Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-10-15
Southern Methods Dissecled.


agitation for equal political rights in the
South has been commenced none too
soon. The revelations made by this ell
ouuent representative of the colored
race are sufficient in themselves to con-
vince every honest American citizen
that the stand taken by Senator Sher-
man and other eminent Republicans
throughout the country, against South
ern aggression and fraud finds justifca-
tion in stern and unansUerable facts.
Mr.. Lynch pointed out that the colored
men entitled to suffrage in Mississippi
exceed the white voters to the extent of
10000. At least one-third of the whites
are Republicans from principle, while
less than one+teth of the colored suf+
fragistss are. Democrats. Notwith-
standing this preponderance in favor of
the Rpublieans. Mississippi last fall re-
turned nine Democratic electors for
Grover Cleveland, and a full Democrat
ic delegation to Congress. How it is
possible to convert strong Republican
State into Democratic one was the
burn Of Mr.. Lynch's speech. He lifted
the veil and turned the strong light of
truth upon the mass of outrage and
fraud through which the South is held
in bondage to the Democratic party.
The famous shoe-string district in which
be resides has clear Republican major
ity of $4,000. In 1872 Gen. Grant car
ried Mississippi by 10000 majority, and
Mr. Lynch carried bis district by 5000
for Congress. In that year be says there
was an honest election. In 1874 he was
reelected by 231 majority. In account
ing for this difference, Mr.. Lynch de
clares that the Democrats were then
Just learning how to carry elections
without votes" Later on they had BET
come adopts in fraud, and at the next
Congressional election they managed to
count him out by figuring up majority
against him of 1900. In 1880 he carried
his district by 10000, but, as he says,
that didn't give him the seat to which
he was elected. The election returns
had to pass through the hands of a
Democratic returning board, which man.
aged to figure his majority down to 900.
Determined on beating Lynch at all
hazards, they found that in one Republi-
can county the ballots bore printers
dash which should not have been there,
and this was made an excuse for throw
ing out the vote of the entire county.
Mr.. Lynch was given his seat by Re-
publican House. but he has been elected
twice to Congress since 1SSO,and fraudu-
lently counted out each time. Mr..
Lynch pointed out the easy methods
through which such outrages against
those of the North are perpetrated. He
says that under the State law the Gov>
ernor, Lieutenant Governor, and Secre>
tary of State constitute a returning
board, and are all Democrats. They ap-
point the county returning board, and
these in turn appoint the election Off
GERS. The last can always be relied
upon to commit technical errors in Re-
publican counties, thus furnishing the
county and State boards with an excuse
for throwing out the vote. Mr.. Lynch
illustrated this method as follows: A
precinct in Washington county cast 500
Republican and only so Democratic
votes. One of the three election officers
purposely neglected to sign the eertifi-
cate and the returns were thrown out.
This same county of Washington has
5000 eolored and 1000 white voters. At
the election last fall it.was determined
that the county should go Democratic,
although it contains only one Democrat
ic precinct. Mr.. Lynch says that in this
precinct the Republicans voted open
tickets in the presence of the United
States supervisor OF elections, and the
latter, to make sure of of his own ticket,
scratched off the printed name of Mr..
Lynch and wrote it again with pencil.
The DemOcrotic judges carried the box
with them when they went to supper,
and when it WAS returned and the votes
counted the tickets had been changed
and heavy Democratic majority secu-
red. Even the marked ticket of the SUI
pervisor was missing. In this way Mis-
IsisSippi was carried for Cleveland, and
similar inStrumentalities were used to
give him the electoral votes of South
Carolina, Alabama, and Louisiana. Mr.
Lynch tells the simple truth when he
declares that these States would be
heavily Republican provided fair elec.
tions could be secured. 1t is the meth
DDS held up to public gaze by Mr.. Lynch
against the Republicans of Ohio and the
whole country protest. They are anti
Americon and dangerous to popular in
stitutions. If elections are to be carried
by fraud, then our election system is a
farce and our free government a mere
mOckery. But Democrats cry out against
agitating in favor of honest elections in
the South, and denounce any allusion to
the subject as waving of the bloody
shirt,and renewal of the animosities of
the war. Mr.. Lynch, however, voices
the honest sentiment of the country
when he says that the Republican party
is right in insisting, bloody shirt or no
bloody shirt, that every man beneath the
flag shall have the right to vote as he
pleases and have his ballot counted
Cleveland Leader, 7th
California Justice.
Country justice of peace (speaking to
prisoner)-Are you guilty or not guilty !?