Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-14
IN THE BLACK BELT.
PEOPLE AMAZED AT THE CHARGES Or
ELECTION FRAUDS.
Nfeckienburg's Methods and Their Results'
Republican County Oniciai- ana Negro
Magistrates-The Anderson Law


CHASE CITY, VA, January B.-tSpe-
clai)-It Is amazing TO people living III
a southsIde county OF Virginia, to read
the wholesale charges OF fraud alleged
against them I'm regard TO elections. TINS
county Meckenburg) is in the heart OF
the Black Belt Of the Southside. The same
election-laws prevail here as elsewhere IN
the State. The Democrats here have a
minority OF voters. The voting population
of the county by census OF 1880 was
white. 2.2i6; colored. 2973. our Electoral
Board Is composed OF men as high toned
and honorable as any county Judge Ihey
are Democrats, and appoint at the dluer-
ent precincts two Democratic Judges
and one OF the opposite party. as iar as
practicable. At some of the precincts
at the last election there was only
one Democratic judge, the others belhg
Republicans or Populsts.
LET Us SEE.
Let ms examine the result of their fair.
ness and the questionable methods charged
against them. and see II their actions
have been honest or whether their ac-
cusers have wiIfulIy misrepresented them
In their vague and false allegations.
For the last fifteen or twenty years all
the county oficers-namely. Treasurer.
Attorney for the Commonwealth, TWO
Commissioners Of the Revenue Ooth
negroes. the County and Circuit Court
Clerks-clected By the people have been
and are now Republicans. Whenever
there are Republican candidates for SUI
pervisor. justices. or overseers OF the
poor they are invariably elected. 1here
are negro magistrates In this county now
hrE Il
AT present a Democratic Sheriff. who was
elected by very small majority over
his Republican opponent. who had held
the office for several terms. At every
presidential. gubernatorial. and congress
sional election the opponents Of Demo-
cracy have carried the county by good
majority. Goode PopulisO, over Epes,
for Congress- In 1882, by $50 majority.
HOW IT WORKED.
All Of the above under the much
abused Anderson-McCormick election
law.
I'm the last two decades there have
been five negroes I'm the House Of Dele
gates from this county and two negro
senate In the present Legislature,
Allen PopullsO is the delegate VINO sue
cecded Goode PopulisO Of the previous
session Of ~ and %.
Now Mecklenburg is one Of the largest
and wealthest counties Of the Southsidc
with five banks. two railroads through II,
three large towns, two important tobacco
markets. where 100000 pounds Of leaf
tobacco are annually sold, and popula-
ton OF o. 359
40 REPUBLICAN COMPLAINT.
Does the above exhibit of officers. re-
turned. elected by Democratic judges Of
election. show the wholesale fraud and
defiance OF the will Of the people as
charged by Democratic malcontents? Does
not the Anderson Mccormick law work
very well for them There is no COM
plant here by Republicans Of unfairness.
II any complaint II proceeds from dis
appointed politicians who cannot control
everything. The Republicans and Popu-
lists have all the Offices according 10 the
terms OF their coalition. They can eX-
pect no more The Prohibitonists ex-
pected nothing. and consequently were not
disappointed. They flock 10 themselves,
independent OF all parties. hoping 10 do
better next time.
DUMB AS OYSTERS.
have seen Democratic canvassers IN
public discussion hand a copy Of the
Anderson cCormick bill to their oppO-
nents and ask them to point out the
unfairness and infamy which they said
lurlsed in the law. and none have ever
replied. but remained as silent as the
tomb. | saw the Hon. Henry Il. Pollard
AZ this place In a public discussion before
an immense audience with a Third-p1rty
champion. who had taken the Anderson
Mccormick bill for a text and denounced
the Infamous law, pass TO his OppOn mt
printed copy Of the bill. and tell him
II he would expose the wrong and inf1my
Of the law he would retire from the
discussion, and the gentleman. who Is
now a POpulist member Of the House Of
u, 'egates. was as dumb as an oyster
Now. II the Anderson Mccormick law
can give us good government and deliver
the State from Republican md Populist
nuisance with their long and Inevitable
train Of evils TO society and the people,
let Il remain and. like the laws of the
Medcs and Persians. be not only I'M
changed. but interchangeable.
UNDER MALONE.
During the rule Of Malone our iurics
were often composed Of ignorant LegrCes,
with an occasional white. They knew Loo
thing Of law or equity. ! once ASKED the
late Judge a. d. Dickinson. Of our Cir
cult Court, after ne had viewed the black
est and Understanding jury ever pre-
scented before "A court In Virginia, AZ our
court. what no thought OF II. and he re-
llltQs l nave never seen sill AAllll-1 ilk'
it in my circuit and It - disgrace
10 the civilization OF the age" Under
Democratic supremacy, 1t is different now.
and We have intelligent juries. AMI the
whites always. rs they should. Ir,domi-
nate.
HOW Is THIS?
ST the last November election at this
precinct the Thr1-partyites had a white
schOol-teacher, who occupied a scat at a
table near the votingplace. with al the
tickets for distribution for his party. All
who voted for Cooke. Beverley & co.
were required to get "A ticket from him
at the table who took the names and
post-ofiices Of blacks and whites. lie
gave out about 800 tickets. There We're
certain negro politicians who escorted the
ignorant ones 10 the polling place and saw
that their tickets We're deposited In the
ballot-boX as given 10 them by Teacher
ThurstOn. 4 man stood at the window
NIT