The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-10-05
THE BLOODY SHIRT!
Made White as Snow!
CONGRESSMAN FOSTER FslB a TALE
E1trotts from he Bep0rt II Rela4tI.oor
Congressional Ccmmitte,.

The report Of disorder" intimidation of co..
ored rUier and "yioleuce" are always brought
befoTe the people Of the North about the tine mas
some important election oecuH. Af,erutrd. OF
until within six weelt Of ibe Aexl election al is
peace and quieire@
But few yesii ego great cry Wst TSiEed hat
The elciion iD Louisiana WtE carried by intins-
ospoD, fraud, violence ard uuydeY, and 8 Euk-
Committee war tppointeo by Coi gr,R 70 70 70
That State icr The IuIpofe Of inye,lgGtiug iuO
We truth u The TtporH and bringing be,Ofe ,hEE
body what had actually occurred. The commit.
Zee cOptifled VI two EeJublicg, suC one Demo
crEt, Ar. Fostef 0i Ohio. being chsirnEn. They
went 70 The very psr'bes tor coUuutE) Sbtie
these cutfsges were reported " have occurred,
AM then returned with ibeiT report Referring
W Cne q The parishes that had been selected 81
one Of the won't cSkes that q u.d be brOugh be-
fore the committee, Mr. Foster reported
Ito happens ,hs! that parish va, taken IA
BDple Of intimidation. Mary Witnetes from
both parties were examined ia reference v H
tb'y fhow beyond question that here vas free,
full isiT. and IesCeEble election and regilutti0n
there. There was 10 evidence Of any intirlldG-
ton 0f voter pTscticCd On The day o. election
ored men before the election hsd been Effected
by threats Of refusal 70 employ them, or disct arge
them II they voted The Republican ticket No
evidence, either Of discharge or Of reiutsl y eu.
pl0y, was produced. Certain wi,ntHes, them
selyes, EVERY ONE OFFICE HOLDERs REl-
fed generally 10 fuch action but hardly any one
was able W specify single instance in which be
be heard Of any employer ~ threatening or dis
charging any voter, cr knew Of any employee
being b. thresteled OF discharged. Not one EL-
gle colored man thrcUghC Ut The entire psrish was
pro cuccd 70 testify, gtLer 70 such threat or 70
the execution Of such a purpose, whether b fore
or after the election,
Upon the general subject Of the stG!e Of Affairs
In the South, aud Eto whether the alleged Rrongs
" coloIed citizel for Political ofenses are real
or were assertions without due fouLdsuonf,n he
ssys:
As whole, they are constrained to say llat the
intention charged Is not bore cut by the facts
bsiore US. Nogeneral intimidation Of Republican
voters was established; 10 coloIed man Wsf pro-
duced who had teen threateLed OF sftsslted By
any conservative becsuie Of political o. inion, or
discharged iIom emI loyment, or refufed employ
ment or all those who testified 10 Intimidation
lutIt hdb udlilg hlg OLG WIN VI h4S Jhh EAONA-
edge couldiJCcify a reliable instance Of such acts
and Of the white men who were produced 70 teb-
tify upon such subjects, very nearly all, II not
every single one, was the Lolder Of an Office.
7hTI ughout The rural districts Of the State the
number Of white Republicans are very few; II
hardly extends beyond those holding Cfiice and
those connected with them. No witness We be-
lieye, succeeded in naming, in any parifh Eve
Republic Ds who supported the Kellogg govern
ment who we're not themselves Cfice holders OF
relsteu TO flee holders or thofe having ctfcisl
employment.
But that II hot all. There actually uGs htimida
ttOn, but twas Republicans intimidating Demo
Gratis. On this Mr. Foster reported
Ou the other hand, 1t was in evidence thai
bl scks who sought to act with the cOnverRtiye
party were on their part sometimes exposed tc
en- mity ard abuse. In the interior, one ColOreo
m an was thot for making a confeTvate speech
and IN Now Orleans. II appears from The testimo
ny that colored men who sought to cooperate
wit h the conservatives were subject to so muCh
abuse from the police and otheiwhe, that an A.
ISOLATION Of lawyers volunteered TO protect them
| but with little effect
That was not the only kind Of intimidation We
read further wherein. United Slater maTshals e.
rested white voters to ntimidate them and keei
them from voting We quote again
On the otl er hand, applications to The UniteC
States Commissioners in the various parishes, moi
only for alleged crimes, but because Of alleged
threats of discharge non.employment or othel
interference with political preference were ire
auent. Upon these efidavits warrants were Of
| .tal
bound over for trial. In many localities the fed
eral troops we've detBinCd for sei vice under uC
marshas and assistant marSlas and not only
made large arrests Immediately bcfole the elcC
ton but the reports that they were coming e
particular neighboThoods about the election timt
for the purpose Of such arrests served as the cCD
seIyatiyps claimed, to inumiGate, and somelimei
even to produce stampede among the whit
voters
Again, he says and it is an important admis
| sion, too
I'VE do not overlook the causes which tend "
excite deep feelings of discomfort in the white
native population of Louisiana. There has been
great maladminlstratiCn; public funds have
been wasted public creditlmpaired, and taxation
Is heavy
Every fair.minded man should ponder vel
these admissions by the delegated authority o
the Congress of the United States II they doRo
strip the Southern outrages Of alleged bloody
covering nothing can. 1t is the heigth OF pre-
sumption, in the face Of statements here rendered
for Republicans to perslstently make false charge
in this respect. They are .excuSable only on Tx
ground that they are afraid to go before the peo
pic on the Hring bsucs between the two parties.