The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-17
A GIGANTIC FRAUD.

SRascaIIy Methods by which It Is Sought
10 Keep . Republican Out of Congress.
Special to Cincinnati Commercial Gazette
s The House has an interesting political debate
before it if the contested election of Smalls
against Elliott Of South Carolina. is ever al
lowed to come up This case embodies all the
features OF notification in State where the
vote in 1886 was reduced to 39.072 from 90.6S9
in 1884 and 12l, 1893 IN 1882. There has been no
desire manifested in the COMMITTEES TO take up
the Smails case, although seven other contested
election cases have been considered, and it is ey-
ident that nothing will be done until all have
been reported and acted upon in the House. No
one who has read the testimony who knows
anything about the Seventh congressional dis
trict Of South Carolina, known the black
DISTRICT" composed of counties and parts Of
counties, thirty-seven in number, with regis
tered colored Republican vote Of 5000. will be-
Eeve for one moment that the negro
Republicans Of this district would send
20 represent them, even if Mr.. Snals bad not
been candidate. The "black district" was pur-
poselv by thro wing into one district those
counties and portions Of counties heavily popu-
lated by the eoored people. and in which, In
numbers, they preponderate twenty to one over
the white people. It was expected and intended
thati would always be represented by colored
man. or by one 10 political accord with tn ne
gro According to the Democratic official
returns of the supervisors on the evening Of the
che election of Nov. 2 1856, the vote for the Sew
enth (Smalls'sl district stood as follows:
For Robert Smalls: In Beaufort county,
Brick Charch, 545; Berkeley county, Brick
Church, 25I Grisr g precinct Brick Cnurcn. 90;
Santee precincs. Brick Church, 2l2; Cedar Creek
precinct, Brick Church, &c. Sandy leland pre-
cnct Brick Church. 49, Orangeburg county,
Fort Motto, Brick Church, 236
For William Elliott: Beaufort county, Brick
Church, As; Berkeley county, Brick Church,
none; Brick Episcopal Church. Brick Church, 8;
precinct Brick Church. none; Sandy Island pre-
cinct. Brick Church. none; Oraneeburg county,
Fort Motto. Brick Church. SO.
The board of county canvassers failed and re-
fused TO count and include in the returns made
b. them 10 the State board the whole number of
legal votes cast, canvsssed and returned by the
boards Of elections as shown above, and thus
1873 legal votes cast for Mr.. Smalls were
fraudulently omitted from the count, while
Elliott. by the same fraudulent and illegal
means, was deprived of only liz votes
At GrAhamsville, in Beaufort county, the
managers of the elections being ali partisans
and supporters of Elliott and acting illegally in
his interest, deliberately refused to count forty
nire legal votes found In the box. one of which
was for Elliott and forty eight for Smals. under
the pretext that the ballots were mutilated.
The Greenvile Daily News. Democrats. pub
lished at Greenville, S. c., commenting upon
this, says: I'VE do not believe the Democratic
party Of this section will accept tho response
bility for this election, and we know it ought
not to do it
THE facts and figures will be brought out and
put before the world. and il the Democrats in
Congress give Colonel Elliott the seat they will
be held before the world a. aiding and abettine
a crime and receiving results The harm is not
only in the future This election destroys the
work Of years. We have claimed persistently
that all the doubtful methods have used in
elections were justihable being necessary for
self preservation, to defend our families from
barbarian and corruption. That claim is just
and true and on it have won federation and
sympathy. Now enemies-and have
plenty of khem-will point to this election az
evidence that we have beer lying and will cite
it's wantonness TO prove that have been in
spired only by greed for power. and the deter
ninaton to deprive the negro of political rights.
Colonel Elliott does not represent the 81. 900
Repu blicans Of the Seventh congressional dis
trict of South Carolina in any sense, and fair
and impartial examination of the circumstances
surrounding his so-called election will develop
the fact that the methods employed TO capture
SmAllss seat reprehensbe as they are dis
honest. and that his election IS a miserable
blunder and moral wrong At tbs last con-
gressional apporttonment OF South Carolina the
Seventh district cocceded to the Republic
ans. Smalls had carried it in 1884 by a vote of
e08I 10 a. $780, but Elliott returned in 1886
by a vote Of G, 493 to 1861 for Smals. This was
. sample of the voting done. The Democrats
majority In the House and the COMMITTEES on
contested elections certainly will not in the face
of this gigantic fraud, this uncomfortable evil
dence OF corruption, bribery and intimidation,
permit Colonel Elliott to hold the seat which his
own party and party journals declare was OBJ
tanned By questionable methods, and without
raa mr. ~