Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-12-18
Voting in Virginia.
HOW NEGRO REPUBLICAN VOTERS WE'RE
pIsFRANcHIsED AT LYxCHBuRc.



pIsFRANcHlsEp AT LYNCHBuRc.
lCorrespondence Chicago InserOceaa.
On the evening Of election day your cor
respondent being in the city of Lynchburg,
strolled to one Of the polling places, sim
ply to see how the thing was done-how .
town With three or four hundred registered
Republican majority can be made to give
from 800 to 600 Democratic, and yet oil
be satisfied with its seeming fairness.
The voters, white and colored, each stood
in two long lines, heading from different d.
rections, the colored being fully four times
larger than the white. The Judge, whose
take one from each rank alternately. II
was very observable that when 4 white per-
son presented his ballot h. name wss an
nounced and the folded ticket vas dropped
into the box without comment.
IL Was also observable that in the hour
yet remaining every vote present could be
polled but it was also equally observable
that such was not the purpose of the Of
fcials conducting the election of that pre-
cinct. They wanted oil the white votes in.
knowing that eight-tenths of them were
Democrats. As a b,stander said, "They
can stand the few white Republican, but
IL was desirable TO exclude IS many Of the
colored column rs possible. The ballots Of
the first two colored men offering to vote AZ
ter had secured favorable position 10 see
the show were received without comment
and quietly deposited, as they were too well
known personally TO many present 10 qulb-
bic over. "Besidss," as the same bystauder
observed, lone of them generally votes the
Democratic ticket" When the next colored
man presented his ballot the following col
loquy ensued
What did you say Was YOUR name 10
quired the Judge.
John Campbell
Where do you liye''
Jefferson street
do you own the house you live in -
mo. only rent"
Who do YOU rem, from Z
lis he a white man ?"
Yes, sir"
Il. he married or single ?"
Don't know, SIR
ado you pay your rem, promptly ?"
"les, try 10 do SO"
What rent do YOU pay ?"
Three dollars per month"
What rent house for s. per month /?
don't believe that. Guess YOU have been
living from the start. S,snd aside until a
policeman comes. Must investigate this
before YOU can vote. Don't want any
fraud here, to-day. and don't intend TO have
any; want TO have fair election, and am
bound TO have it,
A policeman with a big on his face
step. up and punches the negro with the
end OF his locust baton, and away they 10
in the direction of the river for the negro
TO fix his status If he can. The next col
ored man in the line now presents his tick
ct, but the Judge, pretending not To oh
serve the movement, reaches for the ballot
OF the nearest white IN An, which vas handed
in and silently deposited. The coiored man
a; the head of the column again extended
his ballot. Cant take II the other
fellow is entitled TO vote before you. don't
intend he shall lose his vote If he has one.
SAID the Judge, who wanted a far election.
A general smile Of approval along the
white line followed this very fair" d-cis-
ion, and about thirty white men ran in their
ballots at lightning express speed. when the
policeman and his dusky charge again
doomed up and the voter WAS pronounced
"sll right; he rints room on JIti,son
street, and he's the mon be ripreslnts him
self" His ballot was deposited.
Three white and t~o colored men nov
hand in their ballots, Y hIch are taken with
out comment, but when the next colorrd
man offered to vote the Judge inquired
a.Ika, -
John Earle. sir"
Where do YOU work 2"
AT -fsc;ory."
Are YOU the same man that Was arrested
for ar assault in Liberty when Robinson
circus va. there ?"
"les, sir. | am."
Then YOU can't vote You were convicted
and fined, and that disfrsnchises YOU" said
the Judge. ~ho was determined 10 have
far" election.
NO, Judge, YOU are mistaken. said al
old gentleman who was present, "the law
does not disfranchise except for felony or
petit larceny, and he was only convicted Of
an assault and therefore Is not dis
franchised.'
Il know the Law, and when want your
advice III ask il"
Then" said the gentleman, YOU are
DISTINGUISHED also. for last spring you were
fined for an assault"
This was shot the worthy Who wanted
a fair" election was not prepared for. and
he meek!y said:
We'll | believe have go, it mixed.
You can vote. I'll take the ballot; but.
Clerk" turning TO thsg person, marx the
vote challenged.
Several ballots from both columns ~ere
now quickly received, when = dapper look
ing, genieelly dressed ,ouag negro handed
up ballot.
"iour name -
James Green, SIR" politely raising HI.
hat
Where do you live whs;r. your age?
You look too Young for a votef. What is
your business" we're fred in quick sue
cession.
School teacher, sir"
Where did YOU last teach school? 2"
"Over the river in Amherst county, sir
when did your school close p
"ln April last, sir"
Then you have no vote. You have not
been a year in the county. Stand aside,
sir"
"You are again wrong, Judge" said the
old gentleman above referred TO. HE has
only to be in the State one year anG in the
county three months. He has been in the
State all his life and in this county since
April. and being duly registered has .
vote"
Don't agree with you Dir. Here, police
man, 20 and find q lawyer and bring him
here. | want this thing fairly settled. If
you have a vote, I'll see that you put it in.
I'm here for that purpose. What want is
for everybody to say the election al the pre-
cinct was fair one. You just wait Jeems,
until he gets back"
Again the white ballots fell like snow
fakes in the box. the long black line stood
undiminished while the few brief minutes
left we're fas; slipping away.
At length the policeman returned with
the information that Mr.. W-would be
down directly. The ballots in the white
line were about all in when the limb Of the
law leisurely strolled up and inquired "what
was wanted" The case being stated he
called for the Law, and pretended to be hunt