The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-12-05
BE JUST AND FEAR NOT"

cent State election. They are dali
harrassed by the threats and mutter
ings ST one set of aspirants to offic
and pss.' gered by the persistent i'm
portalities of another. The news
paper organs of the White Leagu
TEEN with menace and denuDciation
and hold up to the members Of tn
Board the unpleasant alternative 0
declaring the results of the election
in accordance with partisan and gra
tuitous dictation, regardless Of pro
visions Of law and dictates Of justice
or being handed over to the gentle
mercies Of an Infatuated rabble fo
summary punishment of a sanguinary
description, usually melted out .te
felons or malefactors Of the worst or.
der. Surely, the position Of these
officials Is an unenviable one, and it il
evidence Of their moral and physiea
courage, of their devotion to the pub.
lie interest and Of a determination tt
fulfil their duties strictly according
to the letter aud intent of the law
that they have not yielded to the
natural temptation to escape from a
tedious and thankless labor to the
comfort and repose Of less conspicu-
GUS station. luis eHa'- :.a daa
There il but one course for them to
pursue, and that is q firm adherence
in al cases and at all times to. the
law framed for their direction and
government. If sufficient evidence
of fraud or intimidation is adduced to
warrant the conclusion that there was
not a fair and untrammeled vote in
any parish or at any poll, let the re-
turns from the tainted precinct be
excluded, whatever their political
complexion. This is what the statute
contemplates and requires, and to dis
regard the requirement is to make the
canvass a FARCE and its result glar-
ing falsehood. The object in creating
Returning Board was to nullify the
chicanery and intimidation which ap-
pear to have become the unavoidable
adjuncts of Louisiana election, and
when that body fails to accomplish
this purpose, it becomes wholly use
less and should be abolished. We
do not for an instant desire to be un-
dersteOd as favoring the exclusion of
returns that simply lack some techni-
cal requirement., omitted through the
dereliction or ignorance Of Supervi-
sors or commissioners Of election and
not affecting the correctness of the
In such cases the Return
ing Officers should be guided by con-
siderations Of equity, and their action
thus far indicates that this will be the
case. What We wish to see is stern
rebuke Of fraud, whether committed
by Democrats or Republicans, and
l lesson given to candidates who have
an apparent election through
he agency Of intimidation Of voters,
hat will teach them the supremacy
II right over might and impress their
minds with the truthfulness of the old
'royerb, "the way Of the transgressor
} bard''-even in Louisiana-some-
III IS.
The threats If the White League
hould be treated with the contempt
hey merit from all decent and law
hiding citizens. Fortunately for the
interests of the State and her people
he President will abate not one lot |
rom his resolve to restore and main
ain law and order in Louisiana, and
ny effort of the League to inaugurate
mother rebellion to overthrow the
constituted authorities and subvert
he results of the election as deter I
lined by the only competent tribu-
al, the Returning Board, will be met
nd crushed by the power Of the Uni
ID States army. Finding themselves
1qs baff1e4 in their mad attempt to
eize the Offices despite the will of the
eople, the only recourse that would
'main to the worst class of the op-
osition to crafty their unreasonable
i'd almost inhuman hate of Republi-
IN officials, would be that suggested
! the Shreveport Iimes-assassi ina
on. Unscrqpulous as many Of them
g, and much as the more respecta-
9 portion Of the Democracy have
Town themselves raadv to oonn+o