The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-24
The FRAUDS OF HE cARpET-BAGGERs

out the city, but the Third and Seventh WARDS
were especially favored with these delicate at
tentiops. In the Seventh Ward some OF the |
polls were taken in possession by bands OF
negroes armed with bludgeons, and white
men were excluded from access to the BALLOT
box. Hundreds of these negroes came IN
from the country, many of them from as lar as
Chef Menteau; and, in reply to questions ad-
dressed to them, they said that they had oeen
instructed to vote as often as possible. We
have not at hand the registration returns from
this ward, but we are confident that the poll
lists will show large excess OF negro voters
over the registry.
After the election, one of the boxes, I'M
scaled and unlocked, as we are told, was
taken several times from the poll In charge
of negroes; but of what happened to it dur
ing these excursions we are ignorant as yet
In the Third Ward carpet-baggery achieved Its
most signal and brilliant triumphs. No KIND
of fraud that could be devised by the ingenu-
ity of the experienced creatures who manipu-
late the party of Black Crookery was left IN
committed or uninterrupted. Double voting,
names, voting under false atfidavits, were
only few of the expedients resorted to.
But these would have been insufficient ex-
cept for the audacious and shameless colonial
ton of hundreds of nonresident negroes,
with the plantation mud fresh on their bro
gans. and the awkward stufing of tell-tale
ballot boxes Battalions of ignorant and de-
luded negroes were marched through the
streets, and marshaled at the polls by shame
less white conspirators, who insisted on vot-
ing them in bold defiance of the orders of the
commanding general.
In response to an application from these
persons General Buchanan had issued an
order instructing the commissioners to re-
ceive the ballots of illegal voters, in the
precinct in which they resided. This was
| done in order to obviate inconvenience aris-
ing from the undue crowding of some of the
polls. On the strength of this order, which
was intended to protect illegal" voters only,
the leader of one of the bands of vagrant
voters obtained an order from the member of
the Board of Registration Of the ward, per-
hitting persons to vote at any poll IN the
,oard, and authorizing the person in charge
to instruct crOlodS where to vote. General
Buchanan did not intend to revoke his own
order, limiting the voter to his own precinct
nor did he imagine that "trooly loil" car
pet-bagger would be invested with the power
of voting crolodS of plantation negroes where,
ever his interests or his fancy might dictate.
The issuing of such an order by the regis
trar who signed it is a circumstance which
requires explanation. At poll 3, seventh
precinct, the count was not finished on We'd
nesday, and then the whole matter was in
such muddle that the authorities were CON-
PEELED to order the delivery of the box to the
registrars, by whom the canvass was COM
pleted.
The circumstance attending this revision
were such as to excite grave suspicious in the
mind of one of the registrars; and that gen.
tleman seems to have been so well convinced
of important Irregularities in the conduct o.
the count by the commissioners, that hi
addressed letter on the subject to Genera
Buchanan. This communication we give
below. and to it we invite the especial atten
ton Of our readers:
CRY HALL, THIRD WARD FIRST DISTRICT J
Registry Office, New Orleans, La,
April %, 1865.
To Breye. Major General Robert O. Buchanan Commanding
Fifth Military District:
General-On Tuesday afternoon last, about
O'Clock MIR. Hall, clerk in this office, delivered t
| the commissioners OF Poll No. 2, Precinct z, al
order from headquarters, directing the commits
sioners of Poll No. 3, Precinct Z, to close thei
, | poll box and convey the same to this registr.
A.rss I'D ha
; they were unable to make a correct return iron
| the Inst prepared by them, and requested tn
commanding general to allow them to adjouu
until the following morning, in order to enabl
| them to recommence their work.
Ii was not until Mr.. Hall had left poll No.
that the mistake in the delivery of the order wa
ascertained. Shortly after one Of the commission
ers Tor Clerks from poll No. q delivered the orde
to the commissioners Ofpoll No. 3. at their Office
= corner Of Poydra and Liberty streets. Al first th
commissioners Tor, rather, chairman, as | sur
posed, refused 10 receive tie order because 1t wa
Q not delivered officially. although the commission
er Tor clerk from poll No. represented the cas-
as il occurred. The latter was upon the point {
n leaving poll No. 3, when asked him for the Orde
/ and toek upon myself the responsibility, as one
the registrars Of this ward, of delivering the orde
officially to the commissioners, who accepted I
y and then desired to turn over the poll box I
q me- refused TO receive it, but told the cOmmi
sioners | would accompany them to the registr
Office. The lists and poll books were then place
: in the box, when, at the request of the cOmm
sioners, placed private seal upon the top an
lock of the box and in this condition, Carried b
. two of the commissioners, aud accompanied
; the duly authorized officers of the Law and twelv
d or fifteen private citizens) the box was cOnveye
!; to the City Hall and delivered over to the regi
Il trsrs authorized by the commanding general
q receive il.
q The same evening was directed by Colon
L Gentry 10 make out report OF the number
I. votes cast for each candidate st the poll. pr
y ceeded as far as the vote for the clerk of Il
l Seventh District Court. but could proceed nc ia
, Their to give clear statement, on account of II
J, names Of r. l.. Shelley and Z. Duluc being bot
j entered as candidates for this Office. and the r.
. publican votes cast for them exceeding the who
vote polled including both the Republican an
Democratic vote for instance, Mr.. Shelley
represented by tally to have polled seven hundre
: and hfiy.three votes, and Mr.. Duluc four hundre
. and niLety-fve. Another roll made out by q
. commis soners shows seven hundred and ift
/ three for MIR. Shelley, and three hundred ar
v sixty for Mr.. Duuc. In the rolls made out by th
- board of registrars from the tickets in the pc
d box Irrespective of the rolls of the COMM
!, soners), Mr.. Shelley receives seven hundred Al
-