The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-02-13
DEMOCRATIC FRAUDS.
THE ELECTION OUTRAGES IN WASH
INGTON COUNTY, TEXAS.


Report OF the Senate hite
and Black Republicans Denied the Rights
of Citizens-Careful Revision of the Elec-
tion Laws Suggested by the Investiga-
tors.
Senator Evarts, from the Committee on
Privileges and Elections of the United
States Senate, has made a report to that
body Of the results Of the Investigations
into the alleged election outrages in
Washington County, Texas, of which the
following is an abstract:
The first conclusion the committee reaches is
that the aveIm mt OF the petitioners as TO their
situation in their homes in Texas, and the oc-
casiou OF their being compelled TO flee from
them, are in substance and effect sustained by
| the evidence. AS to the suppression OF the vote
Mt the Chapel Hill districts, the committee
thinks il ia chargeable TO the leaders OF the
opposition ticket, and in their interest, with
the motive TO discourage and suppress the Re-
publican vote there. and 10 the colored Repub-
lican voters being unwilling to expose them
selves to the fate which visited upon the
colored judges OF election at Chapel Hill. In
1891, at tho Llewelyn polls, Devices Bolton
who headed n raiding parry that enteret the
30 ling precinct in disguise for the purpose OF
destroying the ballot box, was shot and killed
The report says: All in tie room fed at once In
dismav, and TIE dead man was eft alone, uncared
for, lie lay, al night the lamp burning bright
ly. Toward morning Presiding Judge Robinson
persuaded al aged ccorel man. neighbor AL
fred Jones. to leave the sick bed of his wife and
go with him 10 the scene OF the homicide, on the
plegfthat he was afraid TO go alone. This man
had no knowledge Of the bloody occurrence I'M
Til informed of II 10y Robinson. but their visit TO
the dead body, VIII CHI had been untouched the
inspection of the corpus deficit. and observa-
| tion OF the scene of tho transaction, cost him
his LIE. This made hun IA witness OF the dis
guise and the murderous weapon OF Bolton and
the manner OF his fall. When afterward an at
tempt WAS TO be made TO make out Bolton as
unsrned and undisguised and an Innocent and
peaceful visitor to tho polling place, and slain
Dv unprovoked violence OF the colored men, Al
fred was arrested, put in jail, and hung upon no
conceivable incentive but to make away with
his testimony.
As TO the murder OF the two Joneses and Eel
der by IA mob, who took them out of Jail at
Prenham and hanged them the oommittee says,
Hf er reviewing the testimony. These murders
were each committed uron the motive ana in
the nterest OF the policy and purpose that hal
countenanced and caused the raids on the bal
lot-boXes at that election. the sacrifice OF
these worthy and blameless lives was demand
ed fer the suppression of their evidence, which
would have demonstrated the death OF Bolton
"a Detailing him in the act OF a preconcerted at
tack upon the balot-UoN at Llewellyn to de-
feat he election Of the Republican ticket The
co Emittee cannot find any escape from this
conclusion upon the whole body and weight OF
the testimony The whole evidence before the
commi tee shows that no attempts were made
by the authorities OF the county of Washington
or OF the ate OF Texas TO bring to Indictment,
trial, or shment any Of the actors in sew
eral frauds on the balot.Doxes ut the election OF
1856. No such Al tempt has been made in respect
Of the outrage on the ballot-box and the eh jot-
ing Of the colored judges CT election nj Chapel
Hill in the elect ion of 1884. The wrath of this
community was all excited and was all visited
upon the white and colored Republicans. who
had strven at the polls TO assert the will OF the
majority to decide by thei votes aud the can
vnss or them the y nding election.
In conclusion, the committee says: This
actual case presents not unfairly the features
that illustrate the pol teal disorders which
aifiict portions OF our country where the popula-
ton is ut all nearly divided between white and
coored citizens. These disorders do not alone
disturb and threaten the good fame and security
OF the neighbC rhoods where they occur, nor OF
the states within whose borders these disastrous
mischiefs pass unchecked, unredres sed and
condemned. They tend to weaken and set back
the sincere desire OF the country at large TO OBJ
lterate all distinctions as between geographical
or political divisions In the prevalence of JUS
tice, peace, goodwill, and equality OF right in
discussing and solving all tho problems which
affect the welfare of this great ople. No greater
element for the founda ion of sound public
opinion can be sucges'e ed than that Il wider and
wi Tor spread should be given TO a knowledge of
and interest in tho real nature Of this and
similar procc edings whereverithey may occur.
Brought into the liz hit where a thousand intel
| LICENCES may h TN upon il the truth will surely
| force these OWLS am dangers, anywhere in this
country, and their conse Iuen es, upon the con-
| science and the responsibility OF the whole poo
| pie Many miscarrinees many Shortcomings
| in reaching complete success in the effOr OF
| the Executive Government for the protection of
the cleo i've franchise may be looked upon by the
people Of tho country with an indulgent temper.
| But the abscLce OF such efforts, or a langud
! prosecution OF Thorn, will not long be tolerated
\ by public opni n or left unyisited by political
/ condemnation
| The committee recommends tho careful re-
vision of the existing laws regulating elections
Of members OF Congress, and nm exam nation OF
/ the proposed legislation pertinent to the same
| subjects, which has been propose i'm Congress-
| with the view Of providing for n more com p etc
protection of The exercise OF the elective
| franchise by act OF Congress- and more efficient
| provisions for the punishment OF offenses
against it.
| esolution adopted by the committee to
| enable il 20 carry into effect the recommends
| tions of the report accompanied It,