Louisiana and South
Carolina, complimenting the States Of
West Virginia. Florida and Virginia
rather than assailing them on the same
grounds which justify severe criticism
of the election processes in other Southern
States There is no intimation that Other
than fair test of strength between the
parties should be had, and the result, hon
estly counted, submitted to. Yet the
statement of Mr.. Mackey meets with
this significant paragraph from the Dis
patch:
'.We call the attention of the General AS
sembly, about to assemble here, to this sig
nificant remark of Mr.. Mackey. South
Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi have
large negro majorities. Yet Mr.. Mackey
has no hope of carrying them. 1.-The true
theatre of political operations, ''says he, is
in the thoroughly Democratic State of Vir.
ginia, which has white majority of eighty
thousand voters! Let our Legislature head
off these political operations" They
may be such as good Democrat could moi
approve"
What is there in an honest count, in a
fair election that either the Dispatch OF
the General Assembly of Virginia ought
to fear, and what would our contemporary
have the Legislature do in the premises
THERE'S nothing in what Mr.. Mackey says
to provoke the anger of any one who
wants an honest count, who is willing that
fair elections shall be held. The reasons
are assigned above why the results are as
they are in South Carolina, Louisiana and
Mississippi. Mr.. Mackey does not think
they apply in the other three States named
and because of this he assumes there is q
fair field for contest in West Virginia
Florida and Virginia. Yet the Dispatch
would have the General Assembly take
the matter up for some purpose not spe-
| officially stated, but reasonably inferable
and that is to attempt to enact legislation
which will place the entire election ma.
| ohinarv Of VIRGINIA in the hands of the