The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-12-14


Picture Of TiIdenism as Practiced in
louisiana Outrageous Intimidation Per.
.petrated-The Right of the Returning
Board to Act. #
To the President of the United States:
In pursuance with your request that several
OF the undersigned should proceed to New Or
leans, and there witness the canvass by the
Returning Board of the State of Louisiana of
the votes cast in that State for electors of
President and Vice President of the United
States, we have performed that duty and now
most respectfully report that on our arrival in
that city we found several gentlemen, who
came representing Republican State organiza-
tons, who have throughout co-operated with
those who went at your request, and whose
names are also appended to this communica-
ton. Between the gentlemen representing
the Democratic party and ourselves a cor
Eespondence III writing .ensued, a copy of
which is appended hereto. Reference to it
WILL disclose that conference with us for the
purpose of exercising an influence upon the
Returning Board was declined upon the
ground that the only duty devolyed on us was
to attend before the board, carefully note it's
proceedings, and finally to report faithful
history thereof, with such opinions concerning
the same as truth and justice should
demand. Such report we are now
in stating that our ability to do so
is due to the courtesy and kindness of the Re
turning Board, which enitle it's members not
only to our thanks, but that confidence which q
just public extends toward every tribunal which
desires that all its proceedings should be duly
presented to public scrutiny. 1t was our ear
nest wish that this publicity should be attained,
but we should have felt delicacy in request
ing any privilege not in harmony with the
OF onI H.
heved from all embarrassment by receipt Of it's
formal invitation, hereto annexed, delivered to
Es and to the gentlemen VINO attended at the
request OF the Chairman of the Democratic
Committee inviting the attendance of five gen.
Glemen from each delegation as spectators and
witnesses of the proceedings of the board and
this invitation was accompanied with an offer
to furnish stenographic reporters selected by
each committee, TO be present and make full
report Of all the proceedings and testimony
and to Gauss the daily publication thereof by
the press. The undersigned made arrange
ments for that purpose with the proprietors of
one OF the daily newspapers printed in New
Orleans, and thus, perhaps, there and else
where have been enabled to give such proceed
ings and testimony the widest circulation. In
justice to the board it should also be stated
that this privilege was freely accorded by its
members without solicitation, and that thew
all their proceedings published throughout the
country.
The scrutiny invited by the board has been
constantly exercised day by day; both commit
tees have been in attendance before the board
with their stenographic reporter, and in addi-
ton privilege rendered to both committees
OF inviting gentlemen from other States than
Louisiana has been several times availed of as
the returns were opened, whether contested or
not. The papers inclosed have been freely
rendered to the committees for examination
and have usually been carefully inspected, and,
as means Of detecting any possible changes
In the returns after leaving their respective
parishes both committees were furnished by
the respective parties with statements of the
vote as claimed by them respectively, that by
comparison it might be known if any alteration
had been made in the returns to be passed
upon by the board, with which statement the
returns usually agreed. Whenever it was
known to the board that return was to be con-
tested, the attorneys for the candidates inter-
ested were sent for to be present at the cere-
mony OF opening, and, when such knowledge
was attainable only by inspection of the inside
of the package containing such returns, these
attorneys were invited to be present before any
action was taken upon it, There were thus Sc
cured in this manner publicity of all proceed
ings Of the board the most careful
opened and an opportunity for the candidates
insisting upon the validity Of the returns to ap-
pear personally and by counsel before the
board, In many instances before the returns
we're opened and in every instance before ac-
tlon was taken upon them. It has been, it is
believed, quite unusual to give such full and
widespread publicity to the proceedings Of a
Returning Board, nor do we think that better
means for permanently recording every word
and pnt Tu Y11oY ohnYa VUhi1 in tho
discharge Of their duties could have been afr
forded than we enjoyed. Having thus pre-
sented statement of the means accorded of
witnessing the canvass, it may be well to state
briefly the causes which led to the creation OF
such 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 Southern
States had by their rebellion forfeited right
70 representation in Congress or to any par
EicipatIon in the Government Of the Union,
their former political rights to
assent to constitutional amendments
by which, in hostility to their will,
those who had been but lately their slaves were
made citizens. And although it was their duty
to submit to this political reorganization, the
annals of the South, and especially Of Louisi-
ana, disclose widespread and persistent de-
~0A AlAaUAOA Va AIo LlAIhuS Wult0 R0Opl0 W pre-
vent the exercise of the elective franchise by
the colored race except subject to their will.
This was manifested by violence, outrages,
and murders perpetrated in that State just
preceding the Presidential election OF 1868.
They will be found stated in various Congress-
ional reports. From these it appears that
over 1000 persons were killed, wounded and
otherwise injured in that State within few
weeks of the Presidential election Of that year;
that half the State was overrun by violence, 4
midnight raids, secret murders, and open riots,
wn1cn Kept the peoplel n constant terror until
the Republicans surrendered all their claims,
and then the election was carried by the
Democracy. The parish Of Orleans, which
contained 20, $40 voters 5000 were colored,
and which in the spring had given 1873 Re-
publican votes. in the fall cast for Gen.
Grant but 1,178, q falling off OF H. 795 votes.
Riots prevailed for weeks, filling New Orleans
with scenes of blood, and Kuklux notices
were scattered throughout the city warning
colored men not to vote. In the parish of
Caddo there were 1913 Republican voters, who
in the spring of 1863 carried the parish,
which in the fall gave to Gen. Grant but one
vote, and there also bloody riots occurred
In the parish of st. Landry the Republicans
had a reUistarnd minority Of ! OH yOiAs and