Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-12-20

should unite with and cling to the
party to whose principles they owed freedom
and protection; and this seems to have marked
| their political course from time to time. They
| were given the elective franchise, and their
| history In Louislana. has but illustrated this
whenever they have been left free to vote as
they pleased Until a radical change be effect
| ed in the nature and purposes of those who
| had been their owners aud who repu lated the
| idea of being placed upon terms of civil equal
! ity with them, it was evident that fair cleo
| tion could not be held in parishes containing
any considerable ma ority of colored votes, and
hence the act of 1870 acquiesced in both po-
Htical parties amended in 1872, was passed,
CREATING A RETURNING BOARD,
| authorized to sit in New Orleans, having su-
preme authority to canvass the votes cast
throughout the entire state. and authorized, il
| convinced that tumult, acts of riot, violence,
intimidation, armed disturbance, bribery or
corrupt influences had prevented voters from
| registering, or had materially interfered with
the purity or freedom Of the election at any
poll or voting place, or had materially changed
the result OF the election to exclude the votes
cast at s1ch polls Or voting places from the
final count This law, with some amendments,
not mat erially changing it's nature, is that I'M
der which the present Returning Board is now
organized and sits. That some such indie
lection Of legal voters. and a check upon
violence which had before prevailed through
out the state, no one can deny. 1t Will be
seen when the statute organizing this Board
| and defining it's duties is examined. how in
adequate are its provisions to afford full relief
against the wrongs it was designed to prevent
Thus the powers of the Board are limited to
the rejection of votes polled for causes stated,
whilst it cnnnot in any case add to the returns
votes which would have been polled but for
Intimidation, violence, ETC., mentioned. To
illustrate, the undersigned will refer to the
five parishes of East and West Felicians, East
Baton Rouge. Morehouse, and Ouachita, which
appear, as the evidence discloses, 70 have been
especially selected for preparation of such
violence and intimidation as should be neces-
sary to prevent Republicans from casting any
considerable vote in either or each and all Of
these. There is
LARGE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY
In all of them. The white voters registered
for this year numbered 5,134. the colored
ID ,244, 8 ajority of 8, 110 If by intimidation
and violence the Democrats could secure in
each of these parishes a ma ority, an immense
gain would thus be achieved: for if the Board
should upon canvass reject all it would be
powerless to administer that complete justice
which would consist only in declaring for the
Republicans such majority in each
parish as but for intimidation and vio-
lence would have been cast for their cam
didate. The law, therefore. in this but pro-
vides partial remedy for grave wrong, from
which colored people and white Republicans of
Louisiana have long suffered. and when the
proof taken by the Board is examined and
weighed it will be found, as we believe that
the returns it excluded for the causes men.
toned are generally from polling places which
but for intimidation would have given Re-
publican maj ority. thereby increasing that de-
clared by the Board. In considering it's
powers and duties this important feature OF
law should be borne constantly in mind; for
whilst that tribunal may, upon proof and in
the exercise Of judicial discretion, reject votes
for the causes mentioned, it cannot upon 30
doing return any not actually cast. 1t will,
therefore, be seen by any one that careful
selection by political managers Of certain
parishes known to have large Republican ma
jorlties for the scenes of intimidation and
violence, in the belief that other parishes in
the State would enable them to carry 1T for
their party, even should their majority in the
parish thus selected be rejected, might we'll be
favorite method for achieving success, and
as we proceed it will be apparent that such
was -.
THE MODE ADOPTED
to carry Louisiana for the Democratic party.
whilst from the very nature of the mischief to
be remedied, the law could but partially re-
pair it. '-- t1E't ~ III go
The statute under which the Board acts is
so framed as to prohibit the rejection of VIC tes
cast al any poll or voting places, unless certain
solemn fornalitles are first complied with,
which must be supplemented with 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 Board the statement OF any
supervisors of registration or commissioner of
election. confirmed by affidsvts Of three or
more citizens, of any riot tumUlt, acts Of
violence, intimidation, armed disturbance or
cOrrT1nt ipf1u0ncA which or tap6 To
prevent a fair and peaceful vote of all quail
fed voters at such polls, the Board shall pro-
coed to investigate the facts. and if from sach
statements they shall be convinced that such
causes didnot materially interfere with the
PURITY AND FREEDOM OF SUCH ELECTION.
or prevent a sufficient number Of qualified
voters from voting to materially change the
result Of the election, then such vote shall be
| canvassed and compiled; but il they are not
thus fully convinced it shall be their duty to
examine further testimony in regard thereto,
TO that end shall have power to send for
persons and papers, and il after examination
the Board shall be convinced that such acts OF
violence. intimidation. etc., did materially
interfere with the purity and freedom of the
election at such poll, Or did prevent sufficient
number Of quslifed voters from registering
Or voting 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 for it
may be fairly said that if by reason of violence
and intimidation committed in the Interest of
one political party the adherents Of another
are restrained from voting through fear, an
equitable remedy, if practicable for the out
rage would be to count in favor of the I'M ured
every vote they lost. The ascertainment of
this being however difficult. the statute of
Louisiana has provided only for the rejection
of votes. and it is worthy Of remark that the
most fragrant cases submitted to the Board
have. as proven, occurred in parishes where
the Republican registered vote which would
undoubtedly have been cast but for intimida-
ton and violence, largely exceeded the regis
tered vote OF the Democratic party.
We have thus alluded to some of the causes
which led to the creation Of this Board, and
have also called attention to it's duties, and
the proof upon which it Is authorized to act.
It is tribunal established by the laws of
Louisiana. entirely Independent of the laws OF
any other State or Of the United States. It is
empowered, among other things, to canvass
and finally determine the number of votes
legally cast for electors of President and Vice
President of the United States but in the die
~ hot dufu IN ,/3n,