New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-31
TO CONTEST AN ELECTION.
THOMAS E. MILLER's FIGHT FOE THE SEAT
OF CONGRESSMAN ELLIOTT.
ASTONISHING DEMOCRATIC ELECTION METHODS
IN SOUTH CAROLINA DISCLOSED IN HIS
BRIEF = GOVERNOR RICHARD.
icy TELEoRAPH TO THE TRfBUNx.1

BRIEF - GOVERNOR hlCHAhp'
SONS OPINION.
IBY TELEGRAPH THE TRmUNx.1
washington Aug 3o-Thomas F. Miller the colored
Republican who will contest the seat of Congressman
william Elliott of south Carolina in the next House.
has lust completed and filed his brief |. contains
much that IS instructive concerning the Democratic
election methods in South Carolina. The lass House.
IL win be remembered, had occasion to look in'o
Democratic frauds iG this state the contest OF ROBERT
smsns against william Elliott coming up RON tne
same district: but as Smalis a ooored man ana
Republican, the Democratic House declined to uhsea'
Elliott The district, which Is known as the Nllth'
was cerrymandered into fits present size and shspe
In 1882 being so shaped to include within Its bo"
DIARIES tbe principal colored Republican settlement OF
the state II Is 600 miles long, and contains only
three whole counties TO which Is added an Irregular
patchwork of portions of six other counueS' ~
secure the appearance Of coniiguity OF ierrtory. a.
required by law, 1t was found necessary TO reeai"
part of the Atlantic Ocean as dry land. ana III o"'
place the district is into the ocean for me p"r
pose of excluding two Democratic precincts III boA''
County and two in Charleston County. 90 .,o ,-h,,e
The district contains population OF 3l'ozo VIZ W.
and l56.6le colored Of which there are 1870 "h"o
voters and 1908 colorel voters. The eiecuoh 10
firms last fall as officially declared by the state boaru
Of Canvassers, show that William Elliott inc l""V
cratic candidate received s3as votes, and ihona9
Miller the Republican candidate. who happens 10 DO
a coIorr,d citizen, received ouly 1908 IL eq'"rcu
considerable assurance and ingenuity on tne Pa'' Va
. the Democrats TO make returns showing ths resu,' "
The election, in view Of the overwhelming hepuon'a"
popula alton and majority but the local Democrats a"
romplIshed It. and the State authorities nave oor"0
Them ont in the election frauds thus far.
nec,,liar feature of the law in South Carolina Is
That the election boards commissioners OF eico
ion may be selected from only one pohtca p"i"
rhey are selected by the Governor ana no pro'iSCl
made for any representation OF minority Ill 'nr
boards 1t is not conceded that any mhoily en-
SITS, the presumption being that the Democracy Vi
south Carolina IS unanimous and Ubiquitous 1ds'
sep,embsr tho Republican State Committee addressed
a communication to the Governor, asking as an act
OF simple justice and I'm the interests OF la lul
and honest election, that at least one Republican
commissioner of election be appointed In each county,
and that through them one Republican manager
should be allowed at each of the voting prechc's
for electors and congressman throughout thr state
The cheerful assurance OF Governor Richardson III
his reply TO this modest request was indeed felesn
Ing. Among other things he says;
1T will be sufficient simply TO say that IN my
Judgment, departure from the wisely eStaolsheu
methods and principles upon which these appoint
ments arc made would endanger Tao continuance OF the
perfectly free. fair and peaceful elctlOns-the pro
fesse object of your descthat are the proud Doas'
and the highest achievement Of Democratic rlie IN this
State. 1t may with great truth be sad thst honoS'
elections are the true test of pure government anu
constitute the only faithful expression of the popular
Will which it is their sole mission TO elicit 10 inc
e,cnal honor of our state and the Democratic party
II can now be said that elections are the nees'
and fairast In the world and not single ci']'i Vi
hers. no matter what his rank, color or cond'iol
"a, under her inst and equal laws. inpartialIy au
n,lpistered as they are 10y any PeTersoh OF l'lill
dstion be barred at the polls from the free anu iu
eve,cise of his suffrage. There Is not only perfect
freedom I'm voting, but the amp'st pio'ecloh d"o'uV
The vo e,s7 Then The Governor after this par'o'I
rrusln politely declines 10 grant lhe request ar.
iuiimacs that The members OIL INT hoa'" "'' W
shall al be Democrats.
This was preliminary to the rest OF the fraud |
What follows IS clearly established by the testimony OF
numerous tucs>es. The Supervisor OF Keg stratum
who was a Democrat took espeeia! pans 10 preNon'
colorcd Republicans from registering. lie ddh Du
dose them a. customary he simply kept our oi 'hcu
way and kept them in Ignorance as to the time ana
,lsee of REGISTRATION notice was given the
democrats and all of them registered In IN, way
many hundred Republican voters we're ner&d hnt
their ballots. Then. upon the day OF eiectiO, DdiIot
shifting fraudulent practce wac i.I"S sarIdns
number Of precincts CnHef tac So" hauot hoXes
are placed side by side at the polls; Que i0r inc Oaioas
for Presidential Electors and one ior s7ttng The
boxes so that voters were prevented ir1u dls M @
them As conseIencT te Dacyr voters we're
guided by the managers the Republicans had 10 gusss
ect'rsI box were declared illegal and thrown out
and ballots for Electors found in the box
we're lIhewIse disposed Of In every Instance lhc>e
vere Reuubllcan votes. BallOtbOX Stunlng was plar
> ,sed in several precincts IN Coeton county.
Under the election laws Of South Carolina. II NOR
ballots shall be fOurd opening the box Than ther'
are names on the poll lists. The ballots snail D"
returned TO the box aud thoroughly mixed and one
M the managers. without seeing the bali0ts' shall
1rayy therefrom and Immediately destroy. "a many
ballots as there are in OF the number on the
noIi lists In GlovcrsVille precinct IL Is snow
hat one Of fhe ballot boxes filled with iraudo
lent ballots before the polls were opened Iheso
ballots were twisted 80 that they might easily De
distin o,ishcd by touch The legal ballots aithf"aW
nIt into the box were folded. When the boz was
nnnened Am excessive number Of ballots was iouHl:
ts REQUIRED by law. the Democratic managF. WhhOW
Hooking ct The ballots. drew out one aftsr anOthHr'
until only the requisite number remained lie was
enabled 10 distinguish the twisted nom the ioocu oa
ots. and a. The twisted ballots were all Democfatic
"res " .Ich had been previously put in the box
With HIS knowledge he drew out the folded ones,
and created Democratic majority in a Repnbhcah
nrecnct This practice was observed IN e'ght pre-
rlnc's Of three counties. . ,,,,, .
The brief shows IN conclusion taet Miller vote
instead OF being : OO3. as returned by the state
hoard of Cauvassers, was 9.13l and ina, EiiloI
yote instead Of being 1888. 76sG. This clearly
,ves p raiorlty OF 1.Slj for the Repubical cahni
49, rhts jrtercsting case will come before the
nyi Uonsr for consideration. and IL Is probable that
I've I,cn,ocratic frands in the With Congressional
z,ist ri,t of south Carolina viii not 90 uniTDukeo'
>.r,r rpr-1 DFNTJAI pOSTMASTERS.