Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-12-14

'ho't iWPoitaut part VI Tue letleF OF tue
| Northern visiting committee. which was
/ transmitted by the President to Congress,
I in relation to the election in Louisiana.
/ This letter. with accompanying te.iimo-
/ ny. the Democratic House OF Representa-
/ tives bv a strict party vote refused to print
! for the information of the people of the
country.
/ II the charges therein made against them
are true. 1t is not surprising that they are
unwilling to publish their own infamy.
/ THE STATUTE UNDER WHICH Tmr BOARD
ACTS
I l. so framed - to prohibit the rejection of the
votes cast. and any poll or voting places. un-
! less &c rtain solemn formalities are first com
! piled with. which must be supplemented bv
! the testimony of witnesses. the statute organ
ning the Board declared. in substance that
whenever, from any poll or voting plnce there
shall be received by the Board the statement of
any supervisor Of Registration or Commi. SION
cr Of Election. confirmed by the affdaNits of
l three M ore citizens. OF any riot. tumultarts Of
I violence, intimidation, armed disturbances
I bribery or corrupt influences. which prevent or
lend TO prevent fair, tree snd peaceful vote Of
all qualified eleciors entitled to vote nj such
statements and aiiitaNits they sh all be conyinc-
| ed that such courses did not materially inter
I fere with the purity and freedom Of such cleo
/ ton. or prevent sufficient number ofqusfed
! voters from voting To materially change the re-
suit Of the election. then such vote shall lie can
va,sed and complied hut II they are not thus
/ fully convinced, II shall be their inty to exam
Inc further testimony in regard thereto. aud 10
that end shall have power to send for persons
aud papers; and II. amer examination. the
Board ,hali be convinced that such act. Of vio-
leuce. Intimidation etc. dill materially interfere
with the purity and freedom Of the election at
such poll. or did prevent a sufficient number Of
! qualified voters from registering or voting to
maternity change the result of the election. then
the board shall not canvass or pmpile the votes
of ,uch poll but shall exclude il from the
returns.
Nothing can be more simple, more Just than
these provisions. They are for the rca.on b.
fore stated inadequate 10 secure the admins
tratton OF complete remedy for Il NAV be fair
IL said that II by reason Of violence snd intiml-
/ datiou committed in the interest Of one poiti-
cal party, the adhcrcui> Of another are restrain
B ed from voting through fear. An cQuitsbc
remedy. II practicable for the outrage. would
1 be 10 allow the vote they lost; the ascertain
ment Of this being. however. difficult. the Stat
ute 81 Louisiana ha. provided only for the re-
lection OF votes, and Il j. worthy of remark that
the most rasyant case, submitted to the Board
have. a. proven, Occurred In the parishes " here
the Republican registered vote. which would
unioub'dy have been cast but for the intm ida
ton aud violence. largely exceeded the regis
tered vote Of the Democratic party
We have thus alluded to some Of the causes
which led 10 the creation 81 thi. Board. and
have also called attention to H. duii.. aud the
proof upon which Il J. authorized 10 act. II j.
tribunal established - the Laws Of Louisiana.
'uiirriA tad"peuieni II the laws Of any other
state or OF the nitcd states. II i-cmlower,.d
among other thing. to canvass and finally de-
trrminc the number oi votes legally cast for
electors OF the President snl Vice President Of
ID" United states, but in the discharge OF that
duty II act, explicitly under the authority Of
the laws Of that >tstc: that the Constitution Of
tbc United state. declared that each State -h.il
appoint In such manner a. the Legislature
Thereof NAV direct number Of electors equal
Ia the whole number OF senators and Rrpre-en-
iatire> to which the State may be entitled in
thu Congress.
Not only /, the action OF thl. board lndepend-
cni Of State or National laws. other than those
. Of louisiana, but its determination n to the
, VOTES east and candidates elected l. iinal and
substantially conclusive. - appear. from de-
ci.ion OF the supreme I ourt Of that safe. re-
ported in the 18th volume Of the Louisiana an-
nuAl reports, where the Court. on Page ~,
say;
NO statute confer ring upon the Courts the
power to try any cases Il contested elections or
title - oftice authorize. them 10 revise the ac-
ton Of The Returning board. 4 we were Ia
assume that prerogaiiyc we should have 10 70
It'll further and revise the return, OF superyi-
.of- Of elections, examine the right Of voters 10
regard 10 'uch cases mere officers for counting
compilations ant rapoTi'n- oioVtIun ivturn..
