The western sentinel., 1888-12-13
THE ELECTION LAW SHOULD BE
AMEND ED.


So long as this is the case white
men viii stand by each other for
mutual protection, regardless of the
issues which divide the two great
parties in the nation
As long as the negro race votes so
Idly on one side so long may we ex-
pect to find the white race on the
other To do otherwise is to return
to condition worse than anarchy
and lower our self-respect to the dust.
This color line is not drawn by the
whites Within their breasts there
lives no feeling Of unkindness to the
blacks but they are determined that
this shall be white mans govern
ment. In the late election the color
line was drawn by the negroes in this
State with vigor and a bitterness
that was surprising. For instance, a
negro paper stated that any negro
who voted the Democratic ticket
ought to get forty lashes; a republi-
can meeting in this city was advertis-
edby bills bearing the words, COLOR
ED MEN TO THE 'FRONT.' THE SENTI-
MEL knows of several negroes in this
city who We're prevented from voting
the Democratic ticket by intimidation
and in all parts of the State there
were similar instances. The L. S.
Circuit court at Raleigh has just con-
victed a Republican negro for intim-
idating a negro who wanted to vote
the Democratic ticket.
Thus, the color-line being drawn
by the negroes, the white men cheer
fully accept the issue They have
said by Democratic majority of
over IA, 900 that North Cardinals
government belongs to the white
man.
While this is gratifying, still there
is great danger that byfraud, money
from the North, intimidation and
bribery that this State may one day
fall into the enemy's hands This
contingency may be remote, but
there are now many counties in the
State disgraced by negro rule. When
we say negro rule, we don't mean,
necessarily, that the officers are ne
gross but that the floating negro
vote elected the candidates of the Re
publican party against the almost
unanimous protest OF the white
men.
As an instance, We take Forsyth
county The Winston box decided
how the county would go and this
county decided the Congressional
contest. Hundreds of negroes, who
were not here six months ago and
many of whom are not here to-day,
assisted by only sIXTY-sEyEN WHITE
REPUBLICANS, carried this box, inflict-
ed on this county a set of officials
whom the white men didn want and
seated that littlejackanapes, Brewer,
in the G. S. Congress-
What was true in Forsyth was
true in some other counties and the
white men of these counties cry aloud
to the next Legislature for help
They do not believe it right that ne
groes, who are without local habita-
ttion, yet with two or three names,
shall overcome them
Like all honorable white men, they
do not wish to stoop to brib ry and
intimidation, such as is customary
with the Republican party, and they
ask for law which shall exclude
from voting the great mass of ne
groes who are here to-day and yon-
der tomorrow Let those who are
citizens vote, but don't ssallow hum
dreds to be colonized few days be-
fore the election and voted in acoun-
try where they haven't dollar and
for whose welfare they are indiffer-
ent.
The SENTINEL has before suggest
ed that the South Carolina election
law would be the thing, but there are
some sections of it which we do not
need From that law we prepare an
abstract of such sections as we think
: desirable
l. Every voter Emust register al
least 80 days before the election.
2 livery voter shall represent Ger
tifeate Of registration 1.-THE polls or
his vote is not cast This certificate
is given by the Supervisors Of elections
who are appointed in each county by
the Governor.
3. But one voter is allowed in the.
voting place at a time.
+ Each ballot box is plainly label
ed.
5. He must deposit his own ballot
folded. and 30 one except the election
officers are allowed to speak to him.
6. The officers if asked to do SO
must read to voter the labels of the
boxes.
7. A ballot in the wrong box does
not count
By section one we will get rid of ]
the vote of the floating population,
though the law should las does the
s. G. law) provide that if legal
voter has failed toregister before the
books are closed, he may establish
his right to vote by witnesses before