The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-12-15
SIIERMAN'S REPORT.

| i have the honor 10 transmit, herewith, q
/ letter, accom- panied by testimony aaoIesse9
to me by the Honorable John Shern';n1, enu .l.l
other distinguished citizens in regard 10 tne
on Louisiana U. s. GRANT.
Executive Mansion. December s, leo
The letter transmitted by the President ID
as follows:
10 The President Of the Unfted Stdtes:
| IN pursuance of your request, that several
| of The undersigned should proceed 10 NeH
Orleans, and there witness ihe canvass " me me
| Returning Board of the State of Louisiana
| of the votes cast in that State for elect rs o.
| Presid mt aud Vice-President of the United
States. We have performed that outy. ano
| now most respectfully report that, on our ar
rivalin that city, we found several gentlemen u
who came representing the Republican state
organizations, who have throughout co-ope-
rated with ose who went at your request
! and whose names are also appended 10 this
communication. Between the gentlemen
REPRESENTING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
and ourselves, a correspondence in writing
ensuec, a cory OF which is appended hereto.
Reference TO II will disclose that confer
ence with US tor the purpose Of exercising an
influence upon The Returning Board. was de-
C ined upon the ground that the only duty
deYolved ppcn US was TO attend before tne
Board, carefully note its proceedings, and
nIally - report a fallhfui history thereof,
w:th such opinions col cerning the same as
truth and justice should demand
such report we are now able 10 present,
and we take pleasure in stating that our aOll-
ity 10 do SO IS due TO the exercise oi a G ur-
tesy and kindness by the Returning Board
which entities It's meInbeIS not on4y To our
thanks, but to that confidence which Just
public extends toward every tribunal which
desires that all its proceedings should be duly
PRESENTED To PUBLIC SCRUTINY.
1t was our earnest wish that this publicity
should be attained, but we should have felt
oelicacy in requesting any privilege not IN
harmony with the usage of The Board. We
were, however, relieved from all l.Oarrass-
hereto annexed delivered 10 US and 10 the
gentlemen who attended at the request OF
the Democratic Committee, inviting the at
tendance OF five gentlemen from each deie-
CATION ,as spectators and witnesses OF the pro-
ceedings OF the board. and this invitation
was accompanied with an offer 10 furnish
stenographic reporters, selected by each COM
mlttee. TO be present and make fuil report
Of all the proceedings and testimony, and 10
secure the daily publication thereof by the
press. The undersigned made arrangements
for that purpo with the proprietoIs of one
of the daily newspapers, printed In New
Orleans, and thus, perhaps, there and Else
where, have been enabled TO give such pro-
ceediDgs and testimony the widest circula-
ton.
In justice to the Board, it should also be
stated that this privilege was freely accorded
by its members, without solicitation, and
that they cordially united with us in the de-
sire to have all their proceedings
PUBLISHED THReUHoUT THE COUNTRY.
The scrutiny invited by the Board has been
constantly exercised. Day by day. both Com
mittees have been in attendance before the
Board with their stenOgraphic reporters, and
in addition, a privilege rendered to both
Committees of inviting gentlemen from
States other than Louisiana, has been several
times availedOt
Asthe returns were opened, whether con-
tested or not, the papers enclosed have been
freely rendered to the Committees for exam
inati IN and have usually been carefully in
specied, and, as means of detecting any
pO' sible 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, t at, by comparison, it might
be known If any alteration had been made
ia the returns to be passed upon the Board
with which statement the returns usually
agreed. Whenever IL was known 70 the Board
that return was to be contested, the aIt0r.
neys for candidates interested, were sent for
10 pe present st the ceremony of opening,
and when such knowledge was all alnable on
ly by inspection of the inside of the package
containing such returns, these attorneys were
invited to be present before any action was
the manner mentioned, The publicity OF all
proceedings of the Board, and the most care
ful scrutiny of every package of returns by
II opened, and an opportunity ior candidates
pear, personally and by counsel, before the
Board, IN many instances. before the returns
were opend. and in every instance before &C
ton was taKen. 1t has been believed quite
unusual 10 give such full and widespread
publicity to the proceedings of Returning
Board, nor do we think that better means for
of its members whilst engaged in the dis
charge OF their duties could have been af-
forded than that enjoyed.
