The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-19

turns elected all three conservatives. When
the proofs closed the only paper filed with
the returning board was the affidavit OF the
United States supervisor that the election
was in all respects full, fair, and free. 1t
was not known in the parish that any con-
test existed against those members. They
left their homes and proceeded to New Or
leans, to be present at the opening of the
legislature, no intimation of contestlng
their seats or objection to their election
having been given by their opponents. AT
one of their last sessions, the returning
board declared all the republican members
elected from that parish" When, how
ever, the papers of the board were pre-
scented to the committee, they contained an
affidavit of Ex-Governor Wells, president
of the board, charging that Intimidation
existed at certain polls in that parish but
it appeared that Wells was not in the par
ish on the day of election and had no per-
sonal knowledge of what did or did not
there exist Moreover, Governor Wells
neglected or refused to appear before the
committee, or to allow his testimony
to be taken before commissioner,
and the committee further find that
his affidavit is not true in point of fact, and
they, therefore, find and report that the
action of the board relative to this parish
was arbitrary, unfair and without warrant
of law Their action, in this case
changed the political complexion of the
legislature, and "their action in other par
ishcs," say the committee twas equally OBJ
Northumberland on this point they refer
to several parishes which we need not now
specify, it being sufficient to say that its
object was to obtain control of the lower
house of the legislature by action "arbi
trary, unfair and without warrant of law"
The committee next turn their attention
to the question whether the alleged wrongs
to colored citizens for political offenses
are real or are made without foundation in
fact. And first, as to intimidation of re-
publcans, colored or white, by conserva-
tives, they say that, as whole, they are
constrained to say that the intention
| charged is not borne out by the facts be-
| fore us. No general intimidation of re-
| publican voters was established. No
colored man was produced who had been
threatened or assaulted by any conservative
because of political opinion. or discharged
from employment or refused employment.
| OF all those who testified to intimidation,
| there was hardly any one who of his own
| knowledge could specify reliable instance
of such acts" and further than all, who
were produced to teftify in reference
| to intimidation, were Office holders; and
that the white republicans are few in num-
Der, hardly extending beyond office-holders
and those connected with them. We pre-
sumo the committee did not intend to in
sinuate that Kellogg oflice-holders could
not tell the truth, but merely to call atten-
| ton to the fact that not one of these men
personally knew of any acts of intimida-
ton. On the other hand, the committee
| report that it was in evidence that the
blacks who sought to act with the conscrv-
alive party were on their part, sometimes
| exposed to enmity and abuse. In the in
| terror one colored man was shot for max
ing a conservative speech, and in New Or
leans it appeared from the testimony that
colored men who sought to cooperate with
the conservatives were subject to so much
abuse from the police and otherwise thai
an association of lawyers volunteered tc
protect them, but with little effect" Thu!
they scatter to the winds the COURAGE
stories with which the press has teemet
and with which the action of the returning
board was attempted to be justified. Will
it, without further comment, we submit tt
an intelligent public the question whether
the people of Louisiana are banditti," a:
charged by General Sheridan If they
are, who are the "banditti? ?" Certainly
not the men who have exercised or at
tempted to exercise no species of intimi
dation or terrorism. The report is ex
haustive, and touches upon other topics
but we pass them by, our intention, now
being only to refer to the report so far a
it relates to the election, and having dom
this we dismiss the matter for the present
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