The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-19
THE RHeIsrRAT1oN-pRorEsr OF xR.
FOsDICK.


Below we give the protest of Mr.. Geo. A.
Fosdick against the course which the majority
of the Board of Registration have, it seems,
thought proper to adopt. Mr.. Fosdick charac- I
terizes this course as illiberal and unjust.
1t is worse than illiberal and unjust" it is
shameless attempt to deprive the people Of
the State of fair representation among the
officials who are to conduct the important
business of registration-it is an intimation
of design to carry the election by trickery
and chieanery, and to suppress the voice of
the majority. Mr.. Fosdick says that the
Democratic party constitute large majority
of the white people and of the taxpayers.
He is right, and they constitute large ma
jority, likewise, of the voting population.
They have moral right to majority of the
registrars and supervisors, and if they had
majority they would deal fairly by their OPP
ponents. There is 10 guarantee that the Radi-
cal officials will deal fairly with the Demo-
crats-on the contrary the history OF the
chairman of the board is enough to prove
that he will throw every obstacle in the way
of fair registration. This community re-
members the disreputable manner in which
he conducted the first registration under the
reconstruction laws-how he refused to be
guided by the law itself, and DISTINGUISHED
thousands of qualified voters under the finn
siest and most absurd pretexts. The people
of Louisiana wish KNOW at once whether or
not this system is to be resumed. If the
majority of the board are sustained in their
course the public will know that it is the
deliberate intention of the Radicals to convert
the registry into an instrument of fraud, and
to carry Louisiana by the usual process of
DISTINGUISHING its people Governor Warmoth
is understood to have appointed Democrat
on the board with the view and under the
promise that the subordinate boards should be
similarly constructed. He can compel due
Difference to his wishes in this matter. The
public expect him to keep faith with them,
and not to suffer his Office and his reputation
to be further degraded by sanctioning this
infamous scheme to defy and suppress the
public opinion of the State.
lCopy.l
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. Is, 1868.
Hon w. Baker, Chairman Board of Registration:
Sr-At meeting of the Board of Registration
1elQ on yesterday, the litu, inc question OF the
appointment of boards OF supervisors being under
consideration, / assumed the position that as
the representative Of the Democratic party in
the board was entitled to the appointment of
one Democrat on each of the boards of super
visors throughout the State, representing as
they would large majority not only Of the
white population but the property holders and
sxpsyeTs, SO that at least they might see that
no Injustice was dsne that portion of our people
and fair registration was accomplished as de-
sened under the law. The majority OF the
board having decided that they would not, IN.
der any circumstances whatever, permit Dem
ocrat TO be placed on any of the boards of super.
Visors, | protested against the actin of your
self and Mr.. Ferguson as unjust and illiberal
as well as contrary to all precedent in the forma
ton of such bodies, possessing as they would the
right to decide on the highest privilege of an
American citizen, that of elector, and declined to
participate in the selection Of names to act on
those boards, unless this decision was reconsider
ed, Immediately retiring from the session by per-
mission of the chair. In accepting the position
/ occupy on the board, understood that the same
rule which influenced the action of Gov. Warmoth
in my appointment would be carried out In good
faith in the appointment of persons TO act on the
board of supervisors and knew at least that to be
the understanding of the gentlemen who consult
This Is the substance of what took place yester-
day, and respectfully request this communication
may be spread upon the minutes of this board.
Respectfully.
(Signed) GEO. A. FosDIcK.