The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-17
POLITICS AND THE PULPIT.
Preachers Create q Sensation in Charlotte
I by Discussing Bribery at Elections.

Preachers Create Sensation in Charlotte
/. by Discussing Bribery at Elections.
CHARLOTTE, January l3.-The week
of prayer, which has been conducted
here by different city pastors and just
closed, has brought before the public
some things that a'e causing consider
able sensation in church circles. The
last meeting was led by the Rev: A. &.
McManaway, of the Ficst Baptist
Church. Other city pastors occupied
seas id the pUIpi:. The subject for
discussion was thai Of Reform"
Mr.. McManaway, during his re-
marks, touched upon tue reform OF the
ballot-box. He dwelt quite at length
on the subject: declaring that coifup-
ton of the ballot-box was crvlrg evil
'.Bribery,n said Mr.. McManaWay, s
practiced ateve:y electicn;jt is com mon
ja New York. it is common IN South
Carolina, it is com!non IN North Caro-
lima, it is common in Mecklenoerg
Counts aod right here in The City OF
Charlotte. We cannot hold an elec-
Jon witbout somebody using money to
buy votes" -,
lemedr Mr.. McManaway said
that ere.v man who accepts b'':oe
should be djsfranch:seu, and toe man
piv;Dg the bribe should be allowed 20
Yes,;fv aga;nst h:m and go unmoles, ed.
Going on in this slra;l 20: awhile, this
reverend gentleman created quite a
sensation IA The chu,ch When Ne.
McAjanaway sat dowo, the Rev. W..
r. Atkinson, principal OF the Presby-
,e-ian Female College, took the floor.
Nj. Atkinson fully endorsed Mr.. Nc
Manawav's remarks on bribery at the
polls, and said that only last Thu 'sday
be was astonished to see great num-
ber of negroes hanging around the
polls, waiu:ng to sell their votes for or
against abroad subscription. Mr.. At
kinson said that there was no doubt In
bis miud that the result was largely
affected bvbriberv.
Cen. Rufus Ba cringet, stiong local
option advocate, was the next TO get
the floor, and in his remarks he capped
the climax, afle; which The meeting
closed si.ae die. Gen. Barr niger said
that he ag:eed with The other speakers
on The question Of bribery. He knew
it was impossible to have pure ballot
bo:; under the present laws. 1t is lot
politicians alone, said he, who buy
woes, Neither are all bribers strictly
imnlocal men. Different classes OF
men secure vo es bv bribery. An in
stalce coming under m,y own obse:va-
ion was at lie lasG election here on
the local op,iOn question. / attended
a caucus Of ieods o. the cause where
the quest on Of Duy;ng voves, was dis
cussed, and what was my coDsterna-
Iion to find that it was carried almost
unani nously in the affirmative. My
a,nazement was SILL greater when |
observed that the meeting was largely
composed of pi ointment church mem.
bers, among whom were elders OF This
| very church, wlo voted that money be
used to buy votes in order to carry the
election 10 favor of prohibition.
This meeting was the most se3sa-
| tional ever held in a church here. II
| was hoped at first to keep he proceed.
logs from the public, but The Chronicle
pri ats them under big headlines Today
| THE SAME STEAM IN NEW YORK.
NEW YORK. January l3.-Hugh O.
Pentecost preached to a congregation al
the Masonic Temple this morning
Ballots or bullets, which," was the
subject which Mr.. Pentecost discussed
He said in part: Liberty IS a great
booa of human life, but force is neces
sary 10 retain 1t. Force hes beea neces
sary 10 the accomplishment Of great
macy victories in vhe worlds history
Bv force Luther brought about the
reformation. I canaot conceive Of
more oold-blooded spectacle than tha
OF man hanging from g:bbet. This
| is an Instance of extreme force, and /:
pointed to with piide as one Of oh'
greet features of this country. The
ballot should abolish this moustrou
| law.
"But the ballot is no longe:: a power
| It is question Of the qUantitv of shot
guns in the South and money in th
Norm to decide to whom the victory
belongs. Corruption at the polls cal
not be corrected without he use
| force.
"lf the p, esent system Of using tn
| ballot Wee abolished some other form
Of ballot-co:fdption would follow. Peo
pie care more fo- 81 thai they do fo
their manhood. The pious briber i
another corruption of The ballot, but a
long as he goes TO church and pays 10
| his DEW he is considered anyunilg bu
a ballot-bi ibe.. But when the poo
maa is proved guilty OF a :'ivial OF
Tense he is imprisoned by force.
"Force will be resisted by force. Th
| time is coming when men will not b
shot down in the streets while resisting
force. Rulers should be taught that
great deal has been achieved by force
The church must be taught that i;
cannot boycott thoug ght, and the gov
ernments of the world that the peopl
are political economists of no meal
order. There is quiet investigation
going 90, and those who occupy tn
high seat on the social coach must re
member those who are pulling it. l
will soon be case of fish, cut bait, o
go ashore. The bullet w:!l compe
them to it,"