Litchfield enquirer., 1876-12-21
THE LOUISIANA ELECTION.
'; REPORT or THE NORTHERN REPuBLICANS.r .r

f l tion of it deals with the courtesy Of the Returning Board in affording the visiting committee an opportunity to attend the proceedings aud secure for them the wid- est publicity. It then speaks of the hor- TOTS of the election of 1868, and says:1
 It may be we'll to state briefly the caus- i es which led to the creation of such a
 board in Louisiana, and to call attention to the statute which devolves on it powers and duties of great public importance. The white people of that and other South ern States had by their rebellion forfeited all right to representation in Congress, or to any participation in the Government of the Union. and had been compelled, as 8 condition of resuming their former polit
 ical rights, to assent to the constitutional amendments, by which, in hostility to their will, those who had been their slaves were made citizens; and although 1t was their duty to submit to this politi- cal reorganization. the annals of the South, and especially of Louisiana, dis close widespread and persistent deter imitation of it's ruling white people to prevent the exercise of the elective. fran chiss by the colored race. except subject to their will.
 This was manifested by the violence, outrages, and murders perpetrated in that State just preceding the Presidential elec- tion of 1868. They will be found stated in various Congressional reports. From these it appears that over 2,OO0 persons were killed, wounded. and otherwise 1n- jured in that State within few weeks of the Presidential election of that year; that half the State was overrun by violence. midnight raids, secret murders, and open riots, which kept the people in constant terror until the Republicans surrendered ried by the Democracy. The Parish of Orleans. which contained 29.sl0 votes, l 15,020 of which were colored, and which 1 can votes. in the Fall cast for Gen. Grant but l, 1,l78, falling off of 12,795 votes. Riots prevailed for weeks, filling New Or leans with scenes of blood; and Ku- -Kiux notices were scattered throughout the city, warning colored men not to vote. In the Parish of Caddo there were 298 Re- publicans, who in the Spring of 1868 car ried the parish, which in the Fall gave to Gen. Grant but one vote. There also bloody riots occurred. In the Parish of St, Landry the Republicans had a regis tered majority of 1.071 votes, and in the Spring of that year carried it by 678 votes, while in the Fall not vote was cast for Gen. Grant, the Democrats casting the full vote of the parish-4, ,787 votes-for Seymour and Blair. In that parish oc- cured one of the bloodiest. riots on record, in which the Ku-Klnx killed and wounded over 201 Republicans, hunting and chasing them for two days and nights through fields and swamps. Thirteen captives were taken from the iail and shot, and pile of twenty-five dead bodies was found buried in the woods. Having thus conquered the Republicans and kill ed or driven off their white leaders, the masses were captured by the Ku- -Klux, marked with badges of red flannel, enroll ed in clubs. led to the polls, and compel led to vote the Democratic ticket, after which they were given certificates of that, fact.
 These are some of the outrages which marked the pathway to political suprem- acy of those who but few years before had obtained the mercy of Government under whose laws the black Republican and the white Democrat were entitled to equal protection.
 Until a radical change could be effected in the nature and purposes of those who had been their owners, and who repudiat- ed the idea of being placed upon terms of civil equality with them. it was evident that fair election could not be had in parishes containing any considerable ma- jority of colored voters, aud hence the act of 1870, acquiesced in by both political parties and amended in 1872, was passed, creating returning board authorized to sit ill New Orleans, having supre., au- thority to canvass the votes cast through out the entire State, and authorized, if convinced, that riot. tumult, acts of vio- lence, intimidation, armed disturbance, bribery, or corrupt influence, had prevent ed voters from registering, or had mate rially interfered with the purity or free dom of election at any poll or voting place, or had materially changed the re- suit of the election. to exclude votes cast at such poll or voting place from the final count. This law, with some amendments not materially changing it's nature, is that under which the present Returning Board of Louisiana is now organized and sits.
 lThe report then states that the law even yet is inadequate, for it does not provide for the admission of votes which would have been cast except for intimidation. In illustration it refers to the five bull dozed parishes of this year, where there are 5,134 white and 13, 244 colored voters, and where, by intimidation, such remark able results were effected by keeping from the polls Republican voters. It says the fact of the imperfections of the law should constantly be borne in mind, as it will reveal the propriety of what the Re turning Board did. It goes on to say: I
 POWERS OF THE BOARD. r
 The statute under which this board acts is so framed as to prohibit the rejection of votes cast at any poll or voting place unless certain solemn formalities are first complied with, which must be supple mented by the testimony of witnesses. The statute organizing the board declared, in substance, that whenever from any poll or voting place there shall be received by the boatd the statement of any supervi-- sors of registration or commissioner of election, conf med by the afidavits of three or more citizens, of any riot, tumult, acts of violence. intimidation, armed dis turbance, bribery or corrupt influences which prevent. or tend to prevent, fair, free. and peaceable vote of all qualified electors entitled to vote at such polls, the board shall proceed to investigate the facts; and if from such statements and affidavits they shall be convinced that SuCu causes Oiu uOG IuaCoTlaliY interfere with the purity and freedom of such cleo tion. or prevent sufficient number of qualified voters from voting to materially change the result of the election, then such vote shall be canvassed and com. piled; but if they are not thus fully con- vinced It shall be their duty to examine further testimony in regard thereto, and to that end shall have power to send for persons and papers; and if, after exami- nation, the board shall be convinced that such acts of violence, intimidation, &c.. did materially interfere with the purity and freedom of the election at such poll, or did prevent sufficient number of qualified voters from registering or vot- Ing, to materially change the result of the election, then the board shall not canvass or compile the votes of such poll, but shall exclude it from their returns.
 Nothing can be more simple, more just, than these provisions. They are, for the reason before stated. inadequate to secure the administration of complete remedy,