Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-12-05
The Presidential Question.

tlai question Is HOW naEfOWtu uoWu W
the consent of all parties TO two States,
Florida and Louisiana. South Carolina is
conceded to Hayes by Wade Hampton.
The returns on their face elect the Hayes
electors. leaving no pretext whatever to
claim the State for Tlden. The contest
being waged at the State House /.
one purely for possession of the State
government.
Florida and Louisiana yet remain In
dispute. In regard to Florida the demo
Gratis have not a shadow of claim to stand
upon. The face of the returns shows a
majority for The Hayes electors. which
will be largely increased if the matter OF
fraud and intimidation before and at the
election is taken into account. In one
county alone there are $50 affidavits tes-
tifying to democratic frauds of every des-
cription, so that though the county before
gave an average republican majority of
7l0, this year it gives SO democratic ma
jority. This is but one example among
several of like character. There appears
not to have been SO much violence in
Florida as in Louisiana and some other
southern States, but fraud abounded by the
democrats wherever it was practicable.
In Louisiana the democratic ticket was
supported by means that it makes the
blood curdle to mention. The democrats
claim the election of Tilden electors on
the face of the returns. The democratic
committee have sent out their address to
the country, in advance of the announce
mont of the result by the Returning Board,
claiming the State for Tiden. and though
mildly avowing the existence of irregu-
laritics at the election assert with mon
strous and glaring falsehood that they
were practised by one party as much as
the other. by the law of the Stale, how
ever, approved too by democratic author
ity,..it is. made the duty of the Returning
Board to 60 behind the returns and cast
out the votes of such places as are found
clearly vitiated by fraud and intimidation.
In the investigation they were compelled
to make the truth has been brought out
in sufficient clearness TO satisfy the pub
lie that the democratic committee have
wilfully and grossly misrepre scented the
facts. and that the claim which they make
that the Tilden electors are chosen rests
upon fraud and bloody and most inhuman
intimidation, appalling In magnitude and
fisndish in conception and execution.
The evidence Of Eliza Pinkston reveals
the atrocious character of the democratic
canvass in the parish in which she resid-
ed. In the parish of Fast Baton Rouge,
the testimony of the Supervisor of Reg
istrstion, as given before the returning
Bosrd shows how the democrats conduct
ed In that locality. He testifies that dur
ing the time of registration there was RI
OF, tumult, acts of intimidation, violence
and bribery at the several places of regis
tration, such as TO prevent full and fair
vote being cast in the parish. Colored
men were forced to join democratic clubs.
being threatened with "bulldozing" or
regulating" If they refused. Armed
bands of mon visited voters and by whip
pings, violence, shooting, and putting
them in fear of their lives forced them
to fee fom their homes. William Y.
Payne was visited at his house at mid
night, taken from under the bed. and by
rope placed around his neck was dragged
by horses until he was dead. Isidore
Heron, Justice of the Peace and repub-
lican was dragged in the same manner
by horses until nearly dead and then
whipped. The wife of Aleck Gilbert was
taken from her house and with rope
about her neck was nearly murdered in
order TO make her disclose the hiding
place Of her husband who had fed 10 save
bis life. Colored republicans were fire.
quently shot a. and wounded and repub-
lican meetings were broken up by VIC
lence. They were also cheated out of their
registration papers by democrats who got
possession Of them and used them for H.
legal voting by others.
In closing his statement this witness said
that the effect produced by the violence,
intimidation, fraud and corrupt influences
In preventing a fair. free, peacesble, and
full election, was TO deter large numbers
OF qualified voters 10 said parish from vot-
ing. and to compel other numbers of the
qualified electors to cast their votes under
coercion and duress and against their own
free will, and to procure the fraudulent and
unlawful casting Of ballots by parties not
entitled to vote thereon. That the num-
Der of qualified electors deferred by such
riot. tumult, acts of violence, intimidation.
and terrorism from coting was about fif-
teen hundred. That the number of quail
fled electors of said parish who were COM
PEELED by such terrorism and intimidation
to vote. under coercion or durcss, against
their will the democratic ticket, Was about
four hundred and eighty -four
This was in one parish alone. The eyi.