The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-12-25

against the Senator of tho United
States.
An examination of the returns shows
that in these parishes where large
bodies of hailiffs and troops were thus
used, the intimidation was such that
several thousand voters we're prevent
ed from attending at the polls ard
voting on the day of election. These
are facts wi,iyI, can be proved beyond
a pcra,lventure by abundant testimony.
They ure recoun'ed here, no. because l
have tumtlness for lwellingAon such
naassating details, but to exhibit tho
evils which must have been anticipated
by The trainers OF the constitution when
they placed this prohibition in that in
strumcnt. I submit to the General
Assembly, and to ny other feiluw-citi-
zcns of the State, whether any other
Interpretation can be placed npcn the
article than this: That no member OF
Congress eg Fedora! ofiiceholaer is
capable of being a lawful candidate for
Governor or Lieutenant Governor, OF
is capable of being legally voted for ds :
sncl., and whether all voters cast for
candidates thus notnriously ineligible
arc not null and void, and in q legal
sense incapable Of being counted. -
With this Interpretation, the article has
a meaning which recent events have
displayed with painful prominence;
while with the other interpretation,
namely, that it simply intends that no
one shall hold the two positions at
once, it is well nigh meaningless, being
reduced to a prohibition ofan act which
no law maker wonldkantieipate and no
sane man attempt. And now these
conspirators, having been defeated at
the polls in spite of their extraordinary
plans, seek to nullify the voice of tho
people by instituting suit in equity
in the circuit of the United States
against tho Stale of Louisiana, tho
Governor of the State being made ii !
principal defendant as Governor, and
1t being intended hy the bill to restrain !.
him from performing certain acts as
Governor. and to Compel him to per-
form certain other acts rs Governor.
They have procured the United States
Attorney as solicitor to file the bill.
They have, in inter slamelessncss,
tried to hold out to the Judge before
whom, as Chancellor, the bill is pend
ing, the hopo ofreward by fabricating
kilograms from Washington, to the
effect that an unexpected vacancy in
the Supreme Court of the United States
may be filled by an appointment from.
this part of the country, and publishing
these pretended dispatches several
times in their official organ. They
have filed in the case several thousand !
affidavits, so-called, made on forms
printed by the United States Marshal
in New Orleans. and scattered broad
cast throughout the State; and now
filled up and signed chiefly with tho
marks of unknown persons, who say
they did not vote at the hate election.
The process by which the United States
Senator expected to seize possession Of
the State Government, after having
been defeated in the election, was
through an injunction, in the prayer
flor which he falsely swole that it WIS
the intention Of the Governor and the
returning officers to mutiate and des-
troy the election returns, and as false
ly swore that the proceeding was ~
necessary preliminary to the snit which
he intended t bring. The fact was
that the returns conclnsively proved
his defeat, and his object was to OBJ
tain snct orders from the District
Judge, sitting ae chancellor, as would
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