New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-17

AD2A11NSASS OO2SxAVS
,sysa AsplseiAg IL sxiseeeee, Democratic
eitiSens upper - regaea the hWless con.
dita4 81 6oetety - . special provnence
opeeneing fae - eood Of theiy party. And
while the rowing bands, colle6 RegulatoFs,
Ku'Kidxs or Belldosen, raid. the country
e night AlliDg every cabin with fear, law
abiding oitisens- Open tho deors Of the
Democratic clubs end invite oolored men to
.esk salety there. When they accept this
inyttstion 10y ase we'll received, protested
Among white oitissns Of the disturbed
parishes, present in New Orleaas, some
were INTRODUCED ~ bulldosers, and, when
put upon their manhood, they did mot hesi-
tate % cay thst "the only thing which will
make . good sound Democrat Of negro 10
. double-barreled shotgun" 1.-THE shotgun
re sso osss g''a'd'F' h''p'~ negro to sec
Yet, while making such admission these
citizens insist that the state Of things OK.
istisg in their parishes did not amount to
what they can call Naturalization" They
seem to attach peculiar meaning to this
term, which takes 1t out Of the sense COM
monty expressed BY it, while they have ex-
tended the word ''persuasionv 70 include
more than Nc would understand by that
e0sm AN OiV CUAOE0U 1o0 o1VWg SOOpt0O
their views, was asked II he had been ''in.
timidated." He said. mo. cir, was 'suadod;
Would have voted the Radical ticket, but
they 'susded me to vote the Democratic;
they Just put Dc pissol to my head and
Thus it appears that tho whites brought
. double influence to bear upon the colored
voter. One class of citizens held out in
ducements Of protectiop, employment aud
favor, taking them into the cluos, while
another class, BY acts Of violence, made
protection necessity-driving them in.
To satiefy me that this double operation
produced the result of reducing the Re-
publican and increasing the Democratic
votes, there Was needed only the testimony
of the colored men in the disturbed par.
ishes who left the Republican party and
joined the Democratic clubs, md this evil
dence was supplied BY an invitation from
Democrats to be present at meetings where
oolored men were giving their experience
them to join tho clubs. In these meetings
they stated that Republicans had deceived
them and failed 70 givv them protection.
That they had Lost confidence in their local
leaders, and - their old masters offered
them protection and employment they had
concluded to try them.
In answer to questions BY Republicans,
they said that on joining the Democratic
clubs they received certificates Of protec.
open tickets, the clubs going to the polls in
body, and each member taking IN open
Democratic ticket in public view, and deliv-
ering 1t to the official.
AZ these meetinga ware not adapted to
full and satisfsctory personal inquiry. I
asked one in authority, who seemed de-
sirous that the truth should appear, il l
might examine some Of the men apart, in
my own room. He freely aesented, and I
came to me voluntarily, that they had not
changed their political principles, that they
were ct heart Republicans, and had only
joined the Democrstic clubs for protection.
One of them said: I'VE 20 in and get under
shelter" They said when they were slaves
their masters protected them, but now
they have no proteotioD: that their
and when they are called on BY euch bands
if they have badge from the Democratic
club 70 chow that they are Of "their stripe"
the bulldosers will not hurt them; but If
they have NO badge they must look ont for
themselves. When asked how they would
have voted had they felt free to vote -
they pleased. they answered emphsfically:
"1Ae Republican ticket; sce are Republicans,
and can't be anything elee."
anus my inquiries O0teiuo ~ INC eVAueuVo
before the Returning Board greatly
strengthened the conclusion drawn from
that testimony. And on the whole matter
l rest we'll satisfied that In emitting the ter
rorfzed parishes and polls the board only
applied the law of Louisiana to the facts 40
established in proof and existing in truth,
and that the result attained Is not only l0tc
fu!, but righteous.
1t may be noted that do not defend tho
Returning Board, either - an institution
or in it's personnel. 1t IL far moro important
for me to know that the c0nclusion is right.
The institution Of the Returning Board is .
caunteract violence against which no ordi-
nary guard would suffice, and provided by
Law to protect the most inoffansive race
aNAinst the most warlike. The law il
founded on the principle that the only ade-
quate protection sgainst violence 10 to rem
der violence fruitless.
This it does % TAR - practicable, without
counting votes not cast (which it will not
permit), and until . better method be de-
vised it is justified by necessity.
The act a. it stands WAS passed by tho
concurrence of all parties, and it hes been
used BY all parties. It was sigued by Gov
srnor Warm0th in order to elect Mr.. Gree
Icy, and first used to that end. The pres.
emit members Of the board we're appointed
Uy LD0 6G0C0 o0uoU0 - 1oRoO1lo1u0 onU
Conservatives. Tho Democratic member
resigned ct the instance of his party. The
members are two white men, old citi9ens,
If more than average substance and o.
pacity; two free born natives, Of very slight
admlxture of col0r-scarcely visible-men
of property and moro than average i1telli-
gence.
The bench % it at, appeared to be not
unequal to the ordinary duties Of tho board,
though in this crisis could have wished to
see men of tho most exalted character aud
capacity in their places. Yet they we're
there where the Law plaoed them, IN posi-.
ton which no man envied and none desired
to assume. They have passed through per.
lie such Is would have appalled, some men,
and temptation suoh a. would have over
come others. They have given Judgment
as the law required, and that Judgment,
lawfully given, should command the respect
of all good citisens.
JOB e. STEVENSON.
Communicated
EDITOR REPUBLICAN,:
II I'D