The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1870-05-28


ton, at the election, and all tn,
time. 1t is Seriously proposed t.
reject those parishes and declar'
that in them there was no cleo
ton, because otherwise this House
must hold that McCranie, the
Democratic candidate, was duly
and legally elected. My colleague
further states that these parishes
gave a small Democratic MAORI
ty at the spring election in 1868,
and would have increased it con-
siderably at @ peaceable election
in the fall. Those statements
are eminently justified by the ev-
idence. by the condition of things
which prevailed in all of these
parishes, and by the ordinary re-
iations which previous sympa-
thies and political associations
would have brought about. Be-
sides, the old relations of kind
ness and friendship between the
races would naturally attract to
the Democratic party many col
ored voters, whose suffrages were
cultivated in all honorable ways.
Mr.. PAINE. I wish to ask the
gentleman question. Would
not that argue in favor of the
claim of the contestant7
Mr.. KERR. What statements 2
Mr.. PAINE. The statement
the gentleman has just read.
Mr.. KERR. Yes. sir; it argues
in favor Of Mr.. McCranie.
Mr.. PAINE. do not understand
the language of the report when
it says "another objection to the
claim of the contestee."
Mr.. KERR. That is q misprint.
I want to call the attention of the
House to another remarkable fact
in connection with the election.
The parish of Ouaehita is one
of the largest in the district. I
believe it may be said to be the
metropolitan parish of the district.
1t is the one in which the repre-
sentative men, to a great extent
reside. The Republican party
had some of its ablest representa-
tives in that parish, and the col
ored electors in it were to the
white electors as two to one. In
that parish there was conducted
a fair, open campaign on the part
of both parties. Yet in 'Ouachita,
under all these circumstances,
where there were none of this
alleged intimidation and violence,
the Democratic party carried the |
parish by a clear and honest ma
jority of 244.
No allegation of violence is
made against it by Mr.: Morey
or even of fraud in any |
of it's returns, and the only fraud |
there is believed to
have been in his interest. He
does not contest Mr.. McCranie's
right to that parish. He does not
deny that the election there was
legally held and conducted to it's
close in all respects. Yet there
night most justly have been ex-
)ected trouble if in any part of
he district.
Mr.. STEVENSON. We differ
about that.
-1fr. KERR. How9
Mr. STEVENSON. The fact
s this, that according to the evil
ACHSC CACIO TCIO uISoINCIS |
,ut it was not the interest either
If Mr.. McCranie or Mr.. Morey to
lave that parish thrown out, for
f this had been done Mr.. Ken
lcdy would have como in.
Mr. KERR. Does the gentle
nan mean to suggest that in
his report he has acted
IN that Miew of the case9 i
Mr. STEVENSON. No, sir; I i
lcted on the testimony. There
vas testimony, but not enough
o satisfy tho committee as to
hese disorders. The motive is /:
lear enough. If Ouachita had
,een thrown out then Mr.. Kenne- (
ly, who was running as an inde-
PENDENT, would have come in Is
head of both the Others. But {
'1r. Kennedy was not contestihg {
he seat with any zeal before the {
and consequently the '
estimony was not brought before ]
he committee. S
NJ FTpJo r hoor %h1