Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-12-25
Text Of the Protest Of the Con
serVative Committee Against
the UsurpatiOns and Out
RACES of the Return
Ing Board.
Detailed Statement Of the Frauds
Perpetrated By the ScOun-
drels Employed by Kellogg
to Defeat the People.
Democratic Losses by the Doctor.
ing Of the Radical and Infa-
mOEs Returning Board
ASad Commentary on
the Reeonstruc-
tiOn Measures.

| refused to hear read in their presence:
The undersigned committee, on behalf
Of the Conservative Democratic party OF
! the State OF Louisiana, beg leave to pre-
sent the following final protest against
the action of the board in refusing to de-
eide upon and promulgate the returns
from the parishes of Arielles, Bossier,
Ascension, Assumcion, Carroll, Con-
cordia, N&tchitOches, Red River and
st. TamAnny, and contemplate the ref
erence Of the same to the legislature.
The protest here exhaustively reiterstes,
/ in forcible terms, the grounds wherein
| the board failed to perform its duty
| in relation to these parishes, here.
tofore published, and says the action
of this board; therefore, in SO referring
contested cases, as intim ated by themi
| to the legislature, would be unwarranted
| by law and unprecedented even in the
shameful and disgrseeful proceedings
of the Lynch board. Nor has illegal
action OF the board been confined to the
| improper consideration of subjects inthe
manner Of its prOceeduTei but Its deel-
sions seem to be given by no other will
than party interest. In the case of the
parish Of De Soto the board declared to
receive and canvass duplicate original
returns lodged, by Law, with the clerk OF
| the district cOult, as IL would seem Tor
the very purpose to supply the loss
Of those forwarded through the super
visor OF registration, when it was estab-
Iished that the latter had been fraudu-
Iently made away with by dishonest su-
pervisOls Of registration. In the case Of
Carroll and White fraudulent and forged
returns were rejected so far as they con-
thnU
were received and counted against all
Democratic candidates. In the case Of
Avoyle the board went outside of the
returns to canvass and allow q round
msjority of one hundred and fifty in
favor Of the Republican candidates,
basing their sction on estimates and
coDjectures, in the case Of NatchitO-
ches, AssumctiOn, st. Thomas, Red
River and other parishes. Returns from
polls invariably and largely Conserva-
tive, have been rejected on insufficient
eU-pdTte testimony, often contradictory
in IT'S nature, so as 70 give Republican
majorities in paris es Unque5tionably
Conservative. In most OF these cases
Republicans have been allowed to inter-
polate evidence after the evidence was
closed, so as not to allow of its rebuttal,
and evidence filed by the Conservative
committee has been distracted or pur-
posely mislaid 50 as not to be before the
board. In its deliberations In all Of
these decisions the board seems
to have been guarded by no
fixed rule Of right, but has varied its
action so as to promote Republican in
terests, and donate Conservative major
tiles, involving itself in mass of con-
Trajectory and opposing rulings which
offer no clue to its comprehension save
the steadfast devotion to purpose Of the
returning Republicans. Whether they
have been elected or not, single pro-
test filed by this committee b As been
sustained, although it is not various,
and it is established by irrefutable testi.
moDy that in many Of the parishes Of
the State the United States army, under
direction Of the chairman of the ReDub-
lican State central committee, was used
on election day to intimidate the Con-
servatiYe voters and drive them from
the polls. The committee now think it
their duty to declare that they are
reluctantly driven to the conclusion that
this board, as q court Of electiOns-fOT
such il is under the decision of the su-
preme cOurt-has entered into the cor
rupt and revolutionary conspiracy with
the present usurping government Of the
State to overthrow the duly-elected gen.
eral assembly Of the State, and to sub
stitute therefor one of its own creation
and manufacture. For these reasons
this committee feel now compelled to
withdraw from further participation in
the councils and deliberations OF this
board. In doing so, this committee
deem it to be q sacred duty to the people
of the State to solemnly protest against
the decision of the board as revolutiona-
ry in its effect, if not in its de-
sign, of overturning TIE legally
elected legislature of the people
by surrenderiDg to partisan minori-
ty-persOns noted for their power of
discerning who shall compose the ma
jority in filling the complement required
by law. The responsibility for such
step, striking at the root Of our form of
government as it does, Is q grave one;
and such usurpation has always reacted
In terrible manner wherever it has
been adopted in America; and this COM
mittee trusts that its gravity has been
well weighed by your body, as it alone
must bear it, as this committee can
share no part of the burden, by either
continuing its connection with your
body, or when lending a seeming acqui-
esence by its continued presence. Hav-
ing exhausted by this final
protest, as last means of
resistance to this revolutionary
deception. AS regards this, the COM
mittee now retires, leaving the respon-
sibility where it belongs, to complete its
duty by surrendering its trust to the
constituency whom it represents, and
placing before the people of the State
and the Union in its proper light the
action of the board; and this committee,
for them, pass on as political court of
last resort to Judge Course, of Louisi-
ana, to decide the question and decree
the consequences thereof.
F. c. ZEACHERI,
A. r. WHITAKER,
C. c. M'DANIEIS,
The Bulletin has the following regard
ing the returning board: "The deliber-
atiOns Of last evening resulted in final
decision regarding the parishes of Clai-
borne, CaddO, Lafourehe, Lincoln, Rap
edes and st. Martin. The parishes Of
were referred to the legislature, that
their several cases may be adjusted. The
representation, as returned by the board,
AON niiN-tWO duu
Republicans fifty-four, maki0g a major
ity of two for the latter, although it will
be observed that neither party is given a
quorum In the house. 1t Is some
what suspicious that the board
did not take unto themselves q
sufficient number v ith which to organ
ize the legislature; that is, quorum.
However, it is stated to be the purpose
Of Wells and Anderson 10 make returns
as above, and doubtless they know that
there are three among the returned
sailing under Conservative colors who,
upon an emergency, will offer allie
glance to the Kellogg regime, and re-
pudiate utterly the cause OF the people.
All the parishes before the board
Thursday were largely Democratic,
UCt by extensive doctoring and
manipulation they were returned
IS follows: CaddO, three Republicans;
Lincoln, one Republican; Rapides,
Republican; Claiborne, , Democrats;
st. Martin, 2 Democrats; La Fourhe, 2
Democrats. Bienville, Grant, Winn,
and DeSoto were thrown out, making
as representation in the house 81 DEM
ocrats and 81 Republicans by throw
ing out Of the above named parishes and
several polls, In Caddo were thrown
out to overcome the Demoera. vote, and
at the other parishes Mencure il beaten
bV OaariV Qsll0 vOtes -