The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-22
Ohio.

dental Canvass. The most modest of
their estimates did not fail below 15, 600
majofityand many claimed thatit would |
reach $4,000. On the day before the |
election that arch enemy to an uncor- |
rupted ballot, the present head of the
Pension Bureau, telegraphed g. S. Mar
shall Pitkin, who had been doing some
campaign work in Ohio but who had re-
turned to his home in Louisiana, that
ROBINSON, the Republican candidate for
Secretary of State, would be elected by
$1,000 majority. But how is it when
the votes have been counted? Instead
of majority of 5000 ROBINSON re-
ceiyed /, l26 votes less than majority,
or Is, 126 votes less than DUDLEY said
he would receive. True, ROBINSON was
elected, but he was elected by plurality,
and that plurality was considerably less
than the majority which DUDLEY pre-
dicted. To be exact, the total vote was
80, 1873; of which Robson received
3S9, 613, and NEWMAN, the Democratic
nominee, 378, 292-the Prohibition and
Greenback vote aggregating 12,447
From this it will be seen that ROBIN
soN's plurality, or the difference between
his vote and NEwMAN's is II, 321. To ap-
preciate the significance of these figures
it should be noted that of the aggregate
Democratic and Republican vote
767, 916-it required attraction over fifty
per centum to elect, and that the Repub-
licans polled less than fifty-one per
centum and the Democrats more than
fOrty-nine per centum. a change of
less than eight-tenths of one per centum
of this vote, or less than eight votes in a
thousand, would have given the State
to the Democrats. We have been thus
explicit in showing the relative strength
of the two parties, because jim consider
| ing the effect of an election where the
aggregate vote is SO large, the difference
between the elected and defeated ticket,
when stated in its simplest form, is apt
to be misleading.
We are not discouraged by the result
in Ohio Heretofore we have had little
faith in the strength of the Democratic
party in that State. In presidential
years it has always gone for the Re
publican ticket, and by an average
majority of more than 10000. Now,
however, we believe that majority of
voters in Ohio are Democratic, and that
the pitiful plurality about which our
opponents pretend to be so jubilant, is
the result of fraud and force. 1t would
have been barren victory to them if
everything had been fair and honorable,
but as the means used to carry the
election become known it is seen that
the declared result is but the culmina-
tiOn of scheme to carry the election at
all hazards. That the United States
Marshal acted in appointing his depu-
ties, as the agent of the chairman of the
Republican party; that he appointed
none but Republicans, and that he
declined to appoint un exceptionable
Republicans, are statements which have
been freely made and not denied
These deputy marshals were appointed
by the hundreds and thousands and
they were armed and sent to the polls
for the purpose of overawing the voters.
They were a disreputable and graceless
set of seoundrels, many of them being
nonresident negroes.
Has it come to this, that clique OF
oficeholders will be allowed to use the
machinery of the government to keep
themselves in place? In Mississippi we
have had a bitter experience growing
out Of elections carried at the point of
the bayonet The attitude Of he gov
eminent then was justified and upheld
because OF alleged disloyalty in the
South. But now we see in the loyal
State of Ohio, not soldiers surrounding
the polls and intimidating the voters,
but civilians armed with deadly weapons
and clothed with the power to arrest at
discretion.
1t was Mr.. TILDES, if we mistake not,
who said that the opposition to the Re
publican party, to be successful, must
start into the canvass with a majority of
one-fourth of million votes. But Mr..
TILDEN was thinking of the power that
the patronage of the administration
gave, and not of the power of armed
deputy marshals. If such conduct ON
the part of these officials as was wit
messed in Cincinnati, be submitted to in
all the States, a little majority like
fourth of million would be as moth
ing.
The question for the people to decide
is, whether they will tolerate such high
handed and red-handed outrages. How
will it be in Indiana? In Illinois? In
New York? In New Jersey? In Missis-
sippi elections cannot be carried by dep
uty marshals. We send this greeting
to our friends in the North.
1t is such a common thing to hear it
said that "our liberties are threatened"
and that ''the Republic is tottering"
that such uttersnces are generally called
"spread.eagle," and give no serious
alarm. But VIC wish here to put our
selves on record as believing that the
corrupt gang, of which Mr.. BLAINE is
the head, would rather carry the coming
election by deputy marshals than to lose
it, and that if the people Of the North /
who oppose him will act as the Demo
Gratis in Ohio acted, he viii carry the
election by deputy marshals.
Once when Democratic President
was elected NE were first bullied and
then cheated, and now when We have
ballots and men enough to elect another
it is proposed to bully and cheat again.
Men of Mississippi, by what majority
shall we rehnke these desperate
schemers?
The Outlook at Home.
During the past week the chairman Of
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