The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-01-23
WALKER RUSSELL,S ASTONISHING
DISCOVERY.
Judge Cothran's Resignation Withdrawn
for Fear of Republican Primaries.
From the PHILADELPHIA Pres


for Fear of Republican Primaries.
From tie Philadelphia Press.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE condition
of the colored men in the South, and
what should be done to secure to them
their civil and political rights, is certain
to occupy q great deal of time in debate
in the present Congress.
Already Senator Morgan, of Alabama,
has delivered long speech in support of
the preposterous proposition to depOrt the
colored people to Africa. Other Senators
on the same side of the chamber are pre-
pairing speeches on the question, and
when the contested election cases come
up in the House, and the proposed Fede.
ral election law and the Blair educational
bill are discussed in both Senate and
House, the entiro subject will be gone
over at length.
THE SOUTHERN MASSACRE.
The increasing friction between the
two races, as shown in the recent massacre
in South Carolina, and elsewhere, is
largely due to the belief on the part of
the Democrats that this Congress intends
to legislate to secure fair elections. The
probability ofsuch legislation augers them
and this takes the form among the whites
in some parts of the South of increased
hatred and persecution of the blacks.
At least, that is the explanation given by
some fair. minded Democrats from the
South, vino, however, do not admit in
public that the elections are not honest
now.
Mr.. w. W. Russell, of Anderson, S. c.,
who is nat;;e Southerner and q proper
ty owner and who served through the
war in the Confederate army, has taken
prominent part in trying to secure justice
to the colored men.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA FARCE.
He is now in this city and he gives
some interesting facts about South Caro-.
lima elections and furnishes an explana-
ton of Mr.. Cothran's singular action q
short time ago in resigniDg his seat in
the House from the 3rd district of South
Carolina and then Withdrawing the resig
nation. Mr. Russell said:
"That the South Carolina elections are
q farce goes without saying. The whole
election machinery, commissioners of
election, managers, clerks, ETC., with the
exception of Georgetown County, are in
theihands of the Democrats. The Cover.
nor was asked before the last election, by
the Representatives of the 10000
Republican voters, to allow at least one
Republican official at each voting pre-
cinct, a very modest request, considering
that in Northern Republican States, the
election of officers are evenly divided
between the two parties. The Governor
denied this request, saying that it would
serve no good purpose and would endan.
ger peaceful election. In our State, as
in Mississippi, peaceful election is only
possible when the Democrats are allowed
to have their own way, as. they did in the
municipal election in Jackson the other
day.
But a system that puts all the power in
the hands of a few men naturally leads to
ring rule. The entire vote of South
Carolina, with its seven Representatives
| in the House, is less than that cast in one
or two districts.in the North. This ring
that controls the State has so demoralized
its prosperity that the assessed valuation
of property has been reduced from $780,
600, 900 to s145,000,O00. The farmers
and others have been growing restive and
discontented. The power the ring held
to cheat Republicans, was also used to
cheat Democrats, and it was evident that
something must be done or a political
revolution would take place.
PRIMARY ELECTION LAWS.
1.-THE State officers and members of
Congress are all chosen at the Democratic
primaries. If these were made fair the
discomfort in the Democratic ranks would
it was thought, be stayed. Hence at its
last session the Legislature passed strin.
gent primary election law. No registra-
ton certificates are required ata primary
election, as the law providing for regis
tration certificates vas merely designed to
prevent colored men from voting. a
primary election law could not be veil
made for one party alone, and this is
where the Democrats made their mistake,
as they found out when Judge Cothran
recently resigned his seat in Congress. |
live in the same district, and as former
Democrat, though now acting with the
Republicans, I am known 10 pretty much
everybody in the district. As soon as
Mr.. Cothran's resignation was announced,
/ gave out that should be candidate at
the Republican primaries for the nomi-
nation for Congress. Under this new
primary election law We we're pretty sure
to get out a full Republican vote at our
primaries. The Democrats had not
thought of that before. 1t vas going to be
very inconyeniens for them, to say the
least, at time when a Federal election
law vas talked OF, for the Republicans to
poll full vote at their primaries, under
a stringent State law, and then to have
that vote nearly all suppressed at the
regular election, a few days later. They
saw at once the effect this would have on
the debate in Congress-, hence Judge
| Cothran was implored to Withdraw his
resignation, which he did. That explains
his sudden Change of mind"
SENATOR MoRGAE'B SCHEME.
"What do you think of Senator Nor.
gan's deportation scheme 9"
"Oh, it is nonsense. 1t is meant for
Northern consumption. Why, the people
of the South would not let the colored
men &c. Agents who have been working
up therexodns movement have been mott.
fed to leave town at once or take che
consequences, and that, any one knows,
is death. The colored men are necessi.
/ ty to the South. But they are kept in
political slavery, and it is terrible
struggle for any one to try and lift them
out Of it. have had my life threatened
more than once. But now is the time to
do something. If this Congress does its
duty ne shall see different condition OF
things in the South. The colored men
do not want to rule, but thoy want to be
treated as men; not aB slaves or animals
to be hunted, whipped and murdered at
WILL"
Liberty or Death.
COLUMBIA, S. O., Jan. 1S.-Two white
conyicts, Richard Gardener and ". S.