, 1876-11-18

engaged In The Rebellion, had exclusive con-
troll Of the elections. When tho Fifteenth
Amendment WINS adopted and tho colored
people were admitted to suffrage, then tho
Republicans were in the asccndency. Tie
troubled condition Of the State, resulting
from tho aeep-rooted hostility OF tho whites
against the negroes voting, led to a1l manner
Of devices to retain control Of tho State.
Tho negroes, however, were alive to their
nowly-attained liberty, md detcrminodly
exercised it. Tho war against them
waa aggravated by the Democratic
failure in 1879, and has ever since
been infamously md barbaronsly practiced.
Tho Election law of Louisiann is a necessity
from thlsstate Of things. Without such law
tho negroes would, be practically disfran-
chisetl. Tho fact TINT thoro is a tribunal
clothed with authority to declare m election
void upon proof Of violence, or intimidation,
or tho forciblc prevention Of voting by any
class Of voters, is the great restraint upon
such violence. Tho law is absolutely cssen-
tial to the peace Of the State, and to tho pos
sibi1ity Of tho minority Of the people Of tho
State voting ut all.
The Board Of CnnvaEseta are mnle by law
q }udicin1 as well as ministerial tribunal.
Whenever complaint is nude they hear tes-
timony and argument on both sides, and j1-
dicially determine upon the evidence. Their
decision is tlnai and absolute. They unite in
Que tribunal the functions of the ordinary
canyasser Of roturna aud those of tho court
Of Inst resort. There is no appeal from their
decision.
The power Of this Board ia, however, lin
tied to tho rejection of returns. They can
not count votes not polled, md the law, rs it
stands, is largely in favor Of tho Democratic
party. The violence aud intimidation aro
confined to Republican counties. Order ut
elections generally prevails in Democratic
parishes, and for tho reason that the Demo-
crats carefully avoid furnishing any preto1t for
rejecting Democratic counties giving Demo-
CRITIC mnforities. In tho present instance
there aro five precincts which two years
ago gavo Republican majority Of about
1000, and would hevo given larger majority
ut this time. Tho Register waa shot, and tho
great body Of tho colorcd men fed to the
swamps, md the five parishes arc returned
rs giving 1900 Democratic majority. It is
within tho power of tho canvassers under
tho law, upon proof that large portion
or majority Of tho voters were
prevented from voting, to reject the
returns from these parishes; this waa
probably the original purpose Of tie
Democrats. They committed the violence
in order to furnish cause for tho rejection
of tho returned vote Of theao parishes, thcre-
by cutting OF the 1000 Republican minority
which those parishes would hnyo giyen had
there been fnir election and full vote, In
order to mako this exclusion certain, they
manufactured large Democratic minority in
tho sa1no parishes. Since then, however,
tho necessity for Democratic minority in
the State to elect T1LpEa Inns arisen, and now
they claim, III addition to tho extinction Of
tho 4,ooo Republican majority, the counting
OF the 1000 Democratic majority,-a change
of 5000 votes!
Each State has full power over the
exercise of suffrage within It's borders,
subject to tho provision TINT no person
shall be denied tho privilege Of voting be-
CAUSE of hls race, color, or previous condi-
ton Of servitude. This simply places tho
negro, as to suffrage, on an equality with
other citizcnH. Each State Inns exclusive
authority, within its own Jurisdiction, to
provide regulations concerning all its popu-
lar elections. Congress- has made no regula-
tions except rs regards tho election Of Sem
ators by tho stato Legislatures, and that Rep-
roBentatiyeR In Congress shall DO elected by
districts. Presidential Eleetor, and State
officers aro oil chosen under State laws, in
such manner and under such rogulntions ea
to counting and declaring the result as tho
Statca by their Constitution and laws may
provide. In every State IN tho Union there
IL Board to canvass tho vote g!ven at cleo
tions. No ono can question tho authority of
Louisiana to appoint such tribunal mud to
regulato and dehno its Jurisdiction and pow
crs. The State Of Louisiana has, for the
wclt-grounded reasons wo have suited, given
to this Board tlnal jurisdiction, and made It q
court to hear aud determine nil charges OF
forcible intimidation amounting to defeat
by lawful election, md to reject all diBhou-
est returns OF elections which tho Board at-
thug as n court may decide to be Illegal. Tho
Butte has conferred no authority on this
Board which It has not tho power to confer,
and the Board, by rejecting any returns seut
to 1t, after hearing testimony pro md con,
Will exercise no power not conferred upon It
by the State. II thoso ever was question
OF tho exclusive right OF Tho State 10 ragu.
late and govern ats own elections, that aucs-
ton iH presented In this Louisiana cuss and