New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-04-19
The ELECTION

Boards oil registration by the military au-
thorities was an outrage that in justice to
The Union sentiment of the country ought
never TO have been perpetrated.
The appointment by these rebel Boards
Of Registrars of rebel Commissioners of
election was another outrage that ought in
justice to the Union people of the United
States and of Louisiana never to have been
perpetrsted.
One of our reporters accidently dis
covered yesterday the systematic means
employed by the rebels to deprive cOlored
men both of their rights and their liberties.
Sneaks, men of the worst character, who
were opposed to the ratification of the
constitution and to the exercise of the
franchise by eolored men, were put in pos
session of the names and address of col
ored men on the registration lists, and pro-
ceeded in their own irresponsible, irreg-
ulGr, and unreliable manner, to report
upon the qualifications OF these persons,
properly registered and legally entitled to
exercise the right of franchise, to vote at
the present election.
Our reporter happened by chance to call
at the registration office for the Fourth
Ward, corner of Canal and Rampant streets,
after dinner yesterday, to converse with
that agreeable gentleman and good fellow,
Mr.. Paul Waterman, of the newspaper pro-
fession, who was acting as clerk Of the
Board of Registration there. A colored
man was talking about the chances for re-
covering his registration certificate, which
was taken from him Friday by the Commits
sioners of election at poll No. 3,precinct No.
8, school-hOuse corner of Robertson and
Bienville streets.
One of the gentlemen who was engaged
in reporting on the qualifications of regis
tered eolored men asked this colored
person what ticket he was going to vote.
He took out of his pocket the regular Re-
publican ticket, and said he should vote
that if he could vote at all. The gentle
mau told him the direct if not malicious
falsehood that it was the Democratic ticket.
He repeated this two or three times to the
colored man, though if the gentleman
/ could read, he knew better, and he was
Indignantly told by our reporter that he
ought to be reported to military head
quarters and punished for attempting to
deceive colored man in that way.
Proceeding to the place where John Tay-
lOr said he lived, and finding several per.
sons who corroborated his statement and
knew that he did live there, on IRENE
street, between Canal and Customhouse
streets, our reporter then went with him to
the Commissioners of election, on Robert
son street, represented to them that John
Taylor's registration certificate had been
taken from him the day previous, and
asked that justice should be done in his
case, and that he should be allowed to
vote. The registration certificate had been
taken from him, they ascertaiued, because his
name was on ansmitted from head
quarters to be stricken from the registration
rolls for the ALLEGED reason that he gave 80
false address, John Taylor gave his ad-
dress, when registered, as IRENE street, be-
tween Canal and Customhouse streets. It'll
on IRENE street, between Canal and Gus
tomhouse, that he now lives and did then
live, and his address on the registration
certificate corresponded precisely with the
facts. There was no false address about it.
The spy, sneak, informer, or gentleman,
whichever he may be, who furnished the
information that John Taylor gave "a false
address" and whose information was trans
mitted to military headquarters and from
thence to poll No. 2, precinct No. Q, stated
the case incorrectly, aud hence
John Taylor's rights were suspended, and
he was compelled for nearly two days to
90 from one point TO another in the vain
attempt to secure his rights. The sequel
was that the Commissioners of election.
after knowing all the facts, permitted John
Taylor to vote, and he did vote the Repab-
lean ticket. " for the constitution" and for
WarmOth and Dunn, and the remainder of
the candidates.
This is one only of hundreds of
similar cases in this city. Rebel
spies, sneaks, informes, or gentlemen re.
ported hundreds of names to military head
quarters Of freedmen who had good right
to vote under the reconstruction laws Of
Congress. In consequence of the incor-
rect reports made by irresponsible and
unscrupulous rebels, not only were the
registration certificates taken from men
who clearly were entitled to vote. but
many poor colored men were, as the result
OF this rebel Information, which they had
no chance to contradict, thrust into prison
and some Of them remain there yet.
Another colored voter. Pompey Hawn.
. carpenter by trade, Who resided ia. ths
same house on IRENE street, had his reris-
sEatipn certificate taken from him, and he
waa thrust into prison on the same value
and unreliable information, He was only
released late Last evening. he Of course
ios, big vote in consequence Of shs false
statements Of one Of these rebel spies,
speaks, infolnsss. or gentlemen.
Fcmpey Hawn haa wife and child. and
haa resided where rs now does fof some
time, ID rooms feaied iIo4s ussorad man
named john Kiacey Rempsy s.ss sol.
dies q The Eishty-sscond Unllsa fI.l..
/ |..I..... u L. Ct. -. 1. -. d. a