The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-07-27

tAACS IL ulllttu- AMI
ulGcr the present registration. cl,im ~
majority, and elect tifty-eight mrnhnrs
Cconcedlng that the city of New a.
leans, divided into fifteen wards, rlert,
All OF her members, (twenty-tiypin n1nn-
bcr) Democrats, which she has nn,,n,
oohe, ana we carry every parish which
We now claim, yet We would have q MI
Monty the next House of Representa-.
yves. 80 Ill 4 straight out Democ,,tic
contest, the Republicanparty Womb OH
tam control of both Houses of the Gon-
Gral Assembly, and Judging the fntnrn
by. the past, they would soon have IVY
till9s majority i'll both Houses: Inv nm
seating our members, if it berSmcnarnI-
SaIy for then party purposes.
II constitution makes each House tba
sole Judge OF the qualification. election
II returns OF its own members" ami
from their decision there is no annpai
Uhder this provision the Republican,
party pelpetrated, in the last Legisla-
lure unprecedented injustice On the
people OF the State, by depriying many
parishes and districts that were known
10 ne i'em0cratlc, of their legal repre-
SGhlatloll' by H~nScating thea duly elect
ru Iicl1lDcrS' and seating in their places
men VINO, III many instances, were not
KNOWN even ascandidatrsin the PARISHES
AND districts from which tk8rv clainnd
to have been returned,
~Conceding then that the Democratic.
IlckGt' winch Is 10Y in the field. cOnId
ne elected, which is extremely d0ubtfnL
the governor would be pOWcrlcSs to nrr-
vent oE the veto power n ObnOxiOus
measures, amt certainly could not, bv
HIS mere recommendation, 0btaiu the
fepeal OF OdlOIls laws, which are Nh M
preSSlVe and injurious to the best intrr-
est Of the State.
e history Of the administration of
President johnson while he woscOntpnG-
ing with the Democratic minOritv Of
congress for the rights of the Southern
states, Is an appropriate example of the
powers OF an Executive in a RcDublic
against the united opposition of the ma
J9lltyparty IN the Legislative department.
or the Government. i = \ : = :
Inc mal0rltlcS i'll the legislature were
obt4lncd by an unfair appOrtiOnmpnt.
made IL violation of thecOnstitution and
ny the fraudulent registration of voters
ana issuance OF thousands of false reg
IStratI0n papers, which were used by the
hcPuDlcaLS, n by the characterization
OF Democrats in the State.
In the city of New Orleans alone 81 7
was Informed by Republicans, from, ton
to twelve thousand false registry nancrs
had been issued, and these are now nnt
and can he used at the next election mn
less the abuse is corrected. The same is
rue to sonle extent i'll almost every DAP
ISh in this State.
All OF these abuses can b~ecOrrpctpd hv
a revision OF the registry list, and by ar
pointing honest and true men thrOurtl-
out the country as registrars to admin
lister the law. This will undoubtedly he
done, and the moral effect alone is worth
from three to five hundred voters in py-
cry parish i'll this State. 1t is no usp to
disguise the fact that the Governor has
the control OF these laws, and by q fair
Il legitimate Use of them could give us
the election in November next. 4 +
1t Is well tOtake intOcOnsideration one
OF the peculiar and extraordinary pro-
visions OF the election law so loudly de-
manded by Radicals of the Legislature
and winch they said was absolutely nee
esSaly for the success Of their party.
refer to the board of returning officers.
This board receives the returns of cleo
ton, makes a count of the vote and is
sues certificates of election to all officers
as well as the members of the LegisIa- |
ture. IhehlstOry Of the Legislature de-
mO~nStrates clearly the extraordinary
powers conferred upon it by the law.
Reference Is not made to this peculiar
provision Of the law to Indicate that it |
could be improperly used in our favor
tor the preparation of frauds. but to
direct your attention to an imDOrtant
fact, that should there be an unlawful
by the Federal Government
with Il local elections, either by its
or by the Use Of it's sOldiery,
which is unprecedented from q Federal
Administration which is despotic in all
ITS tendencies, not ven then could the
Grant party get control of our State
by force OF unfairly, unless
by the complete overthrow of the State
government and an humiliation of all
its laws. For the law provides that this
board OF returning officers shall, in case
OF fraud, violence, intimidation or other
unlawful interference, either before or
IN the day Of election, inquire into the
and give the certificate of election
10 the person that would havebeen cleo
ted, provided these unlawful interfer-
ances had not have occurred. The GER
Of this board is prina facie evil
OF election to all who hold it, and
On this alone can the members Of the
Legislature taketheir seats. This board
)t officers is now composed of the Gov
Arnor, Lieutenant-GOvernOr Secretary
u State, Senators Anderson and Lynch,
four OF whom, | believe, have declared
-h~emselyesi in favor of the Liberal move
nent.
These laws are the boosted offspring
IF the Radical party, and should the
5rant party, composed as it is OfncgrOes,
get control of the government, I'M
Ter these laws, they would retain it for
Ill time to come, and it would be useless
or the people of the State even to ex-
beet to obtain control of their local af-
airs, except by popular revolution and
Fellow-citizens, l regret exceedingly
he action of the Democratic COnyPn-
ion, as | believe, cOnscientiOusly, that
t pursued an unWlse course, which, If
PERSISTED in, will end in its certain de-
EApplause.] "'5 - #'
But il we follow the wise and patriotic
Example of other Southern States, as
veil as the National Democracy, and
mite with the Liberal party for success,
Te Will achieve a great triumph at the
IeXt electiOn-a victory that would re-
lee1n our degraded and impoverished
state, and elevate her to a proud posi-
ion IN the great sisterh0Od Of States;
security to our homes and fresides;
brow shield of protection around every
Individual i'll the State for his life, lib
and property; restore an honest,
wise and economical government, that
would infuse confidence in every Occu- !
trade and profession; give new !
eal to our waning commerce; open new
fields for investments where capital !
come with security; give greater :
protection and confidence to agriculture : I
with new hope a th0usandhearts :
hat are almost crushed with despair; !
nd preserve intact the great principle !