The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-27
THE RETURNING BOARD.

The tabolishment OF the Returning
Board is imperatively demanded by the
right thinking people Of this State. No
modification OF that institution will give
satisfaction. The Board was conceived
as d measure to stifle the free will OF the
people and enable the Radical party to
perpetuate It's own power, and 1t has
been composed OF such a class Of men
and its acts have been such, that 1t ID
identified In the public mind with every
thing that is rascally In politics.
No party that insists upon re-
tanning it, or any modification OF
It, In our elective system, can
have any object in view except u
dishonest one, and II any Of tho Demo-
cratic and Conservative members OF the
Legislature shall venture to accept as a
compromise, "as the best we can do, !"
an election bill retaining this Board, or
n modification OF It, he will find that he
has misrepresented his people. No re-
forms will satisfy the people II this infa-
nous Board Is to live only to falsify
the returns OF the next election. and
against the express will OF the people
constitute Legislature OF corruption
lists to sweep away the reform measures
of the present one. and re-enact the
pronigate laws under which we have
SO long suffered. What we require above
all the much talked of reform measures
is an election law, under which the will
OF tho people can be fairly expressed,
and the government OF their choice es-
tablished.
Where there Is no legitimate authori-
ty, whore the fundamental principles OF
government are disturbed, or broken up.
there can be no permanentand substan-
tial prosperity or reform, and those who
talk OF reform measures which may save
the State something in money, one
year, as of more Importance than the
re establishment of the government
upon strictly constitutional basis, are
tho shallowest OF politicians.
It Is said the negroes cannot protect
themselves against the whites, and that
Returning Board is necessary to coun-
teract the results of intimidation. This
Is simply confession that the Return
ing Board is designed to falsify the
election returns. II the Radicals will
let the negroes alone and consent to q
fair election law. it Is not likely that
there will be any intimidation OF or VIC.
lence towards them. The Returning
B ard has been perpetual menace to
the whites, and the whole policy OF the
Radical policy has been to intimidate
and defraud them in the elections. This
has naturally produced n counter move
mcnt, and led to trouble In our cleo.
tions. Let the Returning Board be
done away with and fair election law
passed. and there will be u fair and
peaceable election In the State. Other
wise there will be trouble. The peace
and best interests Of the State require
the enactment of a fair election law
and we trust that no Democrat oil
Conservative in the Legislature will
accept anything short Of the total abo-
lition of the Returning Board. Politi
clans Of both parties may!talk OF reform
as they will but the people will recognize
rs the only true reformers, as the
only true representatives OF Louisiana
those who insist upon the aboli
ton of an institution which has literal
ly brought tho State to the verge OF an
archy. We want 'last ditch fight" or
| this question,