American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-02-22
Federal Virtue in Louisiana.

And now comes another startling rev.
citation of official crime. The Credit Mo-
bilier disclosures have arraigned before
the country dozen or 20 of congressional
and senatorial and vice-presidential cor
ruptiOnists, thieves, bribe-takers, and per-
jurers of the worst description. Another
investigation, upon a collateral subject,
brings to light the fact that ring of rail-
way spectators have stolen between thir-
ty and forty millions of dollars outright
from the public treasury, which is sup
piled by taxation upon the people, and
have been "placed where it would do
more good'' in promoting the designs of
the thieves. The Caldwell proofs have
caused every honest face to burn with in
dignant shame for the national disgrace
revealed in the fact that an American Sem
ator can be made by giving brides and
buying votes. Another senator's proven
to have received contribution of $4,000
from gang of subsidy thieves to 'Iaid
his election" Still another knocks at the
door of the Senate chamber, not even de-
nying the charge-so VIGOROUSLY fact
that it cannot be denied-of holding a GER
tificate of election gained by bribery and
purcha' in the South Carolina legislature.
And in the face of these monster crimes
against public morality and civilization,
still anO: her :" honorable SENATOR goes to
his State with a bag Of money 1.-THE avails
of some official theft, no doubt), and only
fails by sudden exp 1sure in the very act
of bribing his way back to the seat he has
for twelve years disgraced. And now
crimes for which the nation must suffer
the punishment which the criminals will
probably escape, are supplemented by an
other startling revelation of official do
ings no less criminal and no less infa-
nous.
In the inquiry concerning the federal
Ofhce-hOlders' usurpatiOn in Louisiana, it
was proved by two of the federal officers
called supervisors of election" who
were appointed by the U. S. Marshal I'M
der the federal act known as the bayo-
net election law" to supervise the State
election in Louisiana, that the pre-
tended success of the s'Kellogg party''
was compassed by the most fragrant acts
of fraud by forged and false registry
lists by what is known as the REPEATER
process in voting; by almost undfsguised
ballot-box stufhng; and by false and ficti-
tious affidavits and perjury by wholesale
and retail. One of these Federal ''Super-
visors of election" Ia man named f. j.
BarkdalD testified that from GOO to 700
voters were sent by the man Sypher and
another political scoundrel, from New
Orleans to vote in Washington parish,
over which Barkdall was the Federal Su-
pervisOr, appointed to watch and guard
against JUST Sucn IrauOS. IneSe reDeaterS
voted, but still their votes were not
enough, and their Federal Supervisor re-
ceived from one of the scOundrels list of
$50 names, which he was desired to re-
port as the names of persons who had
been prevented by fraud or intimidation
from voting. Witness did not report
them, as requested, but made a general
statement of intimidation and fraud,
which he signed but did not swear to,
"because he did not believe it true u'
What induced this witness to make false
report, and not to expose the voting of
repearers, but to aid in their crime against
the ballot-bOx, was 1.-The sympathy he had
for the party!" He ''meant to make such.
a report as would be to the interest of tn
republican candidates." He also appear
to have had another inducement, for he
said that the cOrruptionist Sypher .sprom-
ised to get him a place in the custom
house, but didn't fulfill his promise. Ifhe
had got the place he might have kept his
mouth Shut
Another of these federal d" supervisors
of election" was a person named Theo-
dore Jaques. This person was clearly a
,1fnre useful officer to 1.-THE party than
na T must and his sympathy for the
lively. He testified that aiie eE ,,'9 or
plicate registration papers aftef ti-S oo -e"il