The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-12-26
The Case.

S
The Washington correspondent of the
| Chicago Tribune, an anti Republican
paper, forwards the following chap
ter on the Pincback case in the Senate:
Senator Morton to-day made q viRo-
rOus and earnest speech in support of
his resolution to admit Pincbackas Sen
atOr from Louisiana, taking the ground
that it was not in the province or power
of the Senate to go back of the hearing
and decisions Of Judge Durell in the
United States District Court. 1t was a
prima facia case, and must be accepted
as such. He repeatedly, during his
speech, met interrORations from Sena-
tors in opposition, and it was evident
from the discussion to be continued to-
morrow by McCreery, of Kentucky,
that every point is to be strongly con
tested.
Avery significant statement was made
by Mr.. Morton at the close of his speech,
to the effect that if the other side forced
the issue, there were certain startling
newfacts to be brought ont, now in the
hands of the Senate committee, which
| would reveal deeper depths than
we're yer imagined in the Louisiana
elections, proving fncontestibly the bo-
| gus character Of the McEnery Leg
islature. 1t is understood that this
refers to a most remarkable turn
ing over Of papers and docmen-
tary proofs of the infamies perpe-
trated, the chief tool Of the conspit0rs,
| one Blanchard, having, for ultimate
purposes of his own, become evidence
| against his employer. 1t seems that
Blanchard was the so-called registrar of
elections, had charge Of the whole ma
chinery Of the election, and with a COM
! prehensiveness and zeal worthy of q
better cause, cOncOcted and carried out
a scheme for overcoming the known
Republican majority, which he held
and managed in his own hands.
He has made IN AFFIDAVIT covering all
the points and features of the process,
showing that all the officers Of elections
and places Of voting were 81 created and
managed that returns were controlled
exactly as the COnspiratOrs desired.
Blanchard exhibits copies Of dispatches,
orders, lists, and programmes cOnstitut-
ing q machinery of fraud Incredibly
bold, and SO successful that the results
! withstood the investigations of last win
ter, and actually find no place in the
voluminous reports Of Congress on those
frauds. The new chapters will be adj
ded, however, from present
for Blanchard is undOubtly all he claims
to be, and his budget of surrendered pa
pers will prove a bomhshell when fully
spread upon the records.
They will show that the voting places
were changed deliberately on the day of
election that ballot boxes were carried
away and others, previously prepared
substituted in their places; that thous-
ands of negroes were driven away from
the polls, and in a word that a difference
of 10000 votes was fraudulently effected
in favor of McEnery. These revelations
were only made to Senator Morton thie
mOrning-an hour before the meetingof
the Senate. At the conclusion of his re-
marks, Senator Thurman, of Ohio, made
an effort to obtain possession Of the
Blanchard documents for perusal, and
would have succeeded but for the su-
periOr activity Of Mr.. West, of Louis
lana, who ran over to Mr.. MOrton's desk
and requested him to suppress them for
the present.
The correspondent adds: g
While Mr.. Morton was addressing the
Senate, his client, PinChback, leaned
~complaGently on the rail surrounding the
Senator's desk. His countenance was
wreathed in smiles, and he evidently
felt confident that his troubles are about
over. His opponent, MeMillen, sat COM
placently on one Of the sofas in the rear
of the hall, looking as though he didn't
care much how the question was decided.