The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-12-09

SiuttVu utiu tiit pun ISAttohtu toii-
trivcd blythe leaders OF the Democratic
party, it Is instructive TO refer to a circu-
lar, issued from the rooms OF the Demo-
cratic Conservative state central commit
tee, at New Orleans, marked "Coniiden-
tial, and signed by j. ". Patton, presi.
lent, and J.. j, sullivan, secretary, IN
tended tor circulation in each parish, and
recommending the formation OF ward
clubs therein. These circulars
urged that Gin conv, rsation no gloomy
ioreboding should he INDUCED in and
that the result of the election should be
spoken OF as fOregone conclusion, az we
have means OF carrying the election and
intend TO do so. But be careful 10 say
and do nothing that can he constucd into
Il threat or intimidation OF any charac-
ter The circular also recommended
that there should be frequent meetings of
all the clubs to be formed, and that they
occasionally form at their several places
of meeting and proceed thence on horse
back TO n central rendezvous, stating that
proceedings of this character would i'm
press the negro with a sense of your
united strength and it further recon-
mended that at the day of election at
each polling-place there should be afiida-
Wits prepared to the effect that there has
been no intimidation and no disturbance
on account of any efforts by the Demo
cratic Conservative party TO prevent any
one from voting on account OF race,
color or previous condition of servitude.
Thus carefully guided from the central
Democratic authority by this secret and
confidential circular. urged to impress
on timid blacks by horseback procession
a sense of united strength of their for
mer masters, and warned 10 prepare
blank atlidavits in advance, that no ter
rorism has been exercised.
The next and not least important part
OF the scheme of these leaders was to Sc
lect parishes, where, having the means
10 carry the election, and intending TO
use them as stated in a circular, they could
do so with the most effect. There We're
in the State of Louisiana on the day OF
election 92.996 white registered voters.
aud $40 colored, majority of the lat
ter of 22.3l4. Ii was well known that if
lett free to vote. uninfluenced by vio-
lence or intimidation, the blacks would
be almost unanimously Republican. and
that with the White Republican vote it's
majority would be about equal TO that
above Indicated. The plan appears to
have been to select for the purposes of in
timldation and violence as few parishes as
possible, for in forty of the iiftv-seven
parishes where these were not employed,
the Republican majority was six hun
dred, but to select those in which the col
ored vote, as compared with the white,
would be large. Unless lawfully pre-
vented from so doing, it might be ex-
pected that, should any majority they
could thus obtain in such parishes be re-
iected, they would nevertheless attain
their purpose by the suppression OF a
large Republican vote.
In pursuance Of this plan, FIVE Of the
parishes selected, in which the greatest
violence and intimidation were practised
were East and West Feiciana which
borders upon that portion OF the Missis.
sppi in which murder and outrapes so
prevailed during and preceding the elec
ton, as substantially to prevent any Re.
publican vote; East Baton Rouge,
which borders on the southern portion OF
East Feliciana: Morehouse, which adj
Joins the state of Arkansas: and Qua
chita, which adjolns and lies directly
south of Morehousc.
The geographical position Of these fly,
parishes was well suited to the purpose
TO be attained, Tor it was easy for mem
bers OF clubs to be formed therein, ant
who usually perpetrateu their outrage
with masked faces, TO pretend that they
| were committed by border rufians from
Mississippi and Arkansas. where likt
! outrages had been perpetrated. The
| location OF these five parishes was not
| however, better suited to the plan I,
| be accomplished than was the
great disproportion existing there
| in between the number O
white and cOlored voters. The
| former numbered but 5.l34, the latter 10,
pa, majority of the latter equal t
more than One-third of the entire major
| ity of colored voters in the 81 parishes 0
| the state. The returns Of votes actual
cast in these five parishes suggests tina
| the clubs to whom was assigned the tasL
| OF securing Democratic majority
therein, had performed their work 0
violence and intimidation eflectually
| brief summaries OF the proof of whicl
| are hitherto announced. When violenc,
and intimidation were inefficient, muir
der, manning, mutilating and whippin,
| were resorted to. lnstend OF maiorit,
OF G,000 or 1000 which the Republican
| should have had in these parishes upon
| fair election, there was actually returne,
| to the returning board Democratic ma
| iority for the parishes of East, and Yves
1 u
3,S7S, and in East Fcllciana, where regi.
| tered cOlorcd voters number 2 ,l27, not
| Republican vote for elector was cast. 4
| East Baton Rouge, counting 3,552 col
| ored registered votes and I sol whites
| the Democrats claim majority OF 9l1
| which but tor the rejection of Severa
| polls by the commissioners and supery
| sOrs OF election, would have been RI
| turned to the returning board az vote
| actually cast. If to the Democratic ms
| jority from the four parishes, as aboy
| stated, we add the Gl7 thus claimed an
| insisted upon before the returning board
| Democratic majority OF 4,i95 is the 7,
| suit OF an election in five parishes, con
| tanning 1924 colOred Republicans am
5,l3i white Democratic voters.
The conclusion that intimidation an
violence alone could have produced Tai
is almost irresistible, and that such inhl
ences were employed and Were suppl,
mented by murder when that wa
thought necessary, is established by IN
| proofs already referred to. It but con
| firms this conclusion 10 refer to the yOt
| east in these five parishes in 1874, whe
no special motives existed for the use c
| cruel means 10 influence the election
| The Republcan majority therein wa
| 1919. Results, also suggestive Of vic
lence and intimidation, were obtained b
means most terrible and revolving. on
| gained clubs OF armed men formed n
| recommended by the central Democrat
| committee, rode through the country q
| night marking their course by whipping
shooting, wounding, manning, mutila
| ton and murder of women, children am
| defenceless men, whose houses We're for
chilly entered whilst they slept. and thei
inmates fled through Tear. The psto