Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-11-24
Victory of Violence and Shame

While the election of Cleveland and Hen
bricks is being celebrated, often in manner
20 cause all respectable citizens to blush, the
democrats would do well TO consider the fol-
lowing facts from most reliable source and
published in the ALBANY Evening Journal:
The following extracts from letter writ
ten by lady living in western Florida to
friend in the Mohawk valley illustrates
graphically the methods by which the DEM
ocrats carried the South
Nov.6. Doubtless father lie now at home
with you, having come TO vote. As yet we o Rot
know who Is elected, but If Cleveland-God pity US
who live at the SOUTH Mother, you and the rest of
the North little know what We suffer now here; and
If Cleveland l. elected neither lives nor property
safe. The election in this county was perfect
farce and all but tragedy. Threats, intimidation,
ballot box stung, refusal to allow legal republican
voters to register-eVery means was used to over
come the republican and independent majority. The
lives of two especially threatened. those of my
husband and of q leading colored man here. II the
am afraid my husband will be bru;aly murdered.
These people. many of them active members of the
Presbyterian church attend. have no conscience.
A. our precinct here in town they appointed two
democratic inspectors-who had organized the fraud,
presumab y-and the most ignorant colored man. AT
given signal about 20 white men came up and put
in their votes with many small votes about an inch
square doubled up inside them. All the vo es were
folded by the inspectors in such way before
being put into the box) that the democratic votes
could be distinguished from the republican. At the
close Of the voting 1t was found that there l47
votes in the box than there voters. So
the inspectors carefully feeling around, ito dstin
guish the votes) drew out l47, only ten OF which
were d. mocratic. So that the republican vote by
this method was reduced nearly 300 votes. They had
Illegally refused TO allow to vote about so thus
far in ALL reducing the republican vote nearly $50 in
this precinct! The same thing was done in every
precinct in the county one; and OF course, the
republican majority in this county was entirely
initiated. One of the deacOns of our church
Of the gang who stuffed the ballot-box. You have
idea of the murderous and dreadful threats con-
stantly hear And, as i said in the beginning, "God
pity US if Cleveland is elected" To the honor of
the coored be 1t sail that desperately poor
although they put forth every effort to bride voters.
You do not know no - dreadfully these colored men
feel at the insult to their There IL prOtec-
ton, no justice for the colored man here, Large
numbers OF them, since the election. have announc.
ed their determination to go to south Florida, where
their rights are in many places more respected,
owing to northern immigration. My cook, u very
sensible old colored woman. feels so outraged she
says she thinks she will Ro.too. de not blame them.
The North made fatal mistake in dealing with the
south as it did after the and in neglectng to
protect the negro in his rights after he free. Ny
husband has just come in with the figures of the
county vote. The republican majority 6s5
actually cast, but by tissue ballots and fraud the
county is 2fl democratic, thus making Il change of
926 votes. What done in this county was done
in every county in the State. At Madison Bourbon
Democrats, disguised, made raid on the inspectors
OF election while counting the vote after shutdown,
firing pistols, and drove off the inspectors aud burn
ed the ballot boxes ballots and ALL three of the
the democrats went around to each of the men
whom they refused to allow to vote and told them If
they would vote the democratic ticket they would
see that they could vote.'