New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-31
THE TENDENCY TO MOB0CRACy.


Iican administration to put stop to the
growing tend ency to mobocracy in this
country, inspired by the teachings CT the
leaders Of the Democratic party, and the
law-abiding people have assurances that
that duty will be performed in manner
eyery way consistent with wholesome
growth of popular government The
latest evidence we have Of this determine.
ton is contained in telegraphic dispatch
from Washington, dated December 70,
announcing that alta Cabinet meeting held
on that day, while Louisiana matters
were being discussed, Attorney General
Williams expressed his views upon the
action of the Returning Board. strongly
asserting his opinion that it was legal and
correct in all its particulars, and should
be sustained by the government at all
hazards.
1t is very certain that the chief law
officer of this great nation has not come
to that conclusion without thorough in
vestigation of the action of the Returning
Board and the evidence laid before it re-
garding the conduct Of the White League
wing of the Democratic party in this State
for months preceding and upon the day
of the election of last November. It is
more than probable that the government
at Washington has been kept fully advised
of the tendency to mobocracy in this State,
as well as in many other Of the Southern
States where the Democracy have deter
mined to gain the ascendency through
repeated acts Of violence perpetrated
upon Republican officials and voters.
And in addition, it is to be presumed
that every member Of the Cabinet has read
the very clear and forcible statement Of
the board, made at the conclusion of its
labors, detailing the difficulties it encoun-
tered, and giving the principles, drawn
from the law, laid down for the govern
ment of members in the discharge OF their
duties. The closing statement CT the
board also showed that in parishes where
it was charged and proved the returns
made by the commissioners to the SUPER
visors had been changed after they came
into the hands of the supervisors, the
board took evidence to ascertain the true
state of the vote and made the compila-
ton accordingly. But the chief difficult
ties the board had to grapple with arose
from the many acts of violence perpetrated
to prevent what Congress and the LeSis-
lature of this State passed laws to secure,
namely, full, fair and peaceable election.
The object OF these laws, where they
failed to secure an und isturbed exercise Of
the right Of suffrage, was to defeat the
success Of party that had resorted to
violence in or der to defeat the will OF the
majority. This the election law of this
State makes the duty of the Returning
Board, and the denunciations Of that
body are chiefly attributable to
the fact that it has endeavored
to follow the law and the evidence in
this regard.
Upon this subject the board says the
question raised against the greater num-
Der of polls was the charge Of intimida.
ton to prevent voters from voting, and
forcing them to vote against their wishes.
A very large number of atfidavits were
filed with the board all going to show that
violence had been freely used in whole
parishes, and that in others it was con-
fined to particular polls. 1t was true that
counter sfiida Wits were filed in many in
stances. but the proof of violence was SO
overwhelming that the board was COM
PEELED by the law to intervene in defense
of the voters and against the success OF
candidates through the agency of unlaw-
full acts perpetrated by mob in the name
Of the people. 1t was proven beyond the
possibility Of doubt that in many of the
parishes mob rule had succeeded in ex-
polling Republican officials, lawfully APP
pointed, from their offices and their places
filled by the mobocracy. On the subject
of violence the statement Of the board
says:
The general facts proved or this point
establish that about May, 1874, military
organizatiOn known as the White League,
was established in this State, which ex-
tended to every parish of the State, and
penetrated every neighborhood; that the
object Of this organization was to prevent
colored men from voting, unless they could
be controlled to vote the Democratic ticket.
and to prevent them from holdisg office;
and further, to compel the Republicans
holding office under the present State gov
eminent to abdicate their offices, and to
prevent the Republican party in this State
from organizing, with view of concen-
trating their party at the late election, and
to expel the white Republicans from the
State unless they would desist from organic
ing the Republican party of this State and
withdraw from the active support of that
party.
This statement is backed up by
much evidence going to show that
many persons, some Of them holding
official positions, were slaughtered in
cold blood, and that many others were
otherwise i'll treated and driven from their
homes because they were Republicans.
all demonstrating in the most $orcible
manner possible the determination OF the
mobocracy to overturn lawful govern
ment; first, by driving Republicans from
office, and then from the polls"
It must be admitted that this tendency
to mobocracy is most dangerous feature
~ +ho Darocrat;c Yartv. esDeciallv when