Having thus presented statement of the
means accorded of Witnessing the canvass, II
may be well 10 state b lefty the causes which
led TO The creation of such a Board in Louis
lana, and TO call attention to the statue
which devolves on them powers and duties oil
great public importance. The white peop @
of that and other Southern States had for
feited all right of representation in Congress
= to any participation in the government of
the Unior-and had been compelled, as
OF resuming theiliformer political
rights, 10 assent to the constitutional amend
rnent by which. in hostility TO their will,
those who had been but late their slaves,
were ma citizens; and although it was
their duty to sulmit TO this political recog-
niZatiOn. the annals of the South and espec-
ialiy o; Louisiana, disclosed wide spread
and p rsis:ent determination of its ruling
white people to prevent the exercise of the |
elective franchise by The colored race-ex- |
cept subject TO their Will. This was mani |
tested by violence, outrageS and murders,
in this Stale just preceding the |
Presidential els ction in 1865. They will be |
,ound ia various CongressioEai A. reports.
we're killed, wounded and otherwise injured |
in that State. Within a few weeks OF the /
Presidential election of that year, halt the |
state was Overrun by violence, midnight |
RAIDS, secret murders. and open riots, which |
kept the people in constant terror, until the |
surrendered all claims, and |
hen the election was carried by the Demo-
crats.
The Parish of Orleans, which, contains %. |
DO votes, Is ,020 of which are colored and |
viii, in the spring had given 1876 Repub-
ican votes, in the fall cast for General Grant |
but ,l6S-a falling Off OF Il. .295 votes. Riots |
prevailed for weeks, filling New Orleans with |
scenes of blood. and Ku Klux notices were |
scattered throughout the city, warning the |
90 ored men not to vote. In the Parish of |
caddo, there were 29S Republicans who, in /
The spiing of 1868, carried the parish which,
N the fall gave TO General Grant but one
vote, and there also, bloody riots occurred.
In the parish of Saint Landoy, the Republi- |
cans had registered majority OF OIL votes,
and in the spring Of that year carried ii by |
rs votes, whilst in the fall not a vote " as /
:ast for General Grant, while tor Seymour
and Blair, the Democrats cast the full vote
Of the parish, i.IS7 vote. and there occurred /
he Kuklux killed and wounded over 800 Re-
publicans, hunting and chasing them for L
,wo days and nights, through fields and
all and shot. and a pile of 25 dead bodies
was 70; nd buried in the woods. Havir q |
hus conquered the Republic .ns and killed /
md driven of their white leaders, the mass
IS were captured by the Kuklux, marked
with badges of rel fiannei,enrolled in clubs.
ed TO the polls. and compelled to vote the
ticket; after which they were
,iven certificates of that fact.
These are some of the ouirages which /
marked the pathway to political supremacy |
D. those. who, but a few years before, had OBJ
hose laws the black Republicans and white /
democrats were entitled to equal pro ection.
Il was but natural and just tnat the colored
ace should unite with and cling to the /
party TO whose principles they owed fee
ION and protection, and this seems to have |
marked their politica, course from the time /
hey were given the elective franchise.
Their history fn Louisiana has best illustrat-
~ hanaVPr thew have Eeen
Yote as they pleased.
Until q radical change could he effected in
he na.ure and purposes of those who had
,een their owners. and who repudiated the
dea of being placed upon terms of civil
with them, ii was evident that a
air election could not be held in parishes
any consider bic majority OF COL
,red votes, and hence, the act OF 1870, acqui
seed in by both political parties. An
in 1872 was passed, creating a
Board, authorized TO sit in New
orleans, having supreme authority TO can
7ass the votes cast throughout the entire
state, authorized, If convinced that riot.
umult, ccts of violence. intimidation, armed
bribery. or corruptive 1afiuen-
4 had prevented voters from registering,
" had materially interfered with the purity
n freedom Of the ei,rcon at any poll or
esult OF the eleclo exclude the votes cast
& such polls or vAH places fhis Law, with |
ome amendments not materially changing
Is nature, is that unOer which the present
returning Board of Louisiana ispow organ
zed, and sits. That some such Independent
tribunal was necessary for Abs PREDICTION of
he legal voter, and as check upon the
-iolenee and intimidation which had before
,revailed Throughout tie SCate,- no one can
eny. 1t will be seen when the statute .or-
aniZing This Board and defining its du-
les is examined. how inadequatei are its
'rovisions o afford iull reflef against the
wrongs ii w9s designed f6prevept thus II
he powers OF the Board are linz tied 10 the
election of votes polied, for causes stated,
whilst ii cannot la any case add TO The re-
'ut for the intimidation, VIC eEce, &C., men
loned.
10 illustrate. the undersigned will refer to
East Baton Rogue, Morehouse, and OuachI-
a, which appear, as the evidence oiscloses
o have been especially selected for the perp ,
trat1on of such violenet and Intimidation
5 should prevent the Republicans from
astipg-any considerable vote in either. In s
aoh and ell of these there j. large Repub- Z