Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-12-26

Of counter applications were made also
aud filed. tt e general facts proved on this
point establishes that about May, 1874,
a military organization known as the
White League was established in
this State, which extended to
every parish in the State,
and permeated every neighborhoOdi !
that the object Of this organization was
TO prevent cOlored men from voting un-
less they be controlled to vote the DEM
ocratic ticke+, and prevent them from
holding office under the present State
government, to abdicate their offices
and TO prevent them from holding Office,
and further TO prevent the Republican
party in this State from organizing
with a view OF concentrating their
party at the late election and expei the
white Republicans from the State unless
they would desist from organizing the
Republican party in this State and
Withdraw from active support OF that
party. The means taken by this white
leReue organization to accomplish the
above purposes are shown to have been
| 10y threats that il the cOl0red voters did
not vote the Democratic ticket they
! should be expelled from the plantations
I on which they were farming, be de-
prived OF their crops be excluded from
renting lands hereafter Cr of being
employed; be deprived Of their
rations or credit to obtain them, aud
! leading colOred men were threatened
with death If they persisted in organ-
iziug the Republican party, and white
/ Republicans were threatened with per-
sOnsl violence, prescription in business,
and socially of themselves and families,
and with hanging, If they persisted in
organizing the party with view TO
carrying the late elections. This organ
ization, in armed bands IN many parishes
In the State, carried their threats Of
violence into effect by killing some Re-
publicans, whipping and ill-treating
! Others, and compelled parish officers
holding Office under the present State |
government to abdicste their office. |
This was particularly the case in all the |
Red river parishes, most of the Teche |
parishes, and in the parishes between
Red and Ouachita rivers. All the above |
acts Tesorted to by this White League |
organization 10 carry out heir purposes,
were clear violations of both State and |
United States laws, aud would subject |
the perpetrators OF those acts TO impris- |
onment in the penitentiary; and, |
also, they are odioUs to the sense |
which prevented fair, free ana peace
able election in the parishes Of st. Mary, |
and Grant were so general and over |
whelmiDg that the board felt compelled |
to throw out every box in these parishes,
and in may other parishes whete there |
was satisfactory proof that Intimidation |
had been used at the designated polls, |
50 as to prevent fair, free and peacea |
bic election at such polls they We're eX-
cluded from compilation, es the law re-
quires when the friends Of a political |
party-such as White League Organiza-
ton Is toward the Democratic party
shall clearly and generally violate the
laws of the countTy-tO control an elec-
ton in their interests, it is but just anu
proper that when they are shown to
have brought acts to bear on an election
that they should not be permitted to
profit by it, and such is the intention of
the law. The board, however, in this
case did not exclude any poll from COM
pilaJion, except on satisfactory proof
that such violation had been
perpetrated, and that it had the
effect Of intimidating sufficient num-
Der Of voters to change the result of the
election. As all these acts 20 prod uce
intimidation had been perpetrsted in
favor Of the Democratic party, and
against the Republican party, the polls
excluded from compilation generally
gave msjori.ies in favor of the Demo-
cratic party; and their exclusion from
the compilation reduced the vote of that
party, and in some instances had the
effect of returning representatives and
other officers of the opposite party, dii-
ferent from the returns made by the su-
pervisOrs. This is natural result of an
illegal attempt TO accomplish an object,
and is no fault of the board. The couu-
sci Of the Democratic party protested
against the counting Of certain polls in
the parishes of Natchitoches and Bos-
sier, on the grounds that United States
troops were expected at the polls on the
day of election, and were ordered actu-
ally to visit the polls on the {
day OF election, in order to {
assist the United States marshal to
arrest persons charged with violations ,
Of the United States law, and that in I
a great number of Demo {
Gratis did not attend the polls and vote
for fear OF arrest by the United States 7
troops. Even If such facts had been :
fully proved, as alleged, we do not see
that there was any violation of law
In the United States troops doing So
Certainly person charged with crime !
against the United states law cannot 1
say he is intimidated by the fact that S
the United States marshal was trying
10 arrest him. 1t is his own fsult if he
IS guilty, and he cannot urge his crime d
As protection, and persons not con- Y
sciOus of their guilt would not flee from
The presence OF the United States mar I
shall and his posse Of United States {
soldiers. This Is preposteTous, and wei {
lid not consider this good ground Of
There were no returns of =
he election from the parish of DeSotO !
by the supervisor of registration, :
IS the law required. Persons interested :
lrodu ed the clerk of the court, with
uch papers as were by law intrusted to
lim, and offered them as returns from Z
he parish, but the board decided they !
,Ould not receive and canvass and COM Q
,ile such returns. The parties interest Il
d applied to the proper court for q man q
lsmus to compel the board to receive
he canvass and compile those returns, {
ut upon trial the court sustained the n
uling of the board. The same principle Il
vas acted upon in the Terrebonne case. Il
here was no supervisor in the parish of
Vim, the one appointed for that parish q
aving been expelled fTom the parish, II
nd sn unauthorized person assumed to "
ct. They could notreeognize such law t.
sssness. d
The board submits te the legislature b
nd the people OF this State TIE result of
leir investigation, with a conscious "a
ess that they have properly discharged v
heir trust. II
J. NJ. ADDISON WELLS, President. = =
NEW ORLEANS, December p, 1871. is
The board adjourned subject to the call II II
the president. p
WHAT KELLOGG SAYS.
Governor kellogg states that the re.
rms show three Republican and three
members of congress, and
le house nearly, if not quite tie, as d