The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-12-31

I
TO vote against their wishes. To establish
this charge q number of affidavits were
tax IN, some applicable 10 whole parishes
and some TO particular polls. and mass of
counter affdavits was also filed. The gen
eral facts proved on this point established
that about May, 1874, military oTganiza-
tlOn- known as the White League, was es-
tab.lshed la this State, which extended to
every parish in the State, and permeated
every neighbOrhOod; that the object OF
this organization was TO prevent coloTed
men from voting, unless they could be
controlled TO vote the Democratic ticket
and TO prevent them from holding Of
ice; and further, To compel Repub-
hcans holding offices under the present
state government 10 abdieate their Off
ces, and prevent the Republican party in
TINS State from organizing with a view of
concentrating their party at the late cleo
tl0n, and TO expel white Republicans from
the State unless they would desiSt from
organizing the Republican parry in that
State and withdraw from active support
Of that party. The means taken 10y this
White League organization TO accomplish
the above purposes are shown to have been
by threats, that if the colored voters did
not vote the Democratic ticket they would
be expelled from the plantations on which
they were farming, and be deprived of their
crops or excluded from renting lands here
after, not employed, and deprived of their
rations or credit to obtain them. Leading
colored men were threatened with death If
they persisted in organizing the Republican
party; and white Republicans were threat
ened with personal violence, prescription
IN business and society of themselves and
families, and with hanging if they persisted
IN organizing their party with a view to
the late elections. This organization is
armed, and in many parishes in the
State carried their threats of personal
violence into effect by killing some Repub-
licans, whipping aud i'll treating others,
and compelling the parish officers holding
office under the present government to alb
dictate their offices. This was particularly
the case in all the Red River parishes,
in most of the Teche parishes, and in the
parishes between Red and Ouachita rivers
All the above acts resorted to by the White
League, organized to carry out their purpose,
were in clear violation of both the State
and United States laws, and would subject
the perpetrators of those acts to imprlsOn-
ment IN the penitentiary, so odiOus they
are to the sense of the people of the coun-
try. The evidence Of such acts of intimida-
ton, which prevented fair, free and peace
able elections IN the parishes of st. Martin
and Grant, was so general and overwhelm-
ing that the board felt compelled to throw
out every box in these parishes, and IN
many other parishes where there was salts
factory proof that intimidation had been
used at designated polls SO as to prevent
free, fair and peaceable elections at such
polls, they were excluded from compila-
tion. The law requires that when the
friends of q political party, such as tie
White League organization is towards
the Democratic party, shall so clearly
and generally violate the laws of the cOun-
try to control the election in their interests
it is but just and proper that when they are
shown to have brought such acts to bear on
elections, that they should not be permitted
| to profit by it. Such is the intention of the
law. The board, however, in this case did
not exclude any poll from compilation, ex-
cept on satisfactory proof that such violation
of law had been perpetrated, and that it
had the effect to intimidate a sufficient
number of voters TO change the result of
the election. In all these acts to produce in
timidation, they had been in favor of the
Democratic party and against the Republican
party. The polls excluded from cOmpila-
ton generally give a majority in favor of
the Democratic party, and their exclusion
from compilation reduces the vote of that
party, and in some instances it had the Ell
feet of returning Republican representatives
and other officers OF the opposite party, diff
ferent from the returns made by the super
visors. This is the natural result of an
illegal attempt TO accomplish an Object
and is no fault of the board. The
counsel of the Democratic party pro-
tested against the counting of certain polls
| in the parishes of Natchitoches and Bos-
sier, on the ground that United States
troops we're expected at the polls on the
day of election, in order to assist the United
States Marshal in arresting persons charged
with violation of United States laws, and
that in consequence great number of Dem
Ocrats did not attend the polls and vote for
fear of arrest by United States troops.
Even if such facts had been fully proved as
alleged, we do not see that there was any
violation of law in United States troops do
ing so. Certainly, a person charged With
crime against a United States law cannot
say he is intimidated by the fact that the
marshal with United States troops is trying
to arrest him; it is his own fault if he is
guilty, and lie cannot urge his own crime
as his protection; and certainly, persons
not conscious of their guilt would not flee
from the presence of the United States
Marshal and his posse of United States sol
diers. This is preposterous, and we did not
consider this good ground of intimidation.
There were no returns of election from the
parish of DeSoto made by the supervisor
of registration as the law requires. Per-
sons interested produced the clerk of
the court, with such papers as by law were
entrusted to him and offered them as re-
turns from the parish. The board decided
they could not receive and canvass and COM
pile such returns. The parties in interest
applied to the proper court for nganddmuS
to compel those returns, but, upon trial,
the court sustained the ruling of the board.
The same principle was acted on in the
Terrebonne case. There was no supervisor
for the parish of VIM, the person APP
pointed for that parish having been ex-
PEELED, and an unauthorized person assumed
to act. The board could not recognize
such lawlessness. The board submits to
the Legislature and people of the State the
result of their investigation, with con-
seriousness that they have properly dis
charged their trust.
j. MADISON WELLS, President.
The board adjourned, subject to a call Of
the president. a.
Governor Kellogg states that the returns
show three Republican and three Dem
ocratic members of Congress. The House
is nearly, if not quite tie, as Ex-Governor
Hahn and other Conservative Republicans
will probably remain neutral.
The constitutional amendments are de-
clared carried by about 10, 600 majority.
BlenYille parish, which gave Grant and
Kellogg GOO votes in 1872, and Dubuclet
no vote this year, is not counted, and Grant
parish, the scene of the Colfax massacre, is
also thrown out, though it gave small Re
publican majority.
New ORLEANS, December 26.-In a fight
between Dan c. Byerly, manager of the
Bulletin, and Ex-Governor Warmoth, on
Canal street, Byerly knocked Warmoth
down with stick and jumped on him.
WarmOth drew his knife ana stabbed By
erly several times IN the abdomen; the
wounds are dangerous. Warmoth has
been arrested.