Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1895-05-24
CITY ELECTION.
A REPLY TO THE LETTER OF
w. NJ. BOND.
EDENroN, NC. NAV 2oth, 1895.

CultOI lSBEkAAN N r fARMER.
Dear Sir:In your issue of May 18th,
appears letter from Mr. w. NJ. Bond
purportiug to be IN official explanation
and justification of the disgraccful
political engineering" done in the
name ofthe Democratic party at the
recent town election that seems TO me
to demand some answer from those of
us who have expressed disapproval Of
that performance.
The claim that Mr.. Bond makes that
the three votes for Constable and
Treasurer which were declared TO con-
stitute legal election to those Offices
were Ia necessary and justi6ablc pre-
caution on the part of those whom he
calls party leaders" and that public
criticism and comment are n crime that
puts us out of the party, seems to me
absurd.
If they, that is the three self appoint
ed, and unknown, champions of the
white women and children" of Eden
ton thought for one moment that il was
possible, under any Interpretation of
the new law, for Republican to bc
elected by voting for himself, or get
ting a few Of his friends TO vote for him.
were they not guilty of the most amaz-
ing stupidity aud criminal trcachcry to
the party they claim to represent, by
trusting the result to only three votes
Is it possible, if they were actuated
by any good motive, they could find
only three men among the many good
Democrats ofthis town who were will
ing to vote to save the women and child
rem from the rule he so much breads?
The absolute secrecy that has been
maintained as to who were the persons
who placed the three votes in the bal
lot boxes is, to my mind, proofpositive
that the voters are themselves, ashamed
of their act, and afraid to come forward
and accept the consequences.
Would men who felt that they had
acted i'll an honorable and manly way,
even tn ough the act proved illadvised,
shield themselves behind such
secrecy?
Mr.. Bond and the other two gentle
men who ate credited, whether justly
or not do not know with having cast
these ballots, were present at the DEM
ocratic Convention and took a promi.
nent part in it. They were we'll aware
of the feeling Of what believe to have
been large majority of the voters
present against the continuance in
Office of the old incumbcnts. They
knew, that the nominees of that CON
vention, being honorable gentlemen,
would feel bound to respect .the feel
ing SO displayed by the body from
which they accepted Office. If the only
object in casting the three ballots for
constable and treasurer had been to
prevent the enemy from taking ad-
vantage of 4 possible teChnecality sug-
gested by a leading citizen as
mysterious as the three voters
they would have respected the feeling
they knew existed and voted for men
against whom no such feeling was
evident.
The only inference l can draw from
these facts is that this voting was a
deliberate conspiracy on the part OF
these three men and possibly others to
perpetuate in Office men whom they
knew 70 be distastcful to at least a re
spectacle minority of the Democratic
party. To do this they were willing to
deliberate betray the party to throw
grave doubts on the legality of the elec-
ton of the entire town government and
to deliberately mislead their friends
both before the election and at the
polls Now Mr. Editor what has re
, suited from this "the best piece OF po
litical engineering ever done in the
: State?" We see counCilmen who were
elected by the honest votes OF the peo
I pie in consequence of this supposed
election forced either TO declare them
selves as illegally elected or TO endorse
( the action OF the three unknown bosses
The election of a treasurer by the coun
Gil at its first meeting must have beer
illegal after the announcement mad,
| by the mayor or the election Of tn,
coun cilmen themselves who were elect
ed at the same time and declared by tn,
r tsame authority was illegal and we hav'
the modification of seeing HONORABLE
men forced by this disreputablc trick
lerv to allow themselves to be used a
;. tools to whitewash discredited trick
c sters who have presumed to exercis
the powers supposed to belong to tn
i! board Of councillors.
r Mr.. Bond does Mr.. Spruill grave in
Justice it seems to me III assuming, a
, he does that the opposition to this cle(
ton is directed wholly against Nj
e Spruill. believe that SO far from thi
being the case a majority of the me
whom / have heard express themselvc:
were, until the announcement of tn
three man government his friends;no'
however, his continuance in Office is bu
further proof that our town govern
- ment is by a Ring and for Ring !
,I open contempt for the party and peopl
IF it is supposed to represent. woul
suggest that, as Mr.. Bonds suggestio
Z that the people who are opposed to A
n Spruill register their names for publ
~ cation is an insult to Mr.. Spruill, yo
request all the Democratic voters
le this town who think the trickery of IL
IL last election unnecessary aud di
Ia grace to the Democratic party to sen
in their names and think the publ
As cation will surprise Mr.. Bond and Il
l. three self appointed rulers Of the tow
Like Mr.. Bond, make no apoloi
for saying that / too was born al
raised white man." unlike him ho'
o. ever / have never walked Through q
!, the shifting shades and shadows
iy political hypocracy" but am by
w heritance and convection Democr
&c who believes in the principles of 4
I'D party, who is not, never has been, a
e. honestly hopes never to be candida
st for any public Office. AS a Democr
in feel that it is my right and my du
ELL loved 10 to 90 nnpunished must result
utter and ignomenious defeat Of wha