Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-12-27


sin, with connivance of the Democrats, will
secret knowledge of the white communit,
where he lived, from political luminosity ant
political ends.
Finally, we commend to the attention O
your committee the significant parallel be
tween the condition of affairs in 1868 and il
1876, and in the similar effect upon subse-
qsent elections; only remarkirg that there ar,
few Democrats now so hardy as to deny the
outrages of 1868, which have passed into his
tory, and those few who may deny it onl,
discredit their own veracity.
| (Slgned) HUGH l. CAMPBELL.
| Chairman Of Committee.
DEMOCRATIC STATEMENT.
Counsel for Democrats submitted the
following statement of their case TO the
Senate Committee:
1. That they received at the election in this
| State on Tuesday, November Z, majority OF
the legal votes over their opponents, averag
ing about 5000 votes. -
g. That the election so far ss the Demo
| cratic Conservative party was concerned, was
fair and peaceable and full; and that said can.
didates and said party used every exertion and
endeavor to secure fair and full vote and OF
| 8 quiet election.
8. That on the other hand their opponents
and leaders of the Republican party of this
ton determined and conspired to carry the
State by fraud and unfair means, and with
that end in view did perform amongst others
the following acts:
4. They d appoint as supervisors of regis
tration none but Republicans. and few but
Republicans as clerks of registration, refusing
reiterated demands by the Democratic Con-
SOL vative party for representation, thus limit
ing and restricting the opportunities Of detect
ing and preventing frauds.
B. That they did in most instances send out
to country parishes as supervisors corrupt and
dishonest men from this city, whose residences
we're not in the parishes for which they we're
appointed, and in many instances selected such
supervisors and clerks employees Of the United
States. E..E
3. That said supervisors, in q number of
parishes OF this state, did throw every obsta-
Gle in the way of registration by Democrats,
amounting in many cases to denial of regis
tratlon; on the other hand affOrding every
facility to Republicans and issuing large
number Of fraudulent registration papers to
colored Republicans, amounting in the state
more than 1910 900.
7. That said supervisors, in number of
cases, refused in their revision of the regis
tration to strike off the names OF colored
Republican voters clearly proven ae fraudu-
greater part OF said fraudulent registration
papers were voted, increasing the vote of this
State fully $500.
8. That said supervisors were in communi-
cation with campaign and other commit tees Of
the Republican party, and receiving instruc-
to initiate the Republican vote, accompanied
by promise of reward from the Republican
administration if successful.
9. That Republican voters and Republican
leaders did adopt means of intimidating DEM
ocratic voters by threats. violence, undue and
corrupt practices, exercised towards colored
voters, and by the wholesale issuance just pre-
vious to election, Of warrants to the number
OF several thousand, without just cause, for
the arrest of white voters, thereby causing
terror and deprivjug sold Democratic Con-
servative party of large number of votes.
10. Said Republican leaders, and said SUPER
visors did employ articles TO prevent the cast
ing Of full Democratic Conservative vote in
several parishes Of the State.
II. That they did illegally appoint large
number of deputy United States marehals IN
the various parishes of this State, at large
expense to the United States Government,
and large number of deputy constables, all
ct whom surrounded the polls In large numbers
and inundated voters.
IL. They did illegally expend money ct the
Government for partisan purposes, by COM
missiOning large numbers OF deputy United
States marshals, exclusively from the Re.
publican party, by employing Government
clerks to write and copy afidAvts and docu-
ments for use before the Returning Board
and other partisan purposes, and by sum-
monlng and paying cloud Of Republicans
large sums as mileage and per diem as wit
nesses before said Board.
-. That they did close the courts to all re-
dress against the illegal actions complained of,
entering nOIle prosequis IN cases where true
bills had been found against parties guilty OF
crimes, and otherwise protecting them from
punishment.
IA. We further state and charge that said
Republican leaders did, previous to and after
said election, conspire and determine to cause
to be fraudulently counted the votes actually
cast 80 as to destroy the large majority the
Democratic candidates received, and accord
received, said conspiracy and determination
being shown by public declarations and by the
course pursued in this connection.
Is. That as the instrument of said conspira-
sy, was used the Returning Board of this
State, composed, in violation of law, OF Re-
cancy, the law requiring as prerequisite to
all action the filing of vacancies and a full
Board of five members.
16 That said Returning Board usurped and
exercised judicial functions contrary to the
Constitution Of the State, which restricts the
judicial power to the judiciary.
II. That said Board sought to escape effect.
i've scrutiny by excluding observers or repre-
sentatives of the Democratic Conservative
party at the most important portions of it's
labors, and by refusing to fill the vacancy, and
by refusing one party repre-: entation on said
Board.
49, That said Board conspired with said Re-
publican leaders, and to accomplish said result
violated the law provided for Its government
in every particular, as to the manner of re-
ceiving and opening returns and canvassing
the same and as to the formation and recep-
ton of evidence, and the decision of contests.
10. That said Board accorded every facility
to fraudulent supervisors in the manufacture
and presentation of protests, contrary to law
and outside Of their parishes, and affidavits to
sustain the same, supporting said supervisors
therein. aid in the emasculation and falsiica-
tons of returns.
co. That said Board altered its rules and
modified it's proceedings whenever necessary
to promote the interests of the Republican
party, and on the other hand cast every i'm
pediment in the way of the Democratic Con-
sentative party.
81. That said Board did, as climax of said
conspiracy, fraudulently cast out large num-
Der OF Democratic votes, say about II, 900, in
some instances casting out whole parishes
without justification, and in others boxes,
showing heavy Democratic majorities, violat-
ing the law and even violating it's own rules
ana mode of proceedings, thereby accom-
plishing the results desired by said con-