The legislature hss seen proper 10 lodge
the power 10 decide who hA> or who hes not
been elected In the Returning Bosrd. l. might
have conferred that power on the Curt. but
II did not. Whether the law BE- good or bad It
IL our duty TO obey il, provisions and not 10
lc9t,lalc.
TIIE BOARD ENTITLED To RESPECT.
II became our duty Immediately on arriving
in New Orleans 10 thoroughly understand the
constitutional powers and duties OF hi. Board.
aud to examine with care the statutes under
which il was bound to act ant enough LA.
been written To show that tribunal charged
with such duties and Invested with such pow
err. the rHh-., q > hirh WV" originally ap-
pointed by the >"nAtc. j. ,nti.icd 10 he respect
OF ali citizens usiil II shall be forfeited by viola
tiOn OF IT. Judicial OF ministerial Obligations.
rHK PERSONNEL OF THE BOARD.
The great national importance Of the dutir,
10 b. performed 10y the Board invested each
member with much interest, and many re-
I.orts had been circulated concerning them, We
were led TO make some inquiry ~ 10 their in
diyidual history Two OF them Hen. James
Madison Wells. President Of the Board, and
Gen. Thomas 4. Anderson, next senior MEM
{ her. are sJuthern-born. sud of old and highly
re- pectable families. The father Of the former
was Hon. Levi Wells Of the parish OF Rapidrs,
U VIM III lNt represented II III tue convention
called to frame the Constitution Of the state OF
I Louisiana.
The Ion received a liberal education and was
early engaged ia planting and other interest. Of
[ hi- father. He WIS Ulion man froA the
\ time the war broke out. aud although he sun
/ cred greatly ~ II ia the loss OF property, he
never filtered in his devotion tn the Union
cause. nder the Banks reconstruction scheme
I he chosen Lieutenant Governor on the
ticket with the Hon. Michael II thn who Wa,
elected Gosernof aII upJI the elect lou Of the
/ latter TO tn Scul'c. wear after, Mr.. Wells be-
came GOV cot If he II te, to which ofi;ce lac
/ WA almost unIhiiupu.iy re-circtrd under the
I recousIructiOu plan of President Johnson. H.,
! experience in public lille ha, been great and
varied. iud hl- capacity Ia discharge the dutle.
assume j cannot be questioned.
in. Anderson wa- born ia Virginia, has re-
sided n thu parish Of 81 E1ndry for the period
/ Of >omr forty years. l. a cousin of Gen. Ander-
/ son. ho commanded Fort sumter AT the out
/ break Of the war. wa. educated a lawyer, Is
/ a farmer and carries on several plantations, il
| widely known sud highly respected through
/ Uqt the Stie, b Z, been intimately associated in
the promotion Of social and iadusitlal Int rests
/ Of hs parish. ~ Landry, and has represented
! ii in both branche. OF the Legislature more than
/ 20 years.
Mr.. Casanave, the third member OF the
Board, i a man OF intelligence, character and
business habit-, not dependant on Office for
a living and not seeking it.but 4 well educated
/ citizen, who has long conducted prosperous
and respectable business in the city of New
I Orleans.
! Mr.. kenner the junior member of the Board
| is young man born and reared in the city OF
| Sew Orleans, Intelligent ana active, Who wa9
! for some time in charge OF the Street Commits.
sioner's Bureau in the Department Of Improve
| ment-.
EVIDENCE OF FRAUD. VIOLENCE AND ISTIMI-
| DATIoS.
We will now present such an outline of the
| proofs as disclose not only such violence and
| intimidation Is prevented fair election in sew
eral parishes and at many polls, but disclose al
80 that these grave ofehces were committed in
| pursuance OF a preconcerted and settled plan ;.
| formed by the Democrats &c leaders. to prevent
the Republican voters from attending the polls,
and thst such unlawful purpose was 50 etfectu-
| ally accomplished AS not only TO interfere with
| the purity and freedom OF the election, but ma
| terially to change its result.
| CAREFULLY LAID PLOTS.
To illustrate how carefully the poll teal cam
~ -. 4