, 1874-12-26

law In conducting Tho election md making tho
retutna to tho Supervisors. Iii others, that TO-
turns of tho Commissioners
HAD HEEN CHANGED
afscr theY Ind been made 10 tho Suporvlsorn; that
greater number than horo wero votors had beon
returned Registered o. TINT thoso ,,. ,vS.tin wsro
aired. Hind tho Noard decided that anything like
a strict compliance with tho forms Of tho law in
holding tho election aud making returns to tho
suporvlsor would 10 rcauiscd. tug h., effect would
been thrown out that thoro would hase boen
no oioction in the state. Tho Board thou atlopt-
cd d rule tint, whom Supervisor haa returned
any evidence showing TIM: al election was bold
swoln to, Il, tho abHonco Of auy oviuance Of
fraud or Intimidation
IT WOULD COMPILE THE VOTE
as shown by such evidence or documents. This
dociafon diBpoaod OF good many protests to tho
reception OF polls, but when tho substantial |
forna Of Inv lind not boen obBorvtd and ovidonco I
o! fraud OF intimidation waa produced, tho fail
uro OF substantial compliance with tho forms Of |
poll WIS rejected. Wc believed this to bo a just |
aud reasonable rule, and tho BOARD strictly nd |
hered to 1t IN tho caHcs OF Carroll, st. Hcl.
ona, aud ~. JameB Parishes. whero 1t |
by tito Commissioners to the Supervisors had |
been changed aftor they Ind como into the hands
of the Supp, Vi ors. lilo Board took evidence to
nscertain tho true ptatc OF the vote, aud nlado
tl4 CaHlNltAt}lA ACC1lutNBtY% Lug luohtkuu
raised againHf tho creator humber Of polis was
tho
CHARGE or INTIMIDATION
TO prevent voters from voting, aid forcing them
to soto against their wiatea. 70 establish this
charge, n great mags Of afflayitB wero takon.
Bono applicable to whole parishes. aud somo to
particular polls. and a lnass Of counter alidavits
were also fllod. Tho general fucts proved
on this point establishes that. about .hlay,
1874. military organization known FIJI the White
T 4I1ut+1 G$a}N nE%N
tended to every parish in tho State md poraeat-
ed oyery noigllborhood; that tho object Of this
organization waB to
PREVENT coLonED uEN FROM VOTING
unlesB thoy could 10 controlled to voto the Demo-
cratic ticket, and prevent them from holding Of
t1co; and further, to compel Republicans bold
ing o1lce under tho present Stale. Government
to abdcato their olhces, and to prevent tho Re-
pubcan, party IN this State from organizing
late election. aud to expcl tho white Nepnhlicans
flom tho State unless thov would tlcsist from
organizing tho Republican party IN
thi State and withdraw ,a n,rfc from the the
mcaus talsen BY tsa White League organization
to accomplish tile above purposes III shown TO
haye boon by threats that Il the colorcd voters
did not vote tho Democratic ticket they should
be expelled from tho plantation Oil which thoy
wero farming, DO deprived Of their crops, bo OK
cluaed from rcntins 1anda hereafter, OF Or being
employed, and deprived Of ratsons or credit to
obtain them; mud lcaoiug colorod mon wore
THREATENED WITH DEATH
II thoy persisted III organizing tho Republican
party, md wlise Republicans wcro thrcatened
with porsonal violence, prescription in business
aud aocinlly of themselves and families,
sr eraanxne x hnnsng Sa Sr II nSg ng er"isSa 1s o o
tho lato elections. l'hia organization. in armed
batlds. In many parishes in tho State carried
their threata Of personal violence into effect BY
l;ilng some Republicans. whipping and H.
~in
holding otllce under tho preaont Stats Govern
mont to ahdicAto their otlices. This was par-
ticnurlv the case in alt the hcd River Parishes,
moat Of tho Teclo parishes, and in the parishes
above nets, rosoried to BY this Whito League or
RauiZA!ion to easry out their purpose were clear
violationB OF both Stato md United States laws
and would subject The perpetrators Of thehn nols
TO impriuonmentln In the Ponitentiary.
so on1Oua ARE THEY
to tho sense OF the people. Tllonc acts Of in-
limitation, which prevent fair, ftoe aud peaco-
able election in tho Parishes Of st. Atnry and
| Grant, were 80 gouaral and overwhelming that
the Boatd felt compelled to throw out every box
| IN these Parishes, and in many other parishes
where there was satisfactory proof tl,at intini-
| aatton had been unod at deaignated polls 80 ~ to
prevent fair. free, and pcnceablo elec-
compilation as tho Inv reauites. Wlen tho
| friends OF political party, such rs the White
League organization is, clearly md generally
! violate tho laws or the country to control at
election in their intoros it il but just and prop
| or TINT whom they aro shown to havo brought
snch acts to boar on an election, they should not
DO permitted to pront by It, mud
SUCH IS THE INTENTION OF THE LAW.
Tho Doard, however, in this case did not exclude
atty poll from compilation oxcopt Un aatiRtuct0ty
| proof that such violation Ind beeu porpctrated.
aud that 1t had the effect of intimidatinE d But
tlcient hunlber OF voters to changc the result
! OF tie election. Ia nil theae nets to produce in
ben tai IA 1F
| Democratic party aua against the RopnOlican
| party the pcl!B excluded from compilation Gen-
orally gaye ma}orltios III favor Of tho Dosno-
cratic party, ind their exclusion from compiIa-
lion soduccd tho vote Of thai party, and in some
ln,tancos had tho effect Of returning lloprosenta
tivos and other officers Of tho opposite party
different from the roturna made by tho Superyi-
sora. Ths is the natural result OF al illegal at.
tempt to accomplish such IN object, and is
. NO FAULT OF TIE HOARD.
| The counsel OF tho Democrat! t!o party protested
against the counting OF certain polls III tho Par
lshos Of Natchitochca mud Bosalcr, Oil tho
! ground that United States troops were expected
at tho polls on tho day Of election or did acta-
Iy yisit the polls tho day Of olcoion, In order
to assist the United StatcB Mursbal to ntrest per.
Hons charged With violation of United States law.
aud that, in consequence, great nlnbor Of
Democrats did not attend tho polls and vote for
fear Of arrest by tllo United Statos troops.
Even ii aucL facta had boen fully proved, as al-
lcgod VIC do not sec that tere waB ey violation Of
law il United States troopH doing 60. Cortalnly.
Il peraon charged with crime aganst tho United
States law cannot say 10 il intinlidated by tho
fact that s United States Marshal waa irving to
arrest him. It Is bis own fault If lie ia guilty,
and he cannot urge Lis crime aA 4 protection,
and peYaons
NOT CONSCIOUS OF THEIR GUILT
would not ileo from the presence Of United
Stated Nlarshal aud his posse Of United states
soldiers. This was prepostosoua. and VIC did not
conbider this good Erounl Of Intimidation