Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-26
THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 26. 1885
Mahone and Ear Elections.

Malone and air Elections
General MALONE had hardly begun his
speech at Abingdon last Monday before he
declared that he was in favor Of free bal
lot and fair count. This declaration was
made for northern consumption 1t
could not have been intended TO influence
the vote Of any Virginian, white or black.
II there were no other reason for charging
him with opposition to all election methods
except such as result in the success OF his
candidates and his schemes, we might cite
rs an all-suiiicient foundation for the
charge the fact that he would. if he could,
put the men who cast Intelligent votes
nnder the control If the mon who
vote in ignorance and rs directed by
enemies TO the peace and prosperity
of the State. Is it not clear
case that nobody can be really concerned
rs 10 the purity of the ballot-box who does
oil that be can 10 eli 1t with ballots depo-
sitcd by ignorant negroes totally incapable
Of exercising the right Of suffrage intelli-
gently II has often been said that the
greatest political crime that was ever
committed in this country. If not the
greatest ever committed in the world, was
the enfranchiscment Of the negroes, or, to
use more truly descriptive phrase, was
the corruption of the ballOt-bOX IN the
United States. But for the fact that all
southern men were accustomed TO rule
and their long training III governmental
affairs the southern people would not have
been able 10 surmount the obstacles thus
placed in the way of the progress Of the
car Of good government. 1t was because
~ General SCHOTTTLD said, the peo-
pie of Virginia knew how to govern
themselves that they so soon successfully
emerged from the ruins Of their grand
snte-bellum Government and began to
year q new governmental edifce out of the
materials placed az their disposal by their
enemies. l. 1t not evident. therefore, that
General MALONE plays the hypocrite when
he pretends to be concerned for the purity
of the ballot-hoX.
General MAuosE's record bears corrobo-
Tativo testimony TO the truth Of the charge
we have brought against him. In 1876 he,
"a chairman of the Democratic orGaniza-
ton Of the Fourth congressional district
and as president of the Democratic Cam
paign Club having its headquarters at Pc
tersburg issued u circular III the words
following:
Rooms CONSERVATIVE CAMPAIGN CLUD,
FoURrH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
PETERSBURG. Va, October 4. 1876. }
Dear Sir The President directs me to in
form you that oil the election tickets TO be
used by the Conservatives of your county
on the eth Of November next Will Toe fur
nished by this club and requests that YOU
Will not obtain OF allow any others to be
used This Is done with the sanction OF
the State Committee. Please notify your
superintendent ut once.
Respectfully,
JONI J. CAMPBELL, Secretary.
This circular was innocent enough 80 far
rs all that appeared upon the surface was
concerned, but not SO in fact. II was the
precursor of the tissue ballots soon after
wards issued from Petersburg. The Nor
folk Landmark saws it was 1.-THE peculiar
conception of the gentleman who now de-
mands clean methods at elections" and
also says
The tickets furnished by Malone were
a little larger than a pOStage-stamp. HIS
method Of cheating the negro was simple
but effective. II was TO stun the box with
tissue ballots, ten of them bong voted by
each of has trusty henchmen and the law
recurring the number of votes 10 CORE
sp6nd to the poll. to cause one of his picked
Judges TO be blindfolded, IN conformity
with the process prescribed, who would
Of course draw ont the large, or negro bal
lots. and leave MahOne's tissue ballots III
the box 10 be counted"
That is one proof that MALONE cares
nothing for a free ballot" Here IS
another: In 1881 he wouldn't allow his
candidates for the Legislature to be free,
nor those who elected them 10 cast ." free
ballot" Here is a copy of the pledge he
required of his candidates:
Il hereby pledge myself to stand by the
ReadjusteI party and platform, and to 90
into caucus with the Readjuster members
of the Legislature that meets AZ Richmond,
and vote for all measures, nominees. and
candidates to be elected 10y the Legisla-
ture as the caucus may agree upon"
What roaring farce it is for the man
20 pretend to favor fair elections who
would have no candidate except such as
signed that pledge 10 be chosen as our
lawmakers. A &" free ballot" lndeedl
Again: As we said ten days ago MALONE
is flooding the State with circulars telling
his colorod cohorts what they are TO do. or,
as the Yankee who writes his circulars
phrases it, what they want" to do. He
offers each negro who shall hunt mp voters
and have them registered seventy-fye
cents day and FIVE cents for each voter
registered. and is willing to pay three ne
groes at a single voting-place. Is this in
direct method of bribing the poor negroes
proof that MALONE favors free bal
lott?
Thus we might go through MAHoNE's
Abingdon speech and show, as we said in
the beginning of this article, that he com
posed it for the benefit of the northern Re-
publicans, especially those of them who
have money to invest in southern cleo
pioneering campaigns.