The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-10-06
The compromise.

The latest news from Louisiana announces
that conpro mise has been effected, where
by an advisory committee to oversee the
! registration of voters and returning board
to dispose of the ballots shall be secured, or
both of which the two parties will ~
equally represented. with an umpire to cast
the deciding vote in cases of difference
| The advisory committee has been already
made up. Its duties will be very onerous
if it should undertake to reform the evil
already done. The election law of the state
of Louisiana gave power to the governor to
appoint supervisors of registration, which
officers were to have authority to refuse
arbitrarily 10 register any vote; and from the
decision of these petty officials no
appeal was available. AS matter of course
kellogg appointed as supervisors his own
political adherents, and the design was.
without doubt, to thwart, by the terms of
the nefsrious election law, the zeal and de-
termination of the conservatives who were
prepared TO win back at the ballot box
portion of the power which was wrested
from them two years ago. The registrations
proceeded in such a way that conservative
voters, especially white naturalized citizens,
found it almost impossible to obtain certifi-
Gates, while especial pains were taken to
secure full republican registry. The state
supervisor, with this end in view, instructed
his subordinates, in a secret circular, to the
following effect: asi ar Hr -
You are instructed TO use your utmost endeavors
TO cause full registration of all republican
voters in your parish, and to especially en- cour-
age and assist the registration OF white republic
can cleo ors. For this purpose you will keen
your office open az the court house for as short
a period as neces airy. and then remove to the
nG mos ehlGcy populated by colored
course with the greatest caution, as will facili-
tate their presence at the time of opening the
/ books.
The result of such orders was that in the
city of New Orleans, where there are only
10000 negro voters altogether, IL 900 were
registered, and one colored citizen was
found with twenty-seven registration tick
cts in his possession. 1t was the prospect
of being overwhelmed in this miserable
fraud that aroused the people of Louisiana
to open revolt. AS the first fruitof their rev.
/ olution there is a promise of reformation in
the registry. The following are the terms
of the agreement entered into by the con-
ference committee ON this point:
'snd carry out the registration throughout
the state on behalf of all parties to the full
'extent OF suggesting changes in the regis
'tration officers, and the manner ofconduct-
'ing and carrying on the registration; GOV.
kellogg, i'm the interest of a fair and impair
'tial registration, of his own accord pledgine
| himself to act upon the advice and sugges.
'tions of the advisory committee so long as
such advice and suggestions are in con
| 'sonance with, and permitted by
4 the existing laws of the state
If these stipulsliops be faithfully carried
out it is just possible that an honest election
may be secured. So much mischief has
however, been done hitherto that it will b'
difficult to remove its effects, even with thu
best intentions on the part of the advisory
committee. That body is curiously com
posed and scarcely satisfies the conservative;
as only one ofthe members is democrat,yanG
one aliberal republican of third term pro
clivities. while three are federal Office
holders. s,s 49,. ~ rt
Next in importance to gaining a fail
election is the attainment of just and i'm
partial returning board. 1t will bt
the duty of that body to take the ballots o.
the people and pronounce what has beer
their choice. By the arrangement of the
conference committee, it is to be hoped that
an authoritative decision may be reached
Two years ago anarchy resulted from the
disorganization of the returning board, and
it would seem as If every precaution had
been taken to prevent a like misfortune
on the present occasion.
While giving due thanks for the good thai
has been achieved, we must not be toe
ssnguine. It is something, to be sure, tc
have the men who ought to be in possession
vi the W hole stale authority granted q PAX