The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-12-28
Democratic Testimony.

Counsel for the Democrats of Louisi
ana will submit the following statement
of their case to the Senate Committee
1. That they received at the election
held in Louisiana Tuesday, November Z
1876, majority of the legal votes cast
over their opponents, averaging about
eight thousand votes.
2. That the election so far as the Dem
ocratic Conservative party was concerned
was fair, and peaceable, and full, and
that said candidates and said party used
every exertion and endeavor to secure a
free and full vote and quiet election.
8. That on the other hand their oppo-
nents and the leaders of the Republican
party of this State had for some time
previous to this election, determined
and conspired to carry the State by fraud
and unfair means, and, with that end in
view, did perform among Others. the fol-
lowing acts:
4. They did appoint as Supervisors of
Registration none but Republicans, and
few but Republicans as. Clerks of Regis
tration, refusing reiterated demands
by the Democratic Conservative party
fol representation, thus limiting and re-
stricting opportunities of detecting and
preventing frauds.
5. That they did, in most instances,
send out to the county parishes as Super
visors corrupt and dishonest men from
this city, whose residences were not in
the parishes for which they were ap-
pointed, and in many instances selected
for such Supervisorsan Clerks employees
of the United States.
6. That said Supervisors in number
of parishes of this State did throw every
obstacle in the way of registration by the
Democrats, amounting in many cases to
denial of registration, and on the other
hand afferding every facility to the Re
publicans, and issuing large numbers OF
fraudulent registration papers to colored
Republicans, amounting in the State to
more than ten thousand.
Z. That said Supervisors in number
of cases refused, in their revision of reg
istration, to strike off the names of col
ored Republican voters clearly proven as
fraudulent, and that on the. day OF
election the greater part of said fraudu-
lent registration papers were voted on,
raising the Republican vote of this State
fully seyenty-fve hundred.
s. That said Supervisors were in com.
munication with the campaign and other
committees of the Republican party, and
receiving instructions in relation to reg
istration and injunctions to initiate the
Republican vote, accompanied by prom
Use of reward from the Republican Ad-
ministration if successful.
8. That the Republican voters and
Republican leaders did adopt means oi
intimidating the Democratic voters by
threats of violence, undue and corrupt
practices exercised toward colored voters,
and by the wholesale issuance Just pre-.
vious to the election, of warrants to the
| number of several thousand, without
lust cause, for the arrest of white voters,
thereby causing terror and depriving
said Democratic-C Conservative party of q
large number of votes.
10. That said Republican leaders and
said Supervisors did employ artifces tn
prevent the casting of full Democratic
Conservative vote in several parishes Of
the State.
IL. That they did illegally appoint 8
large number of Deputy United States
Marshals in the various parishes OF this
State at large expense to the United
States Government, and large number
of Deputy Constables, all of whom sur.
rounded the polls in large numbers, and
inundated voters.
II. They did illegally expend the
money of the Government for partisan
purposes by commissioning large mum
bers of Deputy United States Marshals
exclusively from the Republican party
by employing Government clerks tc
write and copy afidavits and document.
for use before the Returning Board, anc
other partisan purposes, and by summon
ing and paying a cloud of Republicans
large sums of mileage and per diem a!
witnesses before said Board.
13. That they did close the Courts tt
all redress against illegal actions ccm
planned of, entering writs of nolle prosequ
in cases were true bills had been fount
against parties guilty of, and otherwis
protecting them from punishment.
IA. Your appearers further state ant
charge that said Republican leaders dit
previous to and after said election con
spire and determine to cause to be fraud
ulently counted out votes actually cas-
so as to destroy large majority by ap
pearers received, and accord to their op
ponents majority that they had re
ceived; said conspiracy and determine
tion being shown by public declaration
and by course pursued in this connec
ton.
Is. That as an instrument of said con
spiracy was used the Returning Boart
OF this State, composed, in violation o
law, of Republicans alone, acting witt
an untitled vacancy, the law requiring
as prerequisite to all action, the fillinj
of vacancies and a full Board of fv
members.
16. That said Returning Board usurpe,
and exercised judicial functions, cor
trary to the Constitution of the State
which restricts the judicial power to tn
Judiciary.
II. That said Board sought to escar
all effective scrutiny by excluding oil
servers or representatives of the Demt
cratic Conservative party at the mo:
f important portions of its labors, and b
, refusing to fill vacancy, and by refu
, ing to one party representation on sal
Board.
, Is. That said Board conspired wit
said Republican leaders, and to accon
plish said result, violated the laws pr,
vided for its government in every pa
ticular as to the manner of receiving an
opening returns and canvassing the sam
f as to the formation and reception of pr,
e tests, as to the reception of evidence an
the decision of contests.
= 19. That said Board accorded ever
facility to fraudulent Supervisors in tt
$ manufacture and presentation of protes