The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-12-14
The Anti-AG0n0P0li5t.
The Louisiana Canvass.

- LIZ .G1AAO
The Louisiana Canvass.
As Viewed by the Republican Visiting Gem
mittee.
President Grant has sent to Congress !,
the report of the committee OF Repub
licans which visited New Orleans to
witness the canvass of votes in Loui
siana. The report is addressed ''to the
President of the United States" and
would make several columns of this
paper. It deliberately reviews the Loui-
siana election law, cites the intimida-
ton of previous years, describes and
eulogizes the members Of the return
ing board, etc. The committee state
that secret circular was issued by
the Democrats, giving instruction how
to proceed to carry the election. The
report concludes with the following
statement:
There were in the State of Louisiana on the
day Of election 81, 996 white registered voters
and l15, $40 colored, majority OF the latter OF
22.3l4 It was well known that it left tree to
vote uninfuenced by violence the blacks
would be almost unanimously Republican, and
that with the white Republican vote itwould
be about equal to that above indicated
The plan appears to have been to select Tor
the purposes of intimidation and violence as
few parishes as possible, tor in 40 OF 81 PARISH
es where these were not employed, the Re
publican majority was 600; but to select those
in which the colored vote, as compared with
the white would be large unless unlawfully
prevented, for in so doing it might be expect
ed that should any majority they could thus
obtain in such parishes be rejected they would
nevertheless attain their purpose by the sup
preston Of the large Republican vote. In
| pursuance of this plan, five of the parishes Sc
| fected in which the greatest violence aud in
| timidatiOn were practlced were East ana
West Feliciana, which border upon that por-
! ton OF Mississippi in which murder and out
rage so prevailed during and preceding the
election as substantially to prevent any Re
publican vote East Baton Rouge, which Dor
ders on the southern portion OF East Feliciana;
Morehouse which adjoins the State OF Arkan-
sas, and Ouachita, which adjoins and lies dl-
rectly south OF MorehOuse.
The geographical position of these five par
ishes was we'll suited to the purpose to be OBJ
! tanned, for it was easy for the members OF the
clubs to be formed therein and who usually
| penetrated their outrages with masked faces
to pretend they were committed by border
ruAians from Mississippi and Arkansas, where
| like outrages had been perpetrated. The To-
| cation of these five parishes was not, however
better suited to the plan to be accomplished
than was the great disproportion existing
| therein between the numbers OF whites ano
colored voters The former numbered bu
5.l34: the latter IL, 244-the majority OF thu
latter being equal to more than One-third O
the entire malarity OF cOlOred voters IN nifty.
seven parishes OF the State.
/ The returns OF votes actually cast in thos'
five parishes suggest that the clubs to whom
was assigned the task OF securing q democrat
ic majority therein had performed the worl
of violence effectually, whilst the proof dis
closes brief summaries OF portions OF WINCH
are hereto annexed that where violence an.
intimidation were inefficient, murder, multi
alton and whipping we're resorted to- lnstea'
of majority OF 6,OOO or Z 900, which the Ne
} publicans should have had in these parishes
upon tair election, there was actually re
turned to the board Democratic majority to
the parishes of East and West Felicians
|, Morehouse and Ouachita OF 3,67S; and i
East Felicinia, where the registered colore
, voters number 2,127, not q Republican vot
for elector was cast In East Baton Roug'
containing 1852 colored registered voters An
but l,8Ol whites, the Democrats claim . ms
jority OF GIT, which, but tor the rejection
several polls by the commissioners and 81
peryisors Of election would have been n
turned to the board as votes actually cast.
> II to the Democratic majority from the 1ot
marshes n above stated We add GIT as claim
a ed and insisted upon by the returning boar
q Democratic majority OF 1855, is the r
8 suit of the election in the i've parishes, col
. tanning l3,245 colored keRuohcan ana o,l'
white Democratic voters The conclusion tn
e intimidation and violence alone could ha'
e produced this is almost irresistible, and tn
r. such influence were employed and were su
plemented by murder when it was thong
necessary, is established by the proofs alreat
referred.
Il but confirms this conclusion to refer
q the vote cast in these five parishes in l6a
when no special motive existed for the U
OF cruel means to influence the electiO
It The Republican majority therein was tn
'e 3,7E.
- timidation WAS obtained by means the mi
|" terrible and revolving. Organized clubs
masked armed men, formed as recommend
by the democratic committee, rode throu
ia the country 1t night, marking their course
whipping, shooting, wounding, manning, n
tilafion and murder, OF women and chlldr'
y and deienseless men, whose houses ~
1t torcibly entered whilst they slept, and
v. their inmates fed through fear, the pistol =
y. the rife, the knife and the rope, were =
( ployed to do their horrid work Crimes Il
40 these. testified to BY scores OF witnesses, ~
"a the means employed in Louisiana to elect
Id President OF the United States
Such was the force OF . large mass OF
"a testimony upon which the adjudication
=. been reached. The members OF the boa
'u acting under oath, were bound BY the law.
convinced BY the testimony that riot, tum'
q acts Of violence or armed disturbance did I
terially interfere with the purity and freed
OF election At any poll or voting place, or
materially change the result Of the elect
there, il had to reject the votes thus cast |
exclude them from their final returns.
OF the effect OF such testimony the DO
was the sole and final Judge, and II in rea
ing q conclusion. il exercised good faith
ba was guided by an honest desire to do just
"e its determination should be respected, e
ii upon like proof different conciu.
,ut might have been reached by other trlbul
ed or persons. To guard the purity ofthe
lot. TO protect the citizens in fair and peac'
exercise of the right TO vote, to secure
against violence, intimidation, outrage,
'de especially murder, when he attempts to
form his duty should he the desire OF
uii men, and the aim OF every Republican 7
ing eminent
Ii political success shall he attained by
MS violent and terrible means as were reSo
put to in many parishes of Louisiana. comps
-, should not Re made ii the votes thus otsa
ain sre renowned by judicial tribunals ant
MID h.x~.~. .~,.,, rlIerzl ard vriJ