The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1876-11-24
rHE POLsTTCAL SITUATION.

pTlseu Oi tnc Ibit''cb c'iu""hs Wv
shall, therefore, endcsvur to give them
a summary Of what has been done SO
far, aud what !. now bring done. Per
baps by this time I'll of them are aware
Of the fact that Tilden has received
1874 electoral votes, and that only one
more is required 10 give him majori
~ and thus cleo, him the Democratic
president Of the United State. To
get that single vote We have the States
of Louisiana and Florida, yet undeci-
ded, to get it from. South Carroll
ma has. we fear, gone for Hayes, but
IL 50, it has been carried by fraud and
by the most unscrupulous manage
ment Oh the p r. of the Radicals. A
number of prominent men from Ken
lucky and the West and the North,
belonging to both political parties,
went to New ORLEANS, Louisiana, at
the request Of Grant and the Chair
man Of the National Democratic Com
miltee, to be present at the counting
of the votes by the Returning Board
of that State. Alter reaching there
the members Of the Democratic part y
made respectful call urOn the mem
bers of the Republican party, asking
for a joint meeting for the purpose of
having a concert of action before said
Board. This polite and sensible call
vas responded to, and conference
declined. Thus matters stood until q
day or two since. The Returning
Board-that is the Board by whom
the ballot-boxes were 10 be opened
and the polls compared-had deter
mined to cit with closed doors, and adj
init no one but themselves to be pre-
sent at the counting and adjudication.
To thi, resolve the members of the
Democratic committee objected and
entered a solemn protest. Ex-Gov'
erncr Wickliae, of Louisiana, who
was one OF the electors for The State at
Large. on the Democratic ticket, en-
tered fOrciblc protest against his ex-
clu.ion from the session Of the Board,
and such was the cogercy Of his rea'
soning that the Board, of which ex
Governor J. Madison Wells Is presi'
dent, re considered theii order exclu'
ding the people. gave Mr..
WickIiae permission to attend, invi'
ted committee of FIVE from each o
the great parties, and. finally. tire"
open the doors to reporters of the news
paper press and the public generally
This was doubtless forced upon then
rs duty. as there was manifest in
justice in excluding the public from
their sessions. TIE first days count
resulted favorably to the Democrats
and the polls Of the parishes which
were counted agreed with the dupli
Gates Of the Democrats. There arr
four or FIVE parishes which are dispu
ted. and, by the laws of that State
such are passed over until the undis
puted parishes shall have been dis
posel E. II is not denied that the
Democrats have received majorit,
in the State of be,ween 1000 and 5000
votes, aud the only hope of the Repub
Leans j, that the Returning Boar'
will throw out enough ballots east foI
Tilden to reduce his majority so mucl
us to give the State to Hayes. The
Board, composed Of men who ar
known to be INSCRIPTIONS adventu
rer.. and capable Of any iniamy know
in the annais Of crime, may, and per
haps will, thus oveir ride ard oyercom'
the solcmnly expressed will of the pee
pie. They pretend to be able to show
that intimidation was used in severa
parishes, by which the negroes wer
kept or scared away from the polls
They also contend that fraud was use
10 such an extent rs to pre-
vent fair expression OF the wish O
hundreds of black Republicans in thoS
parishes. The fact is, and it will b
sbundautly established by the ailil'
Wits Of hundreds of Tia, blacks in thes
very parishes, that no il timida'io
VAS used except by black Republican
against black Democrats who de'ire
% vote the Democratic ticket. IL vii
no doubt, be some days ye before d
Returning, or Counting Board, will
able 10 eonD,ete their lab0rs. Meat