The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1873-06-12
The Rspablioan Party ProEressing


The Representative from the First Dis
trict IN Louisiana in the last Congress
was the HonsJ. H.Sypher a Carpet bag
ger. and of course q firm supporter ol1hez
administration. Mr. Sypher Claims 10
with the Clerk ofthe House his ereden-
tials based on the action of the same fraud
ulent Returning Board which, without
having any votes in its possession to
count, succeeded in counting in kellogg
as Governor Of the State
The manner in which Mr. Sypher went
to work so prove that he had been elected
is CURIOUS, as it affords a fine Illustration
Of the means which the Republican party
as it is now constituted, appears to con-
slder legitimate for the attainment OF it,
ends. The true result of the election was
tie choice of Mr.. Efingham Lawrence.
wealthy planter of the parish OF PlMaue-
mines, by q majority of over three thou
sand votes. To overcome this majority
Mr.. Sypher employed the services Of an
agent named Theodore Jaques, United
States Supervisor of Elections, who plae-
ed in the hands of the spurious Lynch
Returning Board the affidavits Of some
seventeen hundred negroes to the effect
that they were illegally and fraodulently
prevented from Young for Sypher as they
desired to do. These affidavits were al
counted as so many votes or.Sypher, and
| by this means, and by excluding the
votes Of certain precincts, majority Of
seventy voteswss fabricated for the ad-
ministraton candidate.
During the investigation into Louisi-
ana affairs ordered by the Senate at its
recent session, Mr.. Sypher's agent, Jac-
ques, was one of the witnesses examined.
In giving his evidence Jacques, lnhuenc-
ed by some motive not clearly apparent,
appears To have told the truth Iie con-
lessed that he had forged the afiidAvfts
on which the Lynch board had based
their declaration that Sypher was elected
In regard TO this confession Sypher char-
ged that the witness was most corrupt
( and unprincipled man, which was very
evident from his engaging in such villainy
for the benefit of his employer; also that
he was unworthy of belief, which did NOT
help Sypher-m much, as the only pretence
he had to an election was founded on the
afidavits supplied by the self-confessed
forger.
It seems, however, that in this case
/ Jacques really did tell the truth, as his
evidence is corIoborated in very I'M
/ portanJ quarter. William NJ. Prescott,
the parish Judge ofPlaqsemines, a leades
of the Republican party IN that region,
and United States Commissioner, has.
made sworn statement which fully sx-
poses the utter villainy of the whole
| transaction, at the same time fixing the
main responsibility for it on Sypher hinl-
self Judge Prescott says that few
4 days after the general election IN No
vember last, at the earnest request Of
Sypher, who said he must have at leasZ
two thousand votes more from the parish
of Plaquemines or he would be defeated
he proceeded In company with Jacqne.
to obtain the required certificates of votes
Sypher told him that such q proceedipF
was in accordance with law, and that he
must nave the certificates at all eyents Or
he would be defeated. His duty was to
swear the voters who had been unable 70
vote at the general election. He says
that at the highest estimate not over
three hundred negroes swore TO such GER
| tificates, and that even these three huns
dred were not signed upon the spot. bud
the names were written by Jacques after
his arrival in New Orleans, and then
certified by the Judge, also IN she sans
city. Judge Prescott further says that
he signed at the request of Jacques about
| two thousand additional certificates
which had neither been signed nor filled
up and signed with forged signatures
The facts in this case not only demon-
strate the frauds resorted To by SyPh@r il
order to retain seat in Congress, but
they also show the sort. OF means used n
order to supply pretence for the usrr-
PATTON of Kellogg, both outrages being
Of essentially the same character And
! it is lust such infamy as this that Gen.
Grant is Employing Federal troops Q np-
hold. Do the decent men 10 the Repub-
| lican party suppose that they can ahord
to sustain the night claimed by the accept-
ed chief of their party 70 encourages lef-
gerry, perjury and fraud for the promotion
of partisan purposes? they do. let
them keep right on ia their present
course and see what will come Of It.
~. ?. Sun.