New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-02

Four-nfths OF its voting population In 1870 there
FORE was colored There has since been little change
in this regard. The composition o. the district is
the same today as O. was eighteen years ago when
readiusted under the National census o. 1850. no
change having been required boy that Of 1880 Pre-
Nious 10 1882 the date Of the first election IN the
district as it is constituted " was even moro
absurdlv "shoestring" I'm shape than AZ present II
then Included all the Mississippi River counties the
entire length Of tho state from Tennessee on the
north 10 the Louisiana line al the south. The CEN
sus OF 1850 made necessary the dropping of Wilkn-
son Adams. jefferson and Claiborne counties. form
ing in their order the southern end OF this most
singular piece OF political architecture and The sub
stitution. near the middle Of Lefore and SuuAower
counties Without altering materially the color
complexion Of the district by thus phy s-aly widen
Ing It the change al least had the recommendation
of somewhat improving the geographical decency
Of It's appearance on the map.
Why the necessity Of creating such monstrosity?
il was gerrymandered for the purpose OF getting
the heavily populated negro counties along The
river into one district. that unless cheated or
terrorized from the polls they might not eQaitably
distributed they properly should have been. out
vote the white Democrats and return several Re-
pubMcans to Congress instead Of one. IL rhe out
set the South seems have considered # necessary
for appearances sake at least. TO permit here and
there A Republican TO be elected by the overwhelm-
ing negro vote. Finally discretion was thrown 20
the winds and they seized ali by constitutional"
process
HOW THE VOTE Has BEEN DECREASED.
SO much for the genesis OF the "shoestring' dis
.rici Of Mississippi. Previous 20 the Presidential
election Of 1876 when wholesale murder and bull
doing were first oractised. the aggregate vote Of
The territory composing the present district with
the exceptions noted. although numbered differ
entity. was comparatively large exceeding $500
In the Administration Of General Grant Southern
elections were measurahlv fair. But with the out
going o. Grant there was me incoming OF Demo
cratic schemes for black acknowledgements Wnicll
under one form or another have since continued
ana have been effective. IL 1870 the total Congress
vote Of the district. then the Win, exceeded 5000,
having two more counties than as now constituted.
That was its greatest aggregate. ana also the last
election in which the negroes were allowed 10 vote.
although their votes We're all then not counted
cast John X. Lynch, colored Republican WAS
defeated for Congress that year by J. r. Chalmers.
ex-Confecerate Democrat. by a vote OF l5.is> 10
1886 in district where foIr-ifths OF the voters
black Republicans in that presidential year
oulldozing. the first crude step OF the southern
programme 10 nulNfy the negro suffrage laws. Was
set foot. and resulted n sending solid Demo
cratic delegation 10 Congress from Mississippi. II
has been solid ever since. After that year. as the
new method Of suppressing negro votes became
more effective through practice The aggregate vote
OF the "Shoestring" district dWinded year uy year
until II has finally reached innnitesmal proportions.
General Catchings. who had fallen heir 10 the
"Shoestring" was elected" 10 Congress first In
1884 The vote OF the district since his rise above
the political horizon has been As follows;