New-York tribune., 1876-11-21
NEW-YORK DAILY TRIBUNE,
THE LOUISIANA COUNT.
prcopn or THE RETURNING BOARD.

SIR: have been in the habit of reading THE
TRIBUNE now for years. and have deemed it especially
fair and honest sheet At this present time believe tha
many men In the country have looked to see III youl
columns an honest demand for honest canvass OF the
honest votes Presidential Electors in the contested
States And doubtless your intention has been 10 throw
all the influence your paper in favor OF honest Official
action the part OF the canvassng boards In those con
tested States Your words have been some OF theml oil
the best You have demanded doubtless in all sincerity
that vote in these States should be honestly can
vassed But are the statements that have been read
ing from day day in THE TRIBUNE well fitted to BRING
about the result that all honest men OF both parties
| wishl
Twill not take time or space to make long quotations
from your leading articles But the drift Of them, as
gather is this That the fair honest vote OF Louisiana
Republican, that the returns actually made of the votes
actually in the different parishes snow Deiocra'o
majority that therefore, there must have been III some
of these parishes intimidation Of colored Republican
voters aud that the Republican Canvassng Board, COM
posed of such men as Gov Wells the men who can
be depended on by the people Of he United States finally
to decide whore and to what extent this intimidation mas
existed and to declare honestly not what the vote act
ally was but what probably might or would have been
If no such intimidation had existed do not say these
are your exact words think, however, that that Is
what any fair reader would understand your words to
mean and. as nearly l can judge, it is what your
words are intended TO mean.
read in your issue of Nov II these words: Thus iar
we are bound say the presumption Is in favor OF he
officials in these States They haye urged that eminent
citizens Of both parties whom the country has the ut
most confidence should present TO witness the count
ing OF the votes In single specific act nus lar Is u
ALLEGED bv Democrats that these officials have departed
from their sworn duty. 1t is wildly asserted that Cows
Chamberlain Sterns and Kellogg and the Returning
Board intend 10 commit frauds and gross Outrages, Ou
fins far il is not pretended that they have done any
T1.af O.. IA frgff flIa ftr tnN
have done nothing at all. They have not yet been
called on to act returns have not yet got into their
hands You are quite correct IN saying that these officials
have not thus far, departed from their sworn dnty
Their duty has not yet begun. You do not trust draw
niercnces probable honest conduct from suoh prem
ises Do you think that these officials on the Returning
Board have urged that eminent citizens OF both par
ties should be present witness the counting OF the
cotcs with n serious intention that this assumed pur-
nose should IN fact be carried out read IN yOuI paper
OF this morning, from your New-Oreans correspondent
that Gov Wells, n answer 10 an inquiry to-day whether
or not reporters and spectators would be admitted to the
meetings OF the Returning Board, said was his wish
and he evidently expressed the sentiment Of all the mem
bers that the board should sit with closed doors
during the canvassng." As understood your editorial
remarks on the morning oi Nov H. you then approved
the request have these eminent citizens witness tue
counting OF the votes" As understand your editorial
remarks OF this day you approve the reusa OF the
Returning Board TO allow ahllhlhS Oh tio so't ." "o
done. Am incorregtl Certainly for one did, with
you believe tlat these eminent citizens" would be al
lowed 10 witness the count I was deceived j stu
Think however, tina, It was thing honest men would
have consented to.
But do you believe that the presumption Is IN favor OF
the officials those tatcs" AS 10 the Returning Board
IN Louisiana we have something in the nature of test
rony something IN the nature OF adjudication BY an
honest tribunal after q hearing OF evidence on both
sides ter crosrxaniuatiOn counsel ~ the witnesses
produced by the respective parties, after able arguments
Of learned advocates the side and on the other
The tribunal that las the most entire confidence
and rcspect OF an fairnudcd and honest men, Of both
parties North and South. aude, Of course TO the Ie
port Of the committee Of the House that took testimony
AT NeW-Oreans on the condition Of the South. In
December, 1874. Charles Foster. william Walter
Phelps. and Ciarkson n. Potter woro gentle
men OF the very highest reputation IN every respect
through the whole country-gcntlcmcn whose great
ability and utter integrity you % least viii not question
For have often read in your paper your warm com
mendaious OF all these gentlemen and Of their official
action and especially ~ their report Louisiana affairs
And certainly will claim that Mr. Foster aud Mr.
Phelps were biased in favor Of The Democratic party IN
Louisiana These three gentlemen, after hearing the
testimony OF witnesses, made report, and In its state
ment OF facts they all agreed These three gentle
men reported that in November. 57i the people Of
the state Of Louisiana did fairly have free, peaccabe,
and full reg .tIatiOn and election. In which clear Con
scryatye majority was elected to the lower house OF the
Legislature, Of which majority the Conservatives were
deprived by the UNJUST Illegal ana arbitrary acu"n OF
the Returning Board" OF tts Illegal action Of the Re
turning Board as tho committee iouhn' lho following
was a fair specimen:
The Parish of Rapides chose three members of the
Legslaure-he returns elected all three Conservative
Meh tAg pio3s PROC o,os1i. , @ 33 any ai ,t , a NJ ~ =,
ta the election wa, In an respects u far
and Tree. II was not known ~ the parish that any con
fu-lg e. Il