Year: 1878

FORCE AND FRAUD 1T TIE SOUTH.


There is friendly contest between two
counties of South Carolina for the honor OF
carving the Democratic banner. Abbevllle Is
rghtfully a Republican county; two-thlrds OF
its inhabitants are cOlored it gave Republl-
can majority of 1,500 in 1874; and two years
later, even under the pressure OF the nlie-
clubs and the Grading arrangement between
some Of the friends of Hampton and the sup
porters of Mr. Hayes, it could not be made to
record a Democratic majority OF more tnm
200 on the State ticket This year
only three Radicals" Ventured TO vote
in the whole cOunty-Or, TO be more exact
only three Radical votes were counted. Far
field County is still more decidedly Republic
can than Abbeville. Threc-fOuIths Of the in
habitants are colOTcd. The Republican voters
in 1874 were two TO one of the Democrats
and HayeSs majority in the county i'll 1876
was between 500 and 900, the Republican
vote for many years past falling but little
below 5000 This month Fairfield County
returns not one Republican rOte.


These facts speak for themselves. Common
sense tells us that there is absolutely only one
way of accounting for them, and 1t Is an al
front to our intelligence to ask Us 10 believe
that results so extraordinary could be brought
about by lawful means. Great and sudden
changes in the relative strength OF parties are
sometimes wrought in the lever OF popular
uprising; but not even in times OF passion
and excitement is a whole party instantly OBJ
liberated; and these are quiet days. What
has been done with 50 much braggadOciO
in Abbeyille and Fairfield has been done
with less swagger but equal effectiveness all
over the South. An arrogant minority has
seized possession Of the Government and prac-
tcally disflanchised the greater part Of the
population, either by driving them away from
the polls, or by grasping all the machinery Of
election and declaring the result to suit itself.
Thus the Bourbon Democracy has secured a
"Solid South !" at last, by an operation which
does not differ essentially from the method of
revOlutionizng the Government pursued from
time immemorial IN the South American re-
publics.


This condition of things brings Us face to
face with a serious political problem. For the
present a republican form OF government does
not exist in the Southern States. The pTIncl-
ple of equal suffrage, upon which our whole
representative and federal system is founded
has been set aside IN favor of an Oligarchy Of
rihe-clubs, lntimidatOrs, and ballot-box stuff
ers, who calmly refer to their lawless triumph
as an evidence that the coOred people, even
"wherc they have the numerical majority, can
1" not hold their own against the superior IN
telligence, means and courage OF the
"whitcsr They pledge themselves to retain
the power they have thus secured; and dis
tnct notice has been served upon the freed
people that their brief day Of political mde-
pendence is over. They are to vote no more,
unless they vote as their masters bid them.
Of course this usuTpaton must be fought
down. II is not only an invasion of The nights
of the negro, whom we are bound, by every
consideration of humanity, gratitude and pru-
dence, to protect, but it is a subversiOn OF the
lust balance of powers between the States an
intolerable infringement of the rights OF the
North, and menace to the stability OF the
Union itself. The United States of America
will not he ruled by Wade iampton's Hunk
ador Clubs


That the country may know just how mat
ters stand in South Carolina, one of the abest
and bcst-nfOrmed members of The TRIBuNE's
staff has been dispatched to that State, and
the first instament of his letters appears to-
day. Our readers will recognize the initials
of a correspondent who has high reputation
for the judicial temper of his mind and
the moderation and frankneas Of his
statements. We have known few journalists
so familiar with political affairs, and yet 50
free from the prejudiccs of a partisan; and
we have learned from many years OF inter
course to value him as a keen and careful
observer in whose reports the love of truth is The
most conspicuous Characteristic. The account
which he furnishes in ms Introductory letter Of
the summary Punishment Of q colOrcd Republi
can leader, as preliminary to the carrying"
of Williamsburg County by the Democratic
minority, will serve as a foretaste OF the mar
ratives to follow, and furnish food for rcficc-
ton to some of our statesmen at Washington.