Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-11-30
LOUISIANA.

LOUISIANA.
Louisiana must have gone Demo-
cratic" it is asserted; "any other re-
turn is prinla taeie "proof of fraud"
This is dangerous assertion, for it is
calculated to inspire ignorant men to
resist the decision of the only body
which has the legal power to settle the
dispute. 1t is an assertion contrary IL
established facts which we have already
set forth. The census of 1870 showed
S6,9l3 colOred males over q years of
age and 81, 7,076 whites, while, as the
same census proves, 10, 1856 male adults
were not citizens, and nearly all of
them were whites-natives OF France
and other countries, who had refused
to be naturaliZed. Moreover, we have
quoted the language of The Neu-
Orleans Picdyule, an extreme Demo
cratic paper, which states that "for six
years there has been a steady influx of
negroes" and ''as steady an emigra-
tion of white people of Texas and other
localities free from the curse of Radical
ism. Neg rOes have beeh converging
upon Louisiana, and whites have been
radiating from it," Thus the State
census of 1875 showed a col0red Iopu.
lation exceeding the white by $4,000.
Indisputably there was colcred ma
jOrity of nearly $1,000 voters in 1870,
and ii is both notorious and admitted
that the change since that time has
been an increase of colored and a de-
crease of white voters. Why should it
be presumed that louisiana "must
have gone Democratic?
Because" we are told, "the Con.
gressional Committee of 1875, of which
Mr.. Wheeler was member, found that
the Democrats had carried the State in
fair election" The statement is in
correct, and 1t would prove nothing if
it were true. Messrs. Hoar, Wheeler,
and their associates reported:
In view of these facts, we do not
hesitate to find that the elected OF 1874
was neither full, free, nor fair; that in
large portions of the State the usual
means Of instructing and persuading
the people, of organizing and conduct
ing cam paign, could not be carried
ON by Republicans without danger to
their lives, and that many more voters
than were needed to give the Repub-
lican party complete victory were
prevented from voting at all, or c1erced
into voting the white mans ticket.
This was the finding of the commit
tee by which the compromise finally
accepted by the Democrats was pro-
posed. 1t is the latest and highest
official decision in the matter, being
sustained, as it was, by Congress. How
happens it, then, that the committee
decided in favor of the Democratic
candidates? Because, as the commit
tee fully explain, the Returning Board
had assumed power to throw out re-
turns concerning which no formal
complaint, as required by the law, had
been made. and without notice to the
opposite party. This, the committee
declared, was an illegal act, and it was
therefore reported that the Democratic
representatives thus deprived of seats
had been legally elected. Hence it is
generally. but inaccurately, asserted
that the committee acknowledged
that the Democrats had majority in
the whole State. On the contrary, the
only matter in dispute was as to the
control of the Legislature and the elec.
tion of members from certain parishes.
Only one State cfficer-the T, easurer-
was chosen at that election, and the
decision of the Returning Board that
the Republican candidate was duly
ele ted was not reversed by the finding
of the committee.
One fact seems to US conclusive. The
Democrats, by their own count, claim
ed majority in the State of only 2,939
in 1874, and vet in that election they
had the active aid of many aders
who lad supported the Liberal ticket
in 1872. Among them were men
whose influence with the colored voter
had been very great. 1t was not
National, but a State election, and it
was therefore comparatively easy to
influence Republicans who were dis
satisfied with the local government.
No sensible man believes that these
former Republicans did not add much
mOie than 1888 votes to the Uemocra-
tic ticket in 1874; but this year. in
Louisiana as elsewhere, the former
Liberals used all their influence for the
Republican electoral ticket. Disputes
were settled at the State Convention.
and the Republicans have not been 80
duitcu Ill LDuiSldDd IOr SIX |
wears as they were at the late election.
It is contrary to all reason to presume
hat the Republicans, with the strong
leaders who had given to the Demo.
rats more than their pretended ma.
ority two years ago, and with an in
colored and decreasing white
vote, were beaten in an honest elec.
ion. For the returns prove that thew
,ained over 1000 votes in Orleans
Parish alone, and they also gained. in
he 2l colored parishes in which the
airness of the election is not disputed
669 more, according to Democratic
Moreover, in this, as in
very other contest since the war. the
Democratic figures are found TO give
mailer majorities to the Republicans Z
han the undisputed official returns :
The only answer that has been a. :
smpted is that many colored veters !
vent over to the Democrats. II ia +
ardly possible for Northern people IN h
,alize fully the absgrdity of this claim. I,
he returns, even as Democrats them. 8
aIVaa rapQrf than vrr1,,o -