The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-11
A Plain Statement Of the Louisiana
Casa
From the New York Herald.


In the early part Of November an cleo
ton was held in Louisiana whose result
was promptly reported by the public press
There was no more reason 10 dlstrust the
substantial correctness Of the election fig
ures published in the newspapers than
there was for questioning the similar re-
turns in other states which have the same
general complexion Of anti administration
victories. A Conservative success in Lou
isiana was not unexpected and surprising
like the similar victory 10 Massachusetts
and the astounding Democratic majority in
New York. 1t would have been wonderful,
indeed, il the general sweep OF the politi-
cal tide had not extended to q state like
Louisiana, whose condition was one of the
main causes that set the tide in motion.
1t would have been marvellous and almost
miraculous if mere sympathy with the
downtrodden and oppressed people OF
Louisiana had contributed to a political
revolution throughout the length and
breadth of the land without producing any
effect in the state where the evils were SUIT
fered. The public sentiment of Louisiana
was. indeed. quite sfgnallv tested six weeks
in advance of the election, when the KEEL
logg government was SO easily overthrow
with general acquiescence of the COM
munity. and reinstated by the federal au-
thority against the wishes of the people.
The fact that q very considerable negro
vote was given to the Conservative candi-
dates is an additional proof that the result
of the election, as first declared, was. con
sistent with probability. And then how
could the reports in the public press, 80
correct in relation to all the other states,
be utterly mistaken and erroneous in the
one state of louisiana There was no
reason for questioning, and, in point of
face, nobody did question the decided sue
cess OF the Conservatives in that state until
the returning board met TO manipulate the
returns. There is, therefore, the strongest
possible prinG Jncie case against the hon
esty Of the returning board.
The returning board met, and, after in
cubating on the returns tor the long space of
six or seven weeks in secret conclave, they
declared result which contradicted all the
public information ON subject open TO
general inspection. as all election results
always are in a country where an alert
newspaper press furnishes such easily ac-
cessible news as soon as every election is
over. There is authentic evidence of
wholesale fOrgeries in the official returns.
1t is proved that on Thanksgiving Day, in
the absence of the board, its clerks open
ed envelopes, altered the returns and re-
sealed the envelopes. 1t is proved that
returns from strong Conservative parishes
were thrown out, and that Radical candi
dates for the legislature were declared
elected in such fragrant violation of truth
that the candidates benefited refused to
take the Offices. 1t is the general opinion
of the country that the acton of the re.
turning board was deliberately fraudulent,
and that the purpose of their secret labors
was to circumvent and nullity the will OF
the people as declared by their votes,
While the returning board were engaged
=: .k;, o,t.,,ps,' aud while the dishonesty
~ si.sir motives was generally suspected
the President made public declaration
that he would support their action what
ever might be the result. This was, a
least, a singular method of discouragins
the fraud which was imputed to the re-
turning board ON what seemed to the pub
lie very strong grounds, 1t was tellin.
them, IN fact, that if they counted in Re
publlcans who were not elected the FEEDER
al government would maintain them il
power 1t was in the highest degree im
prudent-we employ mild word-t,
give this emphatic assurance to body 81
widely accused of fraudulent intentions.
1900 WV SiOeS VI tHClI tile 1reSl
dent, with view to make his promis,
good, sends the most energetic officer O.
the army to New Orleans to be present al
the critical moment.
1t 80 happened that the radical majorit,
OF two IN the lower house of the legislature
which the dishonest returning board haC
counted IN, was destroyed at the last mo
ment by the arrest of one member for a
felony and the honorable refusal of two
others to take Offices to which they knew
they had not been elected. The copse
quence was an unexpected Conservative
majority when the legislature assembled
The Conservative majority, of course, con.
trolied the organization Of the house, and
they strengthened themselves by admit
ting to seats five members whose claims
were not passed upon by the returning
board, but referred to the house for decis.
lon., They had at least colorado claim
to election, for otherwise the returning
board, who were so little scrupulous in
other cases, would have counted them onr
IN advance. They were in no sense intrn.
ders, for 1t is customary in all Legislative.
bodies to admit such claimants in the pre
hmlnary organization and decide on their
right to seats afterward. Their title to
seats was question within the rroper
jurisdiction OF the house by the law which
makes It the Judge Of the qualifications of
1t members, and this jurisdiction was adj
mitted by the returning board by turning
over the question to the legislature.
Here, then, was legislative body, or
ganized according to the usual forms, en-
gagged In the orderly transaction of bust
ness. In the midst of their peaceable and
orderly proceedings an officer of the Fed
eral army enters their hall, interrupts
their business, accosts their speaker, and
demands the surrender of those five mem
bers. He presently calls in body of sol
diers, with another officer who can point
out and identify those members, puts them
under military arrest one by one. and.
against their solemn protests, marches
them out, with soldier on each side. to
drag them by force if they should make re-
slstance. Such scene was never before
witnessed 10 this free country, The officer
who had charge OF these proceedings al
legged that he was instructed to suppress a
mob, and that he seized those quiet men,
bers IN obedience to that orderl Those
hve members, sitting quietly in their seats
by the authority of the house, were mob
1t required the combined force of the stat.
militia and federal army TO SUPPRESS a.,
formidable and dangerous mob and re.
store the public peace Those FIVE upof
lending gentlemen, who were not likely 10
perpetrate any other act Of violence than
70 respond aye" or may" on questions
winch might be put to vote. were seized in
their seats and dragged out of the legisla-
tive body by federal soldiers under the pre-
tence OF putting down mob