The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-12-08

and in East Feliciaua, where The reg istered
colored votes number 2l27, not a Republican
vote for electors was cast Iu East Baton
Rouge. containing 1862 coored registered voters
and but 1901 whites, the Democrats clalm
majority of 617, which but for the rejection of
several polls by the Commissioners and Super
visors OF Election would have been returned to
the Returning Board as votes actually cast.
If to the Democratic majority from the four
marshes, as above stated, we add the GIT thus
claimed and insisted upon before the Returning
Board, Democratic majority of 4495 is the
result of an election in FIVE parishes containing
1924 colored Republicans and 5134 white
Democratic voters, the conclusion that intimi-
dation and violence alone could have produced
this is almost irresistible, and that such indu-
ences were employed and were supplemented
by murder when that was thought necessary, IS
established by the proofs already referred to.
1t but confirms this conclusion to refer to
the vote cast in these five parishes in 1874, when
DO special motive existed for the use of cruel
means to influence the election. The Republic
can majority therein was then 1919. result so
suggestive of violence and Intimidation, was
obtained by means the most terrible and re-
voting.
Organized clubs of masked armed men
formed, and recommended by the Central
Democratic Committee, rode through the coun-
try at night marking their course by the whip
ping, shooting, wounding, manning, mutilatiDg
and murder of women, children and defence
| less men, whose houses were forcibly entered
| whilst they slept, and as their inmates he'd
through fear, the pistol the rifle, the knife and
| the rope were employed to do their horrd
| work.
| Crimes like these testified to by scores of
| witnesses were the means employed in Louisl-
i ana to elect President of the United States,
/ and when they shall succeed the glories of the
Republic will have departed and shame and
horror will suppant in the hearts of our people
i that love and veneration with which they have
hithprtO rnoardSd the institutions OF their COuQ-
| try
The proof of violence, armed disturbance and
intimidation in many other parishes is OF the
same general character, although more general
and decisive as to the five parishes particularly
referred to. In others these causes prevailed
at particular polling places, at many of which
| Republican vote was, to considerable ex
tent prevented. We hope to be able to furnish
full copies of all the testimony taken by the
board, that the justice of its conclusions may
be appreciated.
1t is a tribunal from which there can be no
appeal, iand in view of the possible conse'
quencas of its adjudication, we have closely OBJ
served its proceedings, and have carefully
| weighed the force OF large mass OF the testl
mopy upon which that adjudication has beer
| reached. Members of the board, acting unde
oath, were bound by the law. if convinced b.
the testimony that riot, tumults.acts OF violence
or armed disturbance did materially interfer'
| with the purity and freedom of election at any
| poll or voting place, or did materially change
the result of the election thereat. to report the
votes thus cast and exclude them from thei
final return
OF the effect of such testimony the board
was the sole and final judge, and if in reaching
a conclusion it exercised good faith and wa
guided by an honest desire to do justice, its de
termination should be respected, even if upol
like proof different conclusion might hav
been reached by other tribunals or persons. T
, guard the purity of the ballot, to protect tn
citizen in the free and peaceful exercise OF hi
right to vote, to secure him against violence
and especially murder, when he attempts t!
perform this duty, should be the desire OF al
men and the aim eff every representative gov
| eminent.
If political success shall b3 attained by sucl
violent and terrible means as wers resorted t.
in many parishes in Louisiana, complain
should not be made If the votes thus obtained
are denounced by judicial tribunals and al
| honest men as illegal and void.
Il CoURTLAND PARKER, New Jersey.
JOHN SHERMAN, Ohio.
E. w. SToUGHToN, New York.
j. H. VAN ALLEN, New York.
EUGENE HALE, Maine.
j. A. GARFIELD, Ohio,
w. d. KELLEY, Pennsy lvania.
SIDNEY CLARK, Kansas.
j. c. WILSON, Kansas.