National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-09-24

The official returns Of the recent farce
Democratic majority of 10000, which
might readily have been raised TO $4,000 Tor
Any higher number had there been occasion
for such display Of enterprise. There is
good reason for the belief that, II fair
election were permitted in that state, the
Republicans would be in majority. The
Democrats have furnished the evidence on
which this belief rests, for, II they really
had majority, they would not take the
trouble to resort to bulldozlng and fraud
We assume-aud, perhaps, the assumption
flatters the Arkansas Democrats-that they
would not commit outrages just for the
love Of diabolism. To show the spirit OF
these Democrats their chief organ, the
Little Rock Democrat, declares in buster
ing, Bourbon fashion: "This is white
mans country; the white man has made 1t
what it is, and he 'intends to rule and
govern it," How they rule 1t is explained
by the st. Louis Globe Democrats
II is definitely shown that in lafayette coun.
ty, for example, where there is known Re
publican majority, bands Of armed rn1l
marched up to the principal polling places
after the voting was finished and compelled
the judges to deliver to them the ballot boxes,
poll.books, aud tally-shcets, which they car
ried away and burned. thus absolutely nullify-
ing the votes Of some COO or 700 free and honest
citizens. The only excuse made for this ont
rageous proceedings is that the Republican
candidate for circuit clerk one DR.. j. L. CHS
holm, nephew ofthe Judge Chisholm who was
in fnT,ff in do al
speeches during the canvass denouncng mob
rule and demanding fair and peaceable
election. No claim is made that the Rcpub-
licAns violated tho law In any particular, or
hat the votes as polled were incompetent or
fraudulent ones. II was simply determined
that the vote of Lafayette county, being Re-
publican by about two to one, should not be
counted. And this is only one Of many such
instances. The Democratic policy throughout
the state was to suppress Republican votes
whenever they could possibly influence the
result, or whenever twas thought desirable on
any account to make pretense OF Democratic
gain. In short, the election as a whole was q
deliberate farce and mockery
Almost ''solitary and alone" like Col.
Benton when he offered his expunglng
resolution, the NATIONAL REPUBLICAN has
contended for honest elections-for resto-
ration of the federal government to legiti-
macy. More than one Republican news
paper has shown the white feather aud
cringed under the "bloody shirt" clamor OF
the Democratic and Mugwump press
Cowardice has been painfully apparent in
many Republican communities. But a
good cause-so good cause as that o
honest government by means Of fair cleo
tions--cannot be fatally damaged by the
temporary Generalization of its friends
The Republican press is beginning to see
the line Of duty, and is preparing to take
hold Of the great struggle that must be
made II II government Of the people is ever
TO be restored. Foremost among the great
journals Of the northwest In exposing the
infamies by which minority rule is main
tained is the st. Louis lObe-Democrdt,
from which VIC quote these truthful and
impressive words;
The simple truth is, as bluntly expressed
by the Little Rock organ, that the Democratic
party OF Arkansas is white mans party not
merely, but a party for the benefit only o.
white men who vote the Democratic ticket
II is not the negro vote alone that is intimi
dated and suppressed; the tens of thousands o
white Republicans In the state are arbitrarily
and shamefilly deprived of their just right
and compelled to submit to the perversons o
the true meaning and design Of republic
government which makes them practlcall,
aliens, instead Of free and recognized citizens
The Democratic journals Of the north may
think to eyade discussion of these things by
crying "bloody shirt" but tho facts eanno
thus be kept from the people Of the country
1t Is very evident that buldOzing has not ye
ceased in the south, ana that the determine
tion to keep that section solid for the Demo
cratic party Is not less strong and unscrupulOu
than 1t has always been. The merest tyrO IL
politics can understand at q glance, IL there
were no other evidence to such effect, that
Democratic majority of almost 1000 in Ar
kansas in an ordinary state election, wherea
majority of only 22,OOO was cast for CLEVELAND
two years ago. must imply gross and extensive
rascality; and when 10 this is added tn
abundance Of positive proof to that etIoc
which is being daily produced the matter as
Eumes an aspect of brazen enormity that ha
had few, II any parallels, even in the wors
days OF southern contempt for the purity OF TN
ballot box and the demands of political lnteg
TiiyRnd propIiely.
Perhaps the most painful exhibition o
hypocrisy ever presented 10 the American
people is the pretense Of reform by an ad