Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-11-25
Election Frands.

Election Frauds.
Our dispatches, printed recently, an.
uounced that W. E. Carmack had ''car.
ried" the Tenth Tennessee Congress
District, "by about $50 votes" over
Col. Josiah Patterson. The following
remarks of the Memphis Commercial
Appeal, supporter of Mr.. Bryan, with
reference to the manner in which the
district has been carried, will be inter.
esting:
The rape of the ballot in Fayette
County is one of the sensations of the
campaign, and the boldness of the out.
rage is most startling. It has had the
effect of delaying the announcement
OF the result in the Congressional race
in this District, the boilers, who have
control, desiring to hear from Upton
County so they can ascertain just how
many votes are needed to give their
candidate the majority on the face of
the returns. The fact that enthusiastic
boilers have stolen and hid out the bal
lot box from one or more of the pre-
cincts of Upton prevents full return
from being made from that County.
80 that the game is ia waiting one.
Meantime the Democrats are not wor.
rying over the result, as they know
Col. Patterson has fairly carried the
District, and they propose that he shall
have his rights. 1t is only stating a
fact which is of common knowledge
that the fragrant stealing in Fayette
County has been so bold and notorious
that it has defeated the purpose which
1t was intended to serve. Those who
did the stealing have laid themselves
liable to prosecution without benefit
ing their cause, when they are called |
upon to answer for their crimes in the
Federal Court, as they will be, they
will have cause to regret their inju.
dicious enthusiasm. With perfectly
fair election Col. Patterson would un-
doubtedly have carried the district by
5000 votes. Without actual and whole.
sale stealing he will carry it by a safe
majority of several hundred. He is
absolutely certain OF election and
there is no escape for those who persist
in attempting to defraud him.
The election fraud chicks are coming
home to roost; and in that fact we see |
substantial reason to hope for their
reformation. The practice that was
winked at. excused, defended, when it |
rid several counties in the "black"
section of West Tennessee of negro
government, becomes intolerable when
1t Is used to rob the regular nominated
candidate of the Democracy of his
election and big majority of the peo.
pie of their rights.
We shall not here discuss the politi-
clans quarrel in the Tenth District.
Suffice it to say that Patterson g nomi.
nation was admitted to be regular" by
his opponents. The latter were self
confessed "bolters.' They had right
to bolt Honest men will find no fault
with them on that score. They did not
have right to elect their man by any
means, save the means provided by
law and suggested by honesty and fair
play.
And more as a precursor of reform
franchise abuses, and way of punish
ing and eliminating crime against the
purity OF the ballot box, than as
"vindication" OF Col. Patterson and
his supporters, we wish him success in
his contest for the seat in the Federal
House Of Representatives. We have
no feeling of personal nature, in the
quarrel. We have very ardent de.
sire for electoral reform over Tennessee,
over the South, for that matter; and
we believe a successful exposure and
defeat Of fraud in this case, would be
a good beginning for our State.
We must stop this thing, or it will
ruin us, utterly. No government, fit
for decent people, can be founded on
triumphant crime against that govern
ment's laws; and this was what our
whole country was fast coming to
when majority Of the States partially
reefed in the sails Of fraud, by enact.
Ing reformed franchise regulations.
The South is behind in this matter, not
from any inherent weakness In the
moral structure and develop
mept, but because of her peculiar popu-
lation.
She must speedily learn to honestly
and justly modify the power of igno.
rant numbers welded by the dema.
yogues and criminal heelers and the
lesson must be learned and practiced
upon, In defense Of no party in the
south, but for the saving of southern
civilization from the stain of dishonor.
We must reform this or we must
perish. The permanent pollution Of
The ballot can have but one result, iirst
Dliparchv and than deanotia,n --Chatta