The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-11-25
On the other hand all means seem to have

On the other hand oil means seem TO nave
been used to defeat them. saw and read an
original specimen of a circular issued by the
Republican Committee 10 the State Supervi-
sors of Election, in which the person address
cd is ordered to bring up the Republican vote
OF his parish to certain figure, and is told
that his recognition by the future State Ad-
ministration will depend on the fidelity and
success with which he does this This docu-
ment was sent by party committee to q
State officer, who got his pay from the parish
in which he served. 1t is in safe hands, and
can be produced. IL is claimed that polls
were established at the last moment, or in
out fthe.way places, and were not opened
tor the full time, or were opened before the
hour appointed, In New Orleans q sewing
machine circular was sent through the Post
Office to voters who had registered. These
circulars were often misdirected in some way
or other, so that they were returned mot
found" Each one had a registration number
on it, and the pc son who held that number
was struck from the list and warrant for
his arrest issued, but not served. The cases
were recorded in q book, but the evidence
circular was attached to the warrant. A
volunteer committee indexed the book, and
published the names, and after long exertion
succeeded in getting back the warrants and
circulars so as to bring about q trial and ex.
culpation. There were several thousands of
these erasures. Those who did not find out
that their names had been erased had to
spend several hours on election day to recov-
er registration. Those who would not take
this trouble were intimdated from voting.
New Orleans is to-day the most mournful
city ever saw. The city itself is squalid and
wretched in appearance, and the people are
dispirited. saw no probability at all that
there could be any use for troops. The grave
Importance Of the situation seemed to me TO
lie In Its national aspects. The Federal pow
er has twice interviewed in New Orleans to
sustain the Returning Board in setting aside
the will of the people as expressed by an
election, on the ground that they did not
coincide with the will of the people as ex.
pressed by the census. Federal interference
Is the key to the situation. Without it the
Returning Board would have to exercise its
great and dangerous power under RESPONSE
bllity to public opinion at least. With that
interference the Returning Board is an engine
Of tyranny which is the more frightful because
1t acts under grotesque travesty of republi.
can government The people Of the North
have too long neglected the case of Louisi-
ana, as if it were far off and foreign. They
have left Louisiana to become, inside of our
own republic, an instance of as fragrant OPP
preston and wrong as any which, in history
or foreign lands, has ever enlisted our sym.
pathy. 1t has, however, been like cancer
IN our body polite, and, at this moment,
when 1t is eating into n Presidential election,
the great nerve of our political system, when,
too, the Federal Administration and the
Federal arms are still enforcing the wrong,
we are told that the principles of Estates
rights and "local self'government' com
mand us to let it alone. We were told at
New Orleans that the Returning Board must
act under the law. So indeed it must, for
the forms of law are sacred; but there is an
appeal which cannot be in vain to the sober
reason and honorable will of the American
people. The law which commands obedi.
ence because it is the will of the governed, is
one thing, The law which the people who
live under it never consented to and never
made, is another thing and those who rely
upon its sanction for arbitrary and unjust &C.
ton bring law under the most dangerous
contempt. When the people of the country
appreciate the fact that it is their power
which has imposed upon Louisiana this mon.
strous tyranny, their power cannot longer be
turned in that direction.
1t was this opinion of the national import.
ance OF the Louisiana election which led me
to accept the invitation of the committee.
thought that the interest at stake wentfa be-
yo1d any question of person to sit in the
Presidential chair. thought that it touched
the vitals of the Republican system. Every
thing saw In Louisiana strengthened this
opinion. hoped that we might avert the
danger. In that we did not succeed, but VIC
succeeded at last and after persistent exer.
ton in securing for the Northern people
complete report of all which may be done.
came home believing that our institutions are
about to be put to test compared with
which the war was insignificant which
will demand that we gather together all our
manhood and patriotism, and all our trad.
tons of civil liberty and selEgovernment
Many learned articles have been written in
criticism Of the conflict between North and
South, showing that it is a conflict of arts.
tocracy and democracy, of Puritan and Cava.
her, and know not what. Whatever the
cause which the present Government of
Louisiana represents, that cause is unfortu.
nate IN its missionaries. By the facts of the
record, the Government there existing is base,
corrupt, and contrary to every sound princi.
pie. A year ago no one could be found who
dared apologize for it. 1t is baser to .day
than then, and do not see how any honest
man can side with it, or believe that it can
advance any good cause. tlf
found no sentiment of disunion among
the men met They only seemed to despair
of being trusted by the North. | found no
sentiment in favor of "solid South,n and
no ambitions to be satisfied at Washington.
The all absorbing subject was the redemption
Of Louisiana from misrule. l found no hos.
tility to negro suffrage. People did not seem
to care about it, or, if they did, they approved
of it. They thought that, if they could once
get selfgovernment for the people of the
State, they could manage to live together
without trouble. Ipresume that there are
many people worse than those met but |
think those whom saw would be as infuen-
tial as any in reconstructed Louisiana.
Yours very respectfully,
W. G. SUMNER.
HdS. CHAs. r. IYGERsoLL.