New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-09-18
THE ELECTION FRAUDS EXPOSED.


the matter of the Louisiana election
frauds perpetrated last fall AS startling
. as the disclosures are, thus made under
the solemnity of the oaths Of the severaI
atlantis, there is scarcely statement made
certainly not a material fact, that has moi
been known to Us and scores, nay, hun.
dreds OF men of both parties ever since the
election. We have, on every fitting occa-
sion, assured the readers of the REPUBLICAN
that the Fusionists made an attempt to
overcome the twenty thousand Republican
majority in this State by the introduction
of practices which could not be sustained
by honest men. Yet what we said was
credited to the score of party zeal, and
the old cry Of the Fusion papers that "the
people" had elected the opposition
ticket drowned for time the utter
ances of truth. With the completely
or privity of Colonel McEnery, Mr..
Penn, James Graham, and the other
candidates on the Fusion ticket in this
matter, we have nothing to do. It does
not make any difference to US, as the rep
resentative of the Republican party of this
State, whether the parties who would i'm
mediately profit by these frauds had any
knowledge Of them at any time, either be-
fore or after the election, or not. It has
been our, endeavor to protect our own
party from imposition by such means,
without inquiring as to who were the
really guilty parties. The Fusion candi-
dates are responsible solely to their con-
fding friends, not to US, for their conduct.
We are responsible to our party for ours.
1t has been our endeavor to protect it
from all foes open and insidious, and to |
sound the alarm on the first approach of |
danger. But no attempt has been made |
to call Fusion offenders to account. |
Hence it has not come within our pro-
vince to inquire into the acts of individ-
uals. There is a suggestion, however,
that has frequently occurred to us in this
connection, which may or may not be Of
value: If the Fusion candidates were ig-
norant Of the efforts that were put forth
by their friends to secure their election,
then they were the worst informed men in
the city.
Since these afidavits have been made,
however, two of the Fusion organs have
come out promptly and disclaimed for
Colonel John McEnery, and, so far as we
can judge, for all the leading Fusion can.
didates, total ignorance Of the whole
system of cheating. These disclaimers
possess no interest for us. being made
probably without authority, further than ,
they show disposition, now that the ,
whole thing has been brought to light, TO ,
Join hands with the Republicans in repu- .
dating the whole business. We have
always protested against having our op.
ponents take any advantage from their r
OWN wrong. And now that the wrong :
has been proved by their own agents, we !,
expect they will cease to insist upon the b
election of Colonel McEnery. If fairness 4,
to be insisted upon, on both sides, they 4
an not be permitted to plead the wrong. n
I'll acts committed in their interest as !,
heir title to the Offices for which they m
Eere candidates. As the Herald very ;;
remarks that not a candi- ~
ate on the Fusion ticket would deign to =,
ccept an Office to which he had not b,
cen fairly elected, we may hope that its T
will be corroborated by the W
tents in whose names it speaks and that b
e shall hear no more Of the Louisiana o,
1estion. For the testimony shows be- We
md all doubt that the honorable gentle tn
en- referred to were not elected, but failed do
several thousand votes. And as their NJ
nse Of propriety would have led them | II
repudlate the wrongs committed osten. 81,
ply in their interest II the time Of their ~
We may presume tina. they e.
IL refuse to any longer consider them tt
ives entitled to the offices for which Of
ay ran, and which they have been pur- il
ing before Congress ever since. It will for
detract from their credit perhaps to co,
the fact be known that these Offices tht
irrevocably beyond their reach, and an,
It after the expose which has been made ma
party can be found in Congress OF out the
it to espouse their cause. For there is NOT
ertain eclat that attaches to every effort tati
promote justice and right, whether the sun
lmpions sacrifice their interests OF not. the
some explanation may be demanded of one
vernon McEnery by his friends in this Tt,
tier, with which We have nothing to mo-
1t is sufficient for our purpose that are
truth has come out at last, that the cen
'tence of organized frauds has been tor
'blished, without pursuing the guilty The
ties. Let those who have been SO long and
eived, if there are any in this posi- app
|, call their agents to account, and, if pee
are found guilty, punish them or lists
at their discretion. All we claim is tho,
dom from disturbance in the enjoy ben
1t of our political victory at the polls lar
5 pointwe shall continue to insist upon Am,
swift
oUND AND OVERLAND COTTON MOVE. $40
have
explanation of the non-progress of o,
Orleans, we cited as chief cause the = -,