Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-22
The Louislaus Count.

OF the visiting committee IN Loulslana,
writes the Cincinnati Gazette as follows;
At your request, l herewith submit my
impression on public affairs in Louisiana
In going to that State it was my desire t.
see an equitable result legally attained
While my preference was Republican, it wa.
not so strong as to render me blind or deaf
Eager to learn the very truth of the matter
improved every means and opportunity o.
information, not only attending the session
of the returning board, but hearing volun
tary statements of witnesses and advocate.
on both sides, and mingling freely, and or
kindly terms, with citizens Of every class
and Of all shades of political opinion. Feel
ing toward the people of Louisiana nothing
but good will, stimulated by most cordia
reception, and having friends of all partie.
among them, would say nothing which car
ipjnre or offend any citizen of the State, anC
if, in what follows, there be any error,
trust it will be the omission Of matter
which, though true, are not essential, anc
might be unpleasant
The Louisiana question, as presented Il
the returning board, took the form of Q
legal controversy on issues Of law and fact
The leading issue was whether there haC
been such violence and intimidation in Ger
tain parishes and polls as would invalidatt
the election held in those localities, and re-
quire the returning board to omit such polls
from their returns. As often happens il
cases at law, both parties over-stated theil
claims. The Republicans alleged horrible
condition of affairs in many parts of the
State, while the Democrats denied that there
was any intimidation whatever anywhere
save by republicans against colored men in
cined to vote the Democratic ticket.
Having, in 1869, been officially familiar
with the condition of the State, and ever
since had unusual means of knowing the
course of affairs, | soon perceived that the
truth lay in the mean between two extremes
and this was confirmed by subsequent in
quiries which convinced me that violence
did prevail over several parishes, and in
parts of other parishes, though not in such
degree or to such extent as in 1868, when
fearful scenes were enacted through more
than half the State. resulting in the reduc-
ticn of the Republican vote in the lawless re-
gions from 47,923 to 5360-over $4,000
votes. 1t can now be, and suppose it Is not
seriously denied, that there were disorders
more or less eItensiye-which must have al
fected the election. bot whether these dis
orders were sufficient to change and did
change the majority III the State is the sub
stdntial issue.
The returning board, the lawful and only
tribunal charged by the authority OF the
State to determine the issue, has dull con-
sidered and solemnly adjudicated the ques-
ton, and if it were mere case at law, the
| controversy would De at an end. But Us the
matter involves political Consequences in
which the whole American people are con-
cerned, it becomes Us to consider whether
the result thus legally attained is or is not
equitable.
The testimony on which the returning
board acted is yoluminous, consisting of the
sworn sIatment OF many witnesses. official
certificates, verified and supported By afhia-
Wits, depositlons taken on interrogatories,
duly crossed, and oral evidence in open ses-
sion. A superficial reading of this evidence,
conflicting a. it is. might leave the mind in
doubt, and partisan Of either side giving
credence only to what pleases him. might
find in it confirmation of his preiudices but
an impartial judge, carefully weighing the
testimony, would conclude that there was
denounces and renders penal, and that such
intimidation did materially affect the result.
The difference Of opinion, if any, among
fair judges, must be as to the extent of such
violence and the effect produced by it; that
IS, how far the testimony required the board
to 20 under the law. On this point deem
it necessary TO say only, that i: appears to
me that far-minded and impartial Judge
would find that the disorders had controlled
parishes and polls more than enough to
change the result on the Presidential Electors.
On the State, legislative and parish tickets
did not form any opinion.
As might have been expected, the testi-
LA0ny adduced to establish the fact of In
tlmidati0n IS positive and specific, giving
place, date, names and circumstances while
the rebuttIng statements are general, mega
tive and vague. The man who sees, hears
and feels must always he able to speak to
the point, while he who does not see, nor
hear, nor feel can only say So On questions
of outrage, dead bodies, scars. wounds, in
yalids and cripples are convincing wit
nes~es.
But not contend to rest my opinion on
the record alone, when broader views were
open to me, have inquired diligently,
and found further and most interesting
proofs.
Looking to the nature of things in Louis
lana, the first fact which strikes an Observer
is that large majority Of the inhabitants
of the State are colored. By the census Of
1870 the whites were a minority, and since
then Louisiana, being in Republican hands.
while the adjoining States, Alabama, Missis-
sippi, Arkansas and Texas, have fallen into
Democratic hands, colored people have
moved into, and white people out Of, Louis
lana, 50 that by the registry Of voters in
1876 the colored majority was over Do
600. 1t is admitted that the colored voter
is inclined 10 be Republican. Indeed, one
Of the grievances Of the white citizen
Is that while the former slave will do almost
anything else for his old master, he will not
elect him TO ofice-will not trust him with
political power unless he runs as Repub-
lean, and even then the freedman is dubious.
As confidence between the races returns, as
it ultimately must political sympathy will
be the last link in the chain OF union. The
colored voter is not only Republican, but
he is the most jealous member of the party
he Is a radical. d iauatic-and he looks
upon every colored man who ialters as a
traitor to his race. | heard Of instances
where colored women assailed colored men
suspected of scratching the ticket. The
colored people carry politics into religion.
was told of cases showing that, in their
opinion, to desert the party is to abandon
all hope Of heaven. When free FROM every
form Of coercion, the colored voters of
Louisiana are almost unanimously Repub-
lican.
The white Republicans Of the State num-
Der from s 900 to 10000 This gives a
Republican majority of 10000 1t must be |
admitted, however, that the party was
not perfectly united on the State ticket, |
which ran behind, and it seems that some |
colored votes were procured for the Demo- |
cratic party by methods, which, though not |
commendable, are yet within the limit of |
legitimate party tacties-sucb as promises OF |
employment, of favor, kindness and friend |
ship, appeals to selfshness as against prin-
ciple-to which men Of color as well as
white men are open. The effect of these |
causes may be measured in some parishes |
where there was no violence, and the limit |
to their success may be found in the fact |
that generally outside of the disturbed |
parishes and polls the Republican majority |
was greater than it ever was before.
Making liberal allowance for disatfection |
towards the State ticket and for loss Of color |
ed votes through enticements, there must |
remain a Republican majority in Louisiana
on a fair and free election of not less than
$1,000.
IL this opinion am sustained by state
ments of candid men, both Conservative and |
Democratic, who say no tseN informed man
doubts that Louisiana as Republican BY from
$4,000 TO 5000 majority.
What then became of this Republican ma
jority of Louisiana?
The fact of intimidation being proved in
the localities where their vote was lost, it is
hard to doubt that intimidation caused the |
loss. But, not satisfied with inerences, | |
inquired of candid white men, Democrats
and Conservatives, from the disturbed par
ishes, and found them not unwilling to ad-
mit that rho lawlecsnecs which pre-