Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-12-15
The LOnisiana Committees Report,
ro the rrcsldont q lhe unIted stste..


Orleans and there witness the canvass by
the Returning Board Of the State Of Louis.
lana Of the votes cast In that State for elect
ors OF President and Vice President OF the
United States OF America, we have performed
that duty, and we now most respectfully re-
port that on our arrival In that city we
found several gentlemen who came repre-.
scnting Republican State organizations, who
have throughout co. operated with those who
went at your request, and whose names are
also appended to this communication. Be-
tween the gentlemen representing the Dem
ocratic party and ourselves a correspond.
ence In writing ensued, copy Of which Is
appended hereto. Reference TO II will dis
close that conference with US for the pur-
pose Of exercising an influence upon the
Returning Board was declined upon the
ground that the only duty devolving upon
us was TO attend before the board and care
fully note it's proceedings, and, finally, to re-
port history thereof, with such opinions
concerning the same as truth and Justice
should demand.
Such a report we are now able to present,
and We take pleasure In stating that our
ability to do so is due TO the exercise Of the
courtesy and kindness of the Returning
Board, which entities Its members not only
TO our thanks, but TO that confidence which
Just public extends toward every tribunal
which desires that all It's proceedings should
be duly presented to public scrutiny. TWAS
our earnest wish that this publicity should
be attained, but we should have felt dell
eacy in requesting any privilege not in har-
mony with the usage OF the board. We
were, however relieved from all embarrass-
ment by receipt OF formal invitation, here
to annexed, delivered to us and to gentle
men who attended at the request OF the
Chairman of the Democratic National Com
mittee, inviting the attendance Of five gen
tlemen from each delegation as spectators
and witnesses Of the proceedings Of the
a.. al NA....a aW,uW Had
with an offer to furnish stenographic report
ers, selected by each committee, to be pres
ent and make a full report of all the pro-
ceedings and testimony, and TO secure the
daily publication thereof by the press.
The undersigned made arrangements for
that purpose with the proprietors of one OF
the daily papers printed in New Orleans, and
thus perhaps there and elsewhere have been
enabled to give such proceedings and testi.
mony the widest circulation. In justice to
the board II should also be stated that this
privilege was freely accorded byit members,
without solicitation, and that they cordially
united with us in the desire to have all their
proceedings published throughout the coun-
try. The scrutiny invited by the board has
been constantly exercised day by day. Both
committees have been in attendance before
the board with their stenographic reporters,
and in addition, privilege rendered to both
committees of inviting gentlemen from
State other than Louisiana has been sew
eral times availed of as the returns were
opened, whether contested or not. The pa
pers inclosed have been freely rendered to
the committees for examination, and have
usually been carefully inspected, aud, as
means OF detecting any possible changes In
the returns after leaving their respective
parishes, both committees were furnished by
the respective parties with statements OF the
vote as claimed by them respectively, that by
comparison II might be known If any altera-
had "a q rptn Ia hp
passed upon by the board, with which state
ment the returns usually agreed. Whenever
1t was known to the board that return WAS
TO be contested the attorneys for the candl-
dates interested were sent for to be present
at the ceremony of opening, and, when such
knowledge was attainabe only by the inspec-
tion of the inside Of the package containing
such returns, these attorneys were invited
to be present before action was taken upon
It, There were thus secured, in the manner
stated, publicity of all the proceedings Of
the board and a most careful scrutiny of ev-
cry package of returns by 1t opened, and an
opportunity for candidates insisting upon
the validity OF the returns to appear person
ally aud by counsel before the board, in many
instances before the returns were opened,
and in every instance before action was taken
upon them. 1t has been, 1t Is believed, quite
unusual to give such full and widespread pub
licity to the proceedings of a Returning
Board. Nor do we think that better meane
for permanently recording every word and
act of its members while engaged in the dis.
charge OF their duty could have been af
forded than those enjoyed. Having thus
presented statement of the means &C
corded Of witnessing the canvass it may bt
we'll to state briefly the causes which led tC
the creation of such board in Louisiana
and to call attention to the statute which de
wolves on it powers and duties of great pub
lie Importance.
The white people of that and Other
Southern States had by their rebellion for
ieited all right to representation In Con
gress, or to any participation in the Govern
ment of the Union, and had been compelled
as q condition of resuming their former
political rights, to assent to constitutional
amendments by which, in hostility to their
WILL those who had been but late theil
slaves were made citizens; and, although II
was their duty to submit TO this political re
organization, the annals of the South, and
especially of Louisiana, disclose O wide
spread and persistent determination OF its
ruling white people to prevent the exercise
of the elective franchise by the colored race
except subject to their wi |. This was mani
Tested by the violence, outrages and murders
perpetrated in that State just preceding the
Presidential election of 1868. They will bt
found stated in the various Congressional
reports. From these it appears that over
1900 persons were killed, wounded and
otherwise injured in that State within few
weeks of the Presidential election of thai
year; that half the State was overrun by
violence, midnight raids, secret murders and
open riots, which kept the people in con,
slant terror until the Republicans surren-
dered all claims, and then the election was
carried by the Democracy. The parish OF
Orleans, which contained 29,9l0 voters,
5000 of which were colored, and which In
the spring had given 1898 Republican
votes, in the fall cast for Gen. Grant but
1,1TS, a falling off of 12,T95 votes. Riots
prevailed for weeks, filling New Orleans
with scenes of blood, and Ku-Klux notice,
were scattered throughout the city, warning
colored men not to vote. In the parish oi
Caddo there were 298 Republicans, who, In
the spring Of 1868, carried the parish, which
in the fall gave to Gen. Grant but one vote,
and there also bloody riots occurred. In
the parish of st. Landry TIE Republicans
had registered majority of 1,07l votes, and
in the spring OF that year carried it by SIS
votes, whilstin the fall not vote was cast fol
Grant, whilst for Seymour and Blair the
Democrats cast the full vote OF the parish
4,78T votes, and there occurred one of the
bloodiest riots on record, in which the Ku
Klux killed and wounded over 200 Repub
licans, hunting and chasing them for two
days and nights through fields and swamps;
thirteen captives were taken from jail and
shot, and pile OF twenty-five dead bodies
was found buried in the woods. Having
thus conquered the Republicans, and killed
and driven off their white leaders, the masses
were captured by the Ku-Klux, marked with
badges of red flannel, enrolled in clubs, led
TO the polls and compelled to vote the Demo.
cratic ticket, after which they were given
certificates of that fact
These are some of the outrages which
marked the pathway TO political supremacy
OF those who but few years before had OBJ
tained the mercy Of a Government under
whose laws the black Republican and the
white Democrat were entitled to equal pro-
lection. II was but natural and Just that
the eolored race should unite with and cling
10 the party to whose principles they owed
freedom and protection, and this seems to
have marked their political course from the
time they were given the elective franchise,
and their history in Louisiana has but IL.
lustrated this, whenever they have been left
free to vote as they pleased. Until radical
change could be effected in the nature and
purposes of those who had been their
owners, and who repudiated the idea OF be-
ing placed on terms of civil equality with
them, 1t was evident that fair election could
not be held in parishes containing any con.
siderable majority Of colored votes, and