Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-01-26
Bzilp Anr,1tbtf 5ournal.
Aneusts. Saturday Morning, Jan. 20.
rhe Ballot i'm the south.

in the senate by Senator Sherman, will
doubtless result in an investigation into
the recent political outrages in Virginia
and Mississippi. Though the senate
shows no haste to adopt the resolutions,
there can scarcely be doubt that they
will be adopted at an earlyd day. OF course
there will be an outcry raised by the op-
position about waving the bloody shirt" ="
but that will not deter republicans fron
pressing tine investigation, as it Is their
duty to do.
If matters in relation to the ballot are
ever mended In the Southern States there
must be investigation and exposure Of the
lawless and outrageous methods by which
the minority in most Of those States sue
coed in defeating the majority a. the polls.
It will never do for the republicans to
give up the contest for fair and free bal
lot and an honest count. That would be
TO acknowledge republican government
. failure II would be an admission that
the will Of the majority cannot be main
tanned under our institutions. IL would be
TO consent 10 a form Of lawlessness that
strikes at the very foundation OF the gov
ernment. making our elections fraudulent.
and the bullet and knife supreme in the
control Of the government.
II Is true that all efforts thus far 70
have fair elections in the South have
failed. though they have been made with
good and honest purpose and with Jealous
endeavor. But because they have failed
there is all the greater necessity Of repeat
ing and rcdoubling efforts 10 extirpate the
wrongs affecting the ballot in the South.
The North must hammer away until the
obstacles 70 free and fair voting and an
honest count are shivered to pieces.
Slavery was abolished by persistent Ell
fort; an honest ballot can only be achieved
In the former slave holding States by
similar determination and perseverance.
The powerful resistance TO fair ballot
in the South only makes the evil more
threatening and dangerous. If it were
but one State that insisted upon controlling
elections by force the matter would be of
less importance but with every State
south ot Mason and Dixon's line resort
ing to outrage. violence and fraud TO pre-
vent fair expression of the voters at
elections. and to give the minority in
stead Of the majority the controlling power
in States, the subject is one OF the
greatest and most urgent Importance to
the Congress and people of the United
States.
II there are republicans who think this
question is of little importance. and may
be showed aside. and who feel sensitive
and timid when they are taunted with
waving the bloody Shirt" they grea-
ly misunderstood and mistake this
matter. and public sentiment in relation to
it. There is nothing more certain than
that agitation will continue in relation to
IL. that the feeling against it will increase
and spread aud take deeper root, and that
the question will be a leading issue be-
tween political parties so long as it exists
TO curse and threaten with destruction this
government. II Is one of those questions
which cannot be kept down. 1t needs no
argument to prove that democratic
methods OF carrying elections in the South
are wrong and dangerous to the country,
and ought to cease, and the longer they 20
on the more odious they will render them
selves and the more certain is their de-
struction if we would have a free and en-
during government.
When il comes to be we'll understood that
our government must fall or such election
methods he wiped out, the latter will sud-
denly 60. without much ceremony. We
trust the investigation set afoot by Sena-
tor Sherman will be thorough and impair
tial. and that republican Congressman will
never weary of laboring for the reign of
fair and free ballot and an honest count
The bill to repeal the iron-clad oath
which passed the House the other day.
and which MIR. Boutelle opposed. is likely