The Newberry Herald

Dividing Time—Threatened with the Military.

The Democrats of Sumter have been dividing time with the Radicals of that County, after the manner adopted in the beginning of the campaign in 1876. Wherever they would hear of a Radical meeting a crowd of red shirts, accompanied by some of their best speakers would proceed to the place and demand that their side be heard. No violence has been committed, and this aggressive policy of carrying the war into Africa was working well for the Democracy, and disorganizing the ranks of their opponents. It is a well known fact that nothing has so powerful an effect on the mind of the negro as a display of power. They desire to be on the strong side. Hence the moral influence of this style of campaigning is great. Its force was felt so strongly in 1876 that Chamberlain, then Governor, perceiving that his constituents were becoming demoralized and captured, called upon Grant, then President, for troops and got them. The object of bringing U. S. soldiers into the State was not to kill or intimidate the whites, but to give backbone to the blacks. Their simple presence was depended on to inflame blacks against whites, and to keep constantly in their minds a feeling of gratitude and obligation to the Republican party for their freedom. There is no danger now that the Governor of South Carolina will call on the President of the United States for troops, and some may think that troops cannot be sent to the State without such a call. Constitutionally they can't, but unconstitutionally they can; and he knows very little of the Republican party or the Republican President who thinks that it or he would regard the Constitution where party is at stake. Hayes has already indicated what his course will be if the Democrats insist on "dividing time" with the Radicals. He has called on Attorney-General Devens to look up some law to prevent this sort of thing, and that functionary has found a law that he says fits the case precisely. Section 5,520 of the Revised Statutes of the United States says:

If two or more persons, in any State or Territory, conspire to prevent by force, intimidation or threat, any citizen who is lawfully entitled to vote, from giving his support or advocacy, in a legal manner, toward or in favor of any lawfully qualified person as an elector for President or Vice-President, or as a member of the Congress of the United States; or to injure any citizen in person or property on account of such support or advocacy; each of such persons shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred nor more than five thousand dollars, or by imprisonment, with or without hard labor, not less than six months nor more than six years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

The Attorney-General has called District Attorney Northrop's attention to this Section, and directed him to see that it be enforced. The Democrats will act wisely if they refrain from giving any pretext to the United States authority for interfering with our State politics. Just as sure as Democrats insist on taking part in Republican meetings without invitation or permission we will have trouble, and such trouble as will render their success in this State extremely doubtful. Perhaps the Republicans would consent to joint meetings and joint discussions. They have done this in Darlington, and the campaign in that County is being conducted on that principle. Let the Democrats make as big a display and as much noise as possible, but give not the slightest pretext for Federal interference.