The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1870-04-09


FIFTH DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA.
FRANK ldoREY va. q. W. M'cRANIE.
We have received Capt. Nc
Grantees Brief. He rests the case
upon the evidence before the
Election Committee, and concludes
tho argument in the following
terse and convincing language:
Tho foregoing testimony clear
" shows that the outrages and
violence occurring within the
district were committed by a few
lawless and desperate men in the
community, without the least
countenance of the citizens gen
orally, or of the democratic party;
that they were perpetrated on but a
few persons, and in most cases
on account of some personal diff
Guilty; that if the said acts had
any political Significance or ref
erence; it was exclusively to the
election in April, 1865, at which
election the republicans voted
freely and without apprehension,
for which reasons it is difficult to
conjecture in what way they
could be held to have inundated
republicans from voting at the
election in November, 1868, some
months after their preparation.
And as it is also conclusively tes-
tilted that the organization, action,
and appliances of the democratic
party, in the prosecution of the
November canvass, were wholly
legitimate and usual in politicrl
Campaigns, there is not in the
case a show of support of the al
legation SO extensively set up by
contestant, nor the least ground
upon which to hold the election
in said parishes q nullity, as he
proposes. 80 .....''-....-.
AS an apt illustration how little
Intimidation Of republicans had
to do with the success of the
democratic party, take the parish
Of Ouachita. In that parish the
republican party was well organ
vantage Of able native talent and
influence, and large preponder-
ating colored vote upon which to
work. It is not saying too much
to state, that in the town Of Mon
roe. the parish seat, the republi-
can party had more talent and
influence at its command than. in
all the remaining portion of the
district combined; and it had the
prestige ftwo successive victo-
RES achieved by large majorities
in the parish, and but compare
lively a short time previous. The
party had nothing to do in the
canvass of November but to re-
tain the voters who had already
sustained the party twice. There
was no turbulence or violence to
be met, nor intimidation to fear.
And yet the democratic party,
beginning with a weak and de-
moralized organization, laid siege
to this republican stronghold, and
despite every drawback, without,
as is admitted, the use of either
violence or threats or any means
unknown to political campaign
ing, carried the parish by some
two hundred majority.
Besides the facts thus develop
ed from the testimony, in contra
diction and answer to contestants
allegation, it is contended that,
even admitting the allegation to
be true, the intimidation, threats,
violence and lawlessness charged
by contestant, do not, under we'll
settled rulings and decisions of
courts and legislative bodies, con-
stitute a sufficient. ground for null
d lifying an election lawfully held
and peacefully conducted. The
rule is laid down in Haywood on
Elections, PIP. $50 to 5s4; Rowe
on Elections, p. 334; Sheppard on
Elections. PIP. los, 1O6> and 1
Peckwell, p. II. To invalidate
an election for riot, violence, in
timidation, Sc, it must be shown
nn% 11 r,1a u