The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1875-03-05
lana, FRIDAY, MARCH 5. 1875.

COlfaN ana COuShatto parishes, where
the outrages occurred, y full Kellogg
ticket was elected by increased Repub-
lican najorities. Other causes are
found:
First-The registration, showing Co.,
76l colored and &C, ,S23 white voters was
incorrect and exceeded the true colorcd
vote. The registration machinery was
all in the hands of the Republicans, ,and
only in three parishes did they make
complaint of unfair or insufficient regis
traticn. On the other hand very great
complaint was made by the Conserva-
tives, who specified with proof 900
cases of conceded false registration in
New Orleans alone, and the Conserva
tives who had been cooperating III
joint party committee to secure Il free
registration, gave up the effort in des
pair. The census of 1870 showed 81 ,O7S
whites and S6,9l3 colored males over
twenty-one years of age, and there was
nothing before the committee to show
any change in the proportion in favor
of the blacks, yet the registration of
| colorcd voters exceeded the census by
! 10000, while the white registration
| was 10000 less.
Second-The total registration was
| 165,604 of these, 1I6,523 voted. This
is larger proportion of registered
voters than usually vote in the Nor
thern States.
In an agricultural State sparscly set'
tied where long journeys had to be
made to reach the polls, it is unreason-
able to suppose that Il greater proportion
of the registered blacks would volun
tarily have turned out to sustain Il
government under which the prosperity
| of the State and their wages and the
value of their shares Of production had
steadily declined, than usually vote ut
elections.
Third-The year 1874 was one OF
political changes in which the vote
throughout all the States was seriously
affected against the Republican party,
change resulting largely from the tinan
| cial distress of the people, and which
should therefore have naturally been
greater in Louisiana than elsewhere
Fourth-lt became the interest of the
Conservatives, at least at that election,
not to intimis!atc but to acquire by
every fair means the coiorGd vote. 1t
was plainly their own interest to avoid
the setting aside Of their votes. Local
combinations against the Kellogg gov
ernment We're made i'll many parishes
and colors. In several parishes u union
ticket of colorcd and Conservatives
candidates was voted for and elected.
These causes and feelings naturally
united to swell the Conservative vote
in such localities exactly as indicated
by the returns.
IiFth-ThC entire want OF any direct
evidence to show any general intimi-
dation of the colorCd voters. The cvi
icncr certainly indicates no general
intimidation OF coInrcH voters, and
such intimidation rs dill exist in the
,tn kr In lao i,f,
Republicans than the Conservatives.
The United States n,arShals, whose chief
was chairman of the Republican State
COMMITTEES, ARMED in some tr,sr by blank
warrants and aided by federal troops,
made constant arrests before the cleo
ton, but none aftcrward.
The oversight of the elections and of
the returns was in the hands Of Govcr-
nor * cllogg $ officials. Their court and
returns did show twcnty-ninc majority
of tho members of the lower house
elected by the Conservatives without
any protest whatcvcr, except in three
parishes, although it was theirprovincc
and duty to protest iii any ease where
violence, intimidation or fraud existed.
Indeed, the direct evidence as to the
election of 1874, as we'll us the circunl
stances, chiefly indicated Il peaccablc
|
the visit of the first conmitte, and the
revisit Of the special committee, the
Kellogg party, with all their niachicn-
cry for collecting evidence, were unable
to produce in the entire State more
than half:t dozen persons to testify to
anything inpcaclling the frcdoEl and
| fairness of the late clcctiam, who were
non Office holders or connected with
Office holders.
After further comment upon the sub
ject the committee say:
We hold therefore, that in Novcm-
Der, 1874, the people of the State of
Louisiana did fairly have Il free, pcucca-
bic and full registration and election,
in which Il clear Conservative majority
was elected to the lower house of the
Legislature, of which majority the Con-
scrvativcs were deprived by the unjust,
illegal and arbitrary action of the Re
turning Board. 10 the resolution re
ported to the House from the cOmitttcc
as to the action OF the Returning Board,
we are all agreed. We understand the
committee to be unanimous in finding
the fact that the action Of the Return