New-York tribune., 1884-12-05
ALABAMA ELECTION TRICKS.
HOW SOUTHERN MAJoRITIEs ARE MADE.
WHAT WAS PROVED IN THE CRAfG-sHELLEY CASE
CoUSTING-OUT BY WHOLESALE.

COUNTING-OUT BY WHOLESALE.
ley TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBuNgl
WAsuINGToN Dec. 1T is understood that kep-
resentatiyc Davis, Of Missouri, the Democratic
member of the Elections Committee who has charge
Of the contested election of Craig against
ShrIIcv of the IVth Alabama District, intends to
ask the House to consider the case at an early day.
Justce in this case has been tardy. and there can
be no excuse for further delay in view OF the TACT
that tho Elections Commttce-composed ot nlhe
Democrats and SIX Repubcans-reported five
months 90 in favor of seating Craig, the Republic
can contestant who was elected by majority OF
2 459 according to the committees showing, al
though the official vote as certified by the Aa-
bama Secretary of State, gave Shelley pretended
majority of nearly 3,UOO. single Democratic
member of the committee dissented from the report,
while eight Democrats and six Republicans sus-
tanned II. The report thus approved almost unan-
r,ouslv bv n committee, two-thirds of whose NOM
bors are Democrats may be called mp at any time
os nresentIng a question of the highest privilege
II is a brief but instructive, non-partlsan docu-
ment because it discloses one of the methods by
which the voice of Republican majority In the
South is supDre sed.
The Official vote as certified by the Secretary of
State stood as follows: For Shelley, 1859; for
Craig. 4435 and for Howe. 157. This result was
obtained by the boards of supervisors, who re-
iectcd the votes of fifteen strong Republican pre-
cincts in Dallas County which gave Craig 2,5O7
votes aud Shelley 81 votes; two precincts In Hale
Comfy which gave Craig 954 votes and Shelley
200 votes; nino precincts in Lowndes County
which gave Craig zoos votes and Shelley 271
votes and ten precincts in Wilcox County which
gave Craig 2O90 votes and Shelley PSI votes In
this way Craig was deprived of 1865 votes and
Shelley of S36 votes. OF the votes thus summar-
iIy and illegally rejected, the committee on the evil
dence submitted sustaining the returns of the pre-
cinct officers decided to count o. 23G which cast
for Craig and 6i7 for Shelley. The committee says
that the election laws of Alabama are fair aud
LIBERAL y that the highest court of the State has
decided that the person who receives the highest
number of votes must be declared elected, and that
his right is not impaired by any omission or neg
icence of the managers subs quen To the election"
Why then were the returns OF thirty-slx precincts
rejected on such protexts as thesef ihe poll INST Inst
| was not signed; " II was said the polls were not
| opened until after o'clock a. m; there was no
statement of the vote in the box the baliot-box
when returned had no lock, although " it was
| nailed up and sealed so secure that 1t had to be
pried open y; the statement of the vote was not
signed by the INSPECTORS because G the pGs Terg aG
| usually been held. These are fair samples Of the
reasons" for which the Democratic supervisors
| In four counties undertook to dsfranchise 1865
| Republicans and SO6 Democrats, in order that
| Democrat who was defeated by 1000 or 1000
majority might obtain seat in Congress and draw
| q salary TO which he Is not entitled.
| 1t is the custom of the Democratic Judges and
! Inspectors of Elections III strong Republican pre-
cncts IN that district to fail to appear a: the polls
! on election day. and the electors are compelled TO
| choose new officers and conduct the election IN
der these conditions. especially in precincts where
| nearly all the Republicans are negroes, 1t often
| happens that there is some informality 10 the re-
| turns of the election officers. No matter how
slight or immateral may be the Divergence from
the letter of the law. the Democratic returning
boards hasten TO take advantage OF it and stle the
voice of the voters The methods rebuked by the
election committee in the Shelley case were again
l.t~t th.4 rufG a.
| in the recent election. On n full vote and with
| fair count the district is Republican by not less
than TO- 600 majority, and yet the Democratic can
| ddate for Congress was declared elected by una
| joIityn of several thousand.