New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-25
PLAN OF THE PLOT,

L
The authentic narrative of Hon. b. j.
Campbell upon Democratic strategy
which we published yesterday, is docu-
ment SO rational, SO temperate and 80
| well verified as to warrant it's being filed
| as an exhibit upon the trial Of the great
questions now impending. 1t is the pro-
| duction Of man whose private character
and loyalty to the Union is unimpeached,
of o public representative whose connec-
ton with the electoral legislation Of
Louisiana makes him competent wit
ness of the facts, as his political position
has afforded him the best opportunities Of
deriving deductions from the public
events of which he was an observer. Mr..
Campbell gives for the first time histor-
ical recital of the plan by which the ultra
and ambitious men proposed to recapture
the Federal government. He alleges
/. A determination to recognize no
other local governments than those chosen
by white voters.
3. The acceptance of amnesty, with q
mental reservation to employ the powers
thereby acquired to effect these purposes.
3. The pursuit of this purpose by Sc
curing sufficient Fusion vote under the
Republican Greeley, and subsequently by
seizing the whole Southern vote and cast
| ing it for the State rights Democrat TIL
den.
The process by which this schedule
was to have been executed in Louisiana
is explained in horrible detail, derived
from authentic records. A premonitory
terror was struck to the hearts of Repub-
licans by the open Democratic advocacy
of murder and massacre as means of
multiplying the negro vote. The Knights
of the White Camelia was the organiza-
ton here which corresponded with the
Ku.Klux elsewhere during the year 1868.
There were over one thousand persons
murdered by the Democrats for political
causes alone. Republican officers Of the law
and representatives Of the Republican
people were assassinated, and this syste-
matte canvass of terror and prescription
has been continued wherever it could be
effected without danger to the perpetra-
tors. The peversion of suffrage pro-
duced by these means is shown by tabu-
lar comparison of the colored vote as reg
istered and Cd cast in certain enumerated
parishes. From this it appears that out
Of Al, 923 votes, chiefly of colored people,
who had voted in the spring Of 1868 for
Republican Governor, only $500 were cast
for the Republican candidate for Presi-
dent Upon the alleged impossibility of
securing fair count and report by local
commissioners subject to Democratic in
fuence, the duty Of scrutinizing the pop
ular vote was transferred by the law
Of 1870 to a board authorized to de-
termine judicially upon the authenticity
Of the electoral returns. This board was
authorized to sit in New Orleans, where it
would have the protection Of the State
authorities, reinforced if necessary by
such Federal force as might be necessary
to the personal security of its members.
This board, so reconstructed that it could
not possibly become an agent of executive
influence, was accepted by the Democracy
of the period. Their candidates for State
Offices and Federal Representatives in
1872 claimed, under the commission of
the present law, though their Returning
Board was constituted with a different
personnel from the present.
From this testimony, given by Sena-
tor who was himself the author of the
Returning Board law of 1870, "the only
material change in that law" made by the
act of 1872 was Gin the manner in which
these five returning officers should be
selected" We may add that it was q
change very material, inasmuch as it sub
stituted legislative choice Of the mem
bers for practical control by the execu-
tive department. It was Republican
preference of the representative over the
executive department. Mr.. Campbell
thus testifes that to counteract the duress
of terror and the opportunities of local
fraud, the Republican Legislature was
compelled to constitute a tribunal having
judicial jurisdiction over the entire SUBJ
ject of suffrage and empowered to see
that there was fair and free election.
The constitutional rights of the Legisla-
ture to confer this authority is derived
from the nature of that department, and
"do not differ in their nature and charac-
ter from those vested in returning boards
by the laws Of other States" .--"
These gentlemen, to whom this able
and authentic exposition of Mr. Camp
bell is addressed, will therefore see the
plan Of the plot to secure the admin
of the Federal government to
the Democratic nullifers who have again
assumed the control of the Southern
States. With the military organizations
and the command Of wealth and iatelli-
gence which the Last Ditchers have
demonstrated in Louisiana, it becomes
pslpable that nothing is necessary for the |
restoration Of State rights as affirmed by |
the nullifers except Federal administra- |
ton pledged on principle not to intervene
in the internal administration of State laws |
over the inhabitants of the State, save upon
the demand of the State authorities. |