The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-19

testant This us proved by Republic
can witnesses of prominence, and in all
| the counties where testimony was ta-
| ken the serious opposition to the con-
! testant among his own race was
| clearly proven.
| In Edgecombe, one of the largest
| negro counties in the district, the OPP
! position among the negroes to Cheat-
! ham was very decided as shown by
| many witnesses as well as by the re-
| suit of the election.
bred Wimberly, an intelligent and
| influential colored man, who had rep
| resented the county in the Legislature,
| both in the Senate and House, testified
| that ''the opposition to Mr.. Cheatham
was general among the leaders ana Vo-
| ters of the colored people throughout
| the county," He declared on oath;
.srThe colored voters of the county
| did not support Cheatham.'
Samuel Lawrence, another leading
| Republican of Edgecombe, testltieS
| that after the Republican committee
| decided in favor of Cheathan there
was a great many Republicans who
openly expressed their determination
| to oppose him.
In answer to question, he testifled
as follows:
81 am intimate with pretty near all
of them and nearly every leader Will
| fight Cheatham on account OF White.
| Moses Chase. chairman of the Republl-
can committee, j. W. Lloyd. secretary,
". ". Watson. member of the commit
| tee, Ex-senator Wimberly and EN-
Senator Frank Dancey-all three, and
a good MANY others. opposed Cheat
ham.
Evidence of this kind as TO Edge
comhe could be multiplied, if neces-
sary. and with none but Republican
witnesses, to show the great opposl-
ton to Cheatham among the colored
voters Of this county. but the above is
a fair sample of the evidence on this
point. as found in the record of testi-
mony taken in this contest.
Another conclusive fact to show that
this county, with its large negro ma
iority, did not give contestant any
majority, is that the Republican candi-
dates for the Legislature, who were
avowed Cheatham men, were defeated.
They made contest before the Leg
islature. which was composed of two
thirds majority against the Demo
Gratis. A committee was appointed,
headed by Hon. III. &. Ewart, an EX
Republican Congressman, and who
was elected by the Legislature Judge
of the Western judicial District, which
visited Edgecombe county, and after
full investigation of the conduct of
the election in that county, reported
unanimously that the sitting members
were entitled TO their seats. and that
the election was conducted fairly and
honestly in every respect. We have
here the report of this committee,
with only one Democrat on it. testi-
flying that the election in Edgecombe
county was fairly conducted, but the
contestant claims. on the other hand,
without any proof, in order to make
out his case, that the election was
fraudulent and corrupt; and in his brief
proposes to Congress to give him a
plurality in the county where he was
So votes behind the contestee accord
ing to the official returns made by the
sworn election officers, composed of
both parties, and shown by the highest
character of testimony besides the evil
dence TO the legislative committee,
that they were men of good character
and had conducted the election fairly
and honestly in every respect.
There is still another conclusive fact
that the opposition to the contestant
in this county was very extensive, as
it is shown on the official returns from
two precincts, where there were 1913
colored votes. that Cheatham did not
get a single vote, and he has not in his
notice even contested either one of
these two precincts. and does not offer
any evidence at all TO show that the
election was not fairly conducted
Yet he claims that the colored vote
was solid for him.
Again, in Northampton county,
where he makes the same absurd claim
as in Edgecombe, without any reason
or proof we find the very same condi-
ton.
Let us take. for example, Oconeechee
township, which has large negro ma
iority In this township there are 400
negro voters and Cheatham received
only % votes. He claims he ought to
have 100, as one of his partisans tes-
fed that he had given out to different
voters that number of tickets.
Suppose this absurd claim is admit
ted and he. is allowed the 100 votes,
we will have 240 of the 400 colored
voters refusing 10 vote for him.
In this township, r. D. Jones, col
ored. and one of the judges of cleo
ton. testifieS:
IT. p. Cheatham was very unpopu
lar and most of the colored Republi-
cans and Populists electioneered and
voted for DIR. Freeman"
Another leading Republican, w, NJ.
Person, testified:
II. i. Cheatham was unpopular in
Oconeechee township with the Repub-
licans. They wanted White, and most
| of them voted for DR.. Freeman, the
Populist candidate"
Witness after witness testified to the
same state TO affairs, and none but
| Republican witnesses are necessary
| to prove the serious opposition to the
contestee, and especially in the large
negro counties. The testimony of
| Democratic Judges of election of the
| highest character corroborates this
| unbroken and uniform evidence of
| Republican witnesses.
In the county of Wilson there are
| four precincts containing about 400
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