The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-15
A REMEDY FOR THE EVIL.

If any one believed that the Returning
Board would not be bold and unscrupuiou
enough to swindle, deliberately and inten
tionally, the people out Of their Just rights
the error must by this time have been dis
covered
1t is not possible for greater or NOR
fragrant outrage to be committed than tina
already perpetrated in the case Of SeSoto
by the refusal of the Board to count tn
votes Of that parish.
There is no charge of fraud or intimidation
on the part Of the voters; no protest agains
the legality of the election, but simply fla
refusal to count the votes because rascally
Republican supervisor has failed to furnish
his copy Of the returns to the board, and
who refuses to do SO unless paid for by the
Democrats, in whose favor the parish has
given . large majority. Notwithstanding
an equally authentic copy has been submit.
/ ted by the clerk Of the court to the board,
the Republican members thereof have re-
fused to act upon it. Notwithstanding. too,
the board is fully aware of the whereabouts
Of both the knave Behan and the election,
returns which were brought to the city by
him, yet it refuses to send for either.
Such conduct then, must convince every
one that it is the deliberate intention Of the
Returning Board to defraud the Democratic
party Of the victory it has recently gained.
One entire parish has been entirely disfran-
chised by q corrupt Radical supervisor, aided
and abetted by Kellogg and the Returning
Board, in the infamous scheme to count in .
Radical majority Of the next Legislature.
Nothing that can be done in the future can
compare in enormity and publishing boldness
with this decision, by which the people of
DeSoto have been. without any cause what
ever, unjustly and illegally deprived of the
plainest and dearest political right Of free
people If, now, in the very face Of such un-
and overwhelming evidences as
were submitted to the Board, which should
have convinced any body of honest men that
. great wrong was about to be committed
upon the sacred rights Of people, no heed is
taken, but head-long course persisted in,
whereby they demonstrate clearly that their
conduct is to be governed solely in the inter-
ests Of their party and in defiance Of law,
justice and right, what, we ask, is to be the
remedy for this evil?
We have no courts whose interference we
can invoke we have no law to which we can
appeal we have to deal with an irresponsible
board, that is directly amenable to no one,
whose decision, however unjust or illegal, is |
fiual, and whose power to decide the result of |
IN election is supreme. Knowing these facts, |
The present Returning Board is not governed |
in its action by discretion, or sense of JUS
ice toward the people, but feel confident with
heir unlimited and unrestrained license, that
hey can with entire IMMUNITY do anything
hat their party or personal interests may re-
luire, utterly regardless Of all those rights
Which have been guaranteed to the people by
he Constitution and laws Of the country.
Thus deprived Of all legal means of re-
ress appeals to the law and courts having
zen purposely withheld-and seeing few
esperate, corrupt, unprincipled and charac-
erless scalawags and negroes, boldly tramp
ng under foot the rights of the people OF
tate, completely annulling an election, and
ontinuing government repudiated by an
majority Of the voters, it is the
,lemn duty Of the people if they have q
park of patriotism left. and would protect
leir liberties against insult and invasion,
hey should act in such a manner and with
lch trmness and resolution as will convince
l evil-doers that we are able and will, at the
roper time, right our own wrongs, when all
her means fail, by a summary punishment Z
those reckless creatures who may dare to
life the voice Of the people and to set them I
Ives up in opposition to popular sentiment,
hen 50 clearly expressed at the ballot-box
at it cannot be mistaken.
Let the Returning Board be taught lesson
at future generations will never forget, and 0
ose who would attempt to play tyrant will
'use ere they venture upon the dangerous
ldertaking
1t is not only the right Of the people to .
otect themselves against outrage and OPP
ession. but it is a sacred duty they owe to 9
emselves, their families and their country d
we are free people our liberties must be
lintained; if We are slaves let as bow in y
omission to the yoke of our masters.
THE PRESIDENT AND -HE LOUISIANA CUES =