Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 November 1876 — THE BALLOT-BOX CONSPIRACY. [ARTICLE]

THE BALLOT-BOX CONSPIRACY.

It ia hnpoMibte to ovnroatimtU the gfCVHyof each acts ol violation of tho aanotity of the ballot-box aa have been committed in many atatea in the sooth 4a the reeent election*. If each a conspiracy against the public liberties is allowed to pass unpunished now, a precedent will be established, or at least taoitly admitted, that at no very distant day will revolutionise and doetroy the republic. Of the business of the coming session of congress all other questions should be considered as seooudary to that which looks to the defense of the ballotbox, and the perfection of our electoral system, so that there may be a faithful execution of the laws in the reconstructed states. The present seemingly interminable state of contusion and unrest may be considered as a misfortune; but to the eye of wisdom it affords a dear exhibit of the real condition of the states late in rebellion, and presents an mgent opportunity to so meet so imperious demand in the sight of all the country as to reassure the loyal oitisens of the republic that color-lines, intimidation, frauds and murder have not yet gained a permanent domination in our country, and that so long as the party that saved the Union from the perils of secession and war administers the government their liberties and 'the nation are safe. There can be no abiding peace or safety in the sooth until the rights of citizenship are, without molestation or intimidation, secured to all classes, regardless of the distinctions of color or party. Let the precedent now be clearly and positively made, not only in Florida, South Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi, bnt in every other state, north or south, wherever there is evidenoe of the elections having been conducted illegally, by a most scrutinising and nnyieldinginvestigattonof the facts, and let the guilty, be they individpals or parties, suffer the .full penalty of the law. Interference ynth the right of suffrage, and pollution of the ballot-box, should work the destruction of the political party by the sanction and influence of which these crimes are committed.

It tu urged by the leaders of the democratic party in the reoent canvass that expulsion from the national administration tor a period of sixteen years was a sufficient expiation of the crime and guilt of rebellion. That the sufferings and untimely death of three hundred and fifty thousand Union soldiers, and the overwhelming debt and oppression of the country incident to the democratic war should all be forgotten, and that upon their pledges of “reform” they should be restored to the highest positions of authority and trust. But it is the death knell to all ooufidenqe in their boasted reform lo ~learn by evidence sufficient to silence the most incredulous that by means criminal in the sight of the law aud Utterly subversive of constitutional liberty they have sought to take «Hcial possession of the government.

The unmolested, conscientious expression of the will of the people ia all that the republican party •aka or eau desire. Let thia be stewed at any hazard or any cost, else all that pertains to a free government is irrecoverably lost. Since the last issue of this paper Abe situation with regard to the ffSfiilt of the presidential election lift* undergone no material change jf grp except the official canvaas of the vfite east in South Carolina, the jDetffiros of which show upon Their fctet, without throwing out thu yoffijf of districts where republjoaga«laj*» that frauds and intimidation crxra resorted to by the demwffcV ***** t,,e republican elector* w ofs eleeted by majorities ranging Um The returning fcqard of Louisiana ia patiently aq| qpjetiy at work upon the official returns of (that state in the preset** ,pf # committee of fyeprominentmembers of the demoertlic party ate «w> of the republioan party from (the northern Tb“« *» r t**jte<inte*avd gfiojvp Jitter swpabbtefM

than they anticipated. In Florida the returns have not all been brought into Tallabessee, but under a mandamus of the circuit oourt, the eonnt has been comtnenoed. A temporary injunction has been served upon Gov. Stearns to prevent his canvassing the returns of the presidential votes, as he Intimated was his intention of doing, and one day next week is designated when he stall show cause why the iqjnnotion should not be perpetual. The returns of seven counties, supposed to have given a small aggregate demooratie majority, are, for some reason, held baok by the eleoiion officers.

It may be poaeible that Mr. Tilden or his political frienda can yet show that he is fairly entitled to a majority of the electoral votes, if they do he will be peaceably inaugurated preai dent of the United States, and there will be no rebellion against hie authority. But should it appear that Mr. Hayes has been elected as provided by the constitution of the United States and the operation of atate laws under this instrument, he will be inaugurated president and find himself in possession of means ample to preserve the publio peace and compel all necessary respect for jaw fully constituted authority. All tho threats of armed resistance in case of his election, that have appeared in demooratio papers at the north since the election, though undoubtedly revealing the true measure of their love for a republioan form of government and their loyalty to the Union, will be but aa the idle fury of the winds which beat against a mountain of granite. They are the emptiest of empty sounds; the noisy demonstrations of oowirdly braggarts. But it is wise to prepare against emergencies, for even cowards sometimes become assassins, and we are glad that President Grant is showing a more prudential determination than Mr. Buchanan did under somewhat similar conditions.

Troops and war vessels are being ooneentrated in Washington and the vicinity as precautionary measures against armed outbreaks which have been hinted at and threatened in certain quarters as likely to oocur in the event of its beiug shown that their candidate has been defeated for the presidency. President Grant intends that his successor shall not be compelled, from fears of personal violenee, so oome to the capital in disguise to be inaugurated. Mr. John C. Cushman, general manager of the Plymouth, Kankakee and Pacific railroad company, whose partially graded line crosses the northern end of Jasper oonnty, has published a notice warning all whom it may concern not to appropriate any more of the railroad ties belonging to the said company under penalty of prosecution for the commission of a felony.

The Boswell Leader says Judge Hammond, now of Rensselaer, has bought a residence at Fowler, aud will make that place his future home. The Judge was tired, we suppose, of living twelve miles from a railroad.— Valparaiso Vidette. J udge Hammond has not yet determined to move from Rensselaer. His purchase at Fowler was not u residence, but unimproved town lots. - - ■-■■■' . The newly elected member of congress from Colorado. James B. Bel ford, was formerly a resident of the city of Laporte, ana was provost marshal for this district during the draft limes of the late war.— drawn Point Register. Some of the Indiana papers are talking war-talk. Very well. Rut do, dear northern and western democrats, confine the fighting to your side of the line. We have had enough of It down thia way .—Atlanta, Oa. t Con* stitutionalisL The republican party is solidly determined that there shall be no fighting over the question who shall be president; but they are equally determined that if Rayas has amajority of the electoral votes.Tilden shall not sit inthe executive chair, no matter who wins or loses their election bets.— Chicago Tribune. The majority of tlioee of the visiting democratic delegation appear convinced that a rigid compliance with the state tew £ of Louisiana regulating the canvassing of election returns] is the only legal aotirae In the premises. There is no fear of the law honeeilv sdipteffitered, bat of the perversion of Ik Cp&Lbv of the low which were fefnftpM by the decnasniUa state commute* top moment the non-resi-dent democrat* arrived, Uav* been cteaffiy studied by tfcp most solute mstoaawas poUttasi parte In the state, «iw>c-

It will cost *BOO to fit up Uio old bat harbor for the next legislature.— IndUmapohe Herald. There Is a possibility that four of the democratic presidential electors In this state are not eleeted, and that four of the Hayes electors will be found to have a majority of votes when the returns are canvassed. The Srobabillty arises from confusion to is names. Tbs democratic tickets voted bear the names Gustavue V. Mensles and G. N. Mangle*, Wm. V. Bynum and W. V. Bynum, Noth 8. Given and N. 8. Given, Thomas H. Harrison, T. J. Harrison and T. H. Harrison, James A. Adrian and J. A. Adrian, Isaiah B. McDonald and I. B. McDonald, Woodson 8. Marshall and W. ». Marshall. Probably the democrats had better go a little slow on misspelled elector’s names anti! they straighten oat the snarl in Indiana.— Indianapolis Journal.