The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-11-30

full, free and fair election, and 10 intimi.
date the colored voters and the white Re.
publicans. The very formation ola white
mans party was menace ot terrible i'm
port to those who remembered Colfax
and BoSSier, and the convention. The
press was filed with threats OF violence.
The agreement TO discharge laborers, the
suggestion that wild beasts are tanned by
hunger, was evidence Of the same spirit.
The overthrow Of the State Government
by the White League on the 14th Of Sep.
Ltember; the turning out large numbers Of
parish officials In the country, compell-
ing them to flee for their lives; the fear
full lesson Of Coushatta; the formation,
armiDg, and drilling Of the White Lea
que, the natural successors Of the
knights Of the White Camellia; these
things in community where there Is
no legal punishment for political
murder, must, in the nature OF things,
have filled with terror q people timid and
gentle like the colored population OF
Louisiana, even il we had not taken
abundant evidence as to special acts Of
violence and crime and their effects on
particular neighborhoodS. In view Of
these facts, we do not hesitate TO find that
the election Of 1874 was neither full, free,
nor fair; that in large portions Of the
State the usual means OF instructing and
persuading tho people, Of organizing and
conducting campaign, could not be car
ried on by Republicans without danger
to their lives, and that many more voters
than were needed to give the Republican
party complete victory were prevented
from voting at all or coerced into voting
the white mans ticket. It was to declare
the result OF such an election that the
Returning Board met at New Orleans in
1874"
In regard to the exercise Of power on
the part Of the Board In the matter OF
canvassing returns from all parts Of the
State Of Louisiana, Mr.. Frye quotes from
the report Of himself and associates to
Congress as follows, first remarking that
$50 far IS the facts are concerned this
Board in no respects went beyond our own
findings. But the third section Of the act
creating the Board provided for certain
certificates Of Supervisors or Commits
sioners and OF this one the committee
said:"
"Upon this statute we are all clearly
OF opinion that the Returning Board had
no right TO do anything except to canvass
and compile the returns which were law
fully made to them by the officers, except
in cases where they were accompanied BY
the certificates Of theSupervisor or Com.
missioner provided In the third section.
In such cases, the last sentence OF that
section shows that il was expected that
they would ordinarily exercise the grave
and delicate duty Of investigating charges
Of riot, tumult, bribery or corruption on
hearing Of the parties interested in the
Office. II never could have been
meant that this Board, OF its own mo.
lion, sitting In New Orleans, at n
distance from the place OF voting,
and without notice, could decide the
right Of persons claiming TO be elected.
The Board took different view OF It's
powers, and proceeded TO throw out
The votes from many polls where they
found intimidation and violence 10 have
existed. The Returning Board
claims that in this proceeding they acted
under an honest belief that they were
right in their construction OF the law,
and that they were giving effect to the
true will OF majority OF the people Of
Louisiana, and that in their construction
they followed the precedent set by the
Democratic or fusion Returning Board
Of 1872. We believe they did follow
such precedent. We have no doubt
that they believed they were defending
the people OF Louisiana against fraud
on their constitutional rights"
After giving the above extracts from
the report Of Messrs. Wheeler, Hoar and
himsclfto Congress, Mr.. Frye concludes
his letter to the Journal as follows:
Do not these citations Justify my asser-
tion that we never condemned this Board
for any Of It's findings as TO facts2 They
made a mistake in their construction OF
the law, but to lind them corrupt for this
would equally condemn every Judge Of
every Court in the country.
Gov. Wells, Chairman OF the Board,
was born in Louisiana, was an old Wing
"a man Of wealth, the owner Of two
large plantations, Of one hundred and fif-
ty slaves, held socially as proud posi-.
ton as any, opposed secession, was driy.
en- from Ills home, for year and half
hid In the woods and swamps,
was hunted with bloodhounds, his pro.
perty all destroyed, his family scattered.
In 1868 he was elected Lieutenant Gov.
ernor Of Louisiana. In 1895 elected
Governor by both Republicans and
Democrats. He was q witness before our
committee, and boldly said to the two
hundred rebels present, "You called me
jayhawker when / was in the swamps,
but I had rather be known forever as \
jayhawker than a traitor" He Is a
man Of undoubted courage, Of
loyalty tried in the ERE, Of
firm will and determined purpose.
believe him to be 4 thorough.
ly honest man, and ! know he
cannot be tempted by Democratic prom.
ises or driven by their threats. Thomas
C. Anderson 10 a Southern man, q resi-.
dent Of Louisiana for thirty-five years, q
man OF large wealth before the war, owning
one hundred slaves and several Thousands
OF acres Of Iand-in politics 4 Whig-
several times q member Of the Legisla.
ture, also member Of tho Constitutional
Convention IN 1852. During the rebel
lion acted with the South-wAs an officer
under Gen. Taylor, and was always high:
iy esteemed. The other two members Of
the Board are very respectable, iutelli gent
colored men, both fairly educated, both
men OF some property, one Of them own.
ing quite large amount Of real estate,
There Is no ground whatever for the
Wholesale charges OF fraud and corrup.
tion made against the Board. The only
fear have 10, that to escape even the
suspicion Of seeming Partially TO the
Republicans, they may lean too much TO
the side, not Of mercy, but OF murder and
outrage. the twin champions OF Democra.
cy In Louisiana. WM. P. FRYE.
Ittleit'oa, Nov. 81, 1879.
THH ia the day set apart BY the Presl-
dent OF the United States and by the
Governor of wes. Virginia as Thanks.
giving occasion. We presume that 1t will
be generally observed as a day Of good