The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-11-23
THE LOUISIANA COUNT.
Able Reply Of Democrats to Grants
Commission They VindiCate
Their Course ana theDem-
OCratiC Position. The
Prevalent Distrust.

man, VIM. R Smith, Abner Taylor,
K, Haven, J, M, Beardsley, C, B, Fan
well, Courtlandt Parker, Sidney Clar
and J. C. Wilson:
GENTLEMEN. We are in receipt c
your answer to our letter ofthe I4th inst
in which you inform us of your determi
nation not to confer with us for the pur
pose of exerting such influence as W
may possess in behalf.of such canvas
of the votes actually cast at the election
in Louisiana, as by its fairness and i'm
partiality shall command the acquies
cence and respect of all parties. w,
sincerely regret this failure ofour attemp
to secure the cooperation of the citizen.
from other States in the furtherance O
the purpose, which, as we supposed, hac
brought them hither at this juncture. We
regret it all the more because your re,
tusal to confer and cooperate with us
appears to be based upon
SERIOUS MISAPPREHENSIoN
OF the language, no less than the spirit
of our communication. 1t can hardly
have escaped your notice that our state
ment of the result to be attained by CO.
operative action which he sought to bring
about was simple reproduction of Pre-
sldent Grant at whose request we under
stand you are here. In his recent order
to General Sherman, that language was
deliberately used, no doubt in view of
the fact about which, as we conceive,
there can be no dispute, that the first and
most essential prerequisite to an honest
and just declaration of the result of the
recent election in Louisiana is a fair and
impartial canvass of the votes actually
cast, and it seems to us that you do the
PRESIDENT great injustice in suppossing
that In speaking of the "votes actually
cast he means to include votes illegally,
as you certainly do us injustice by the
lmputation of desire to insist npon such
narrow and vicious Interpretation. In
our judgement, the expression "votes
actually cast" of necessity designates
votes legally cast, and as a consequence,
OF such votes only did we desire to secure
fair and impartial canvass. We beg
leave to say, therefore, that you are mis-.
taken in the belief that we sought unduly
to narrow the basis on which we invited
your co operative action and you are no
less in error in attributing to us as a pur.
pose to interfere with the legal authorities
OF the State in the discharge oftheir duties
to claim their rights and to arrogate to
ourselves power which we do not possess.
In writing our letter, we were fully aware
lhat both the organization and action,
whether judicial or ministerial of the
Returning Board of Louisiana were be-
yond any authoritative control from
and that it would be the hight of
arrogance and folly to attempt to alter
he laws OF State of which we are not
or to obtrude our Interpretation
u these laws upon those whose duty it is
o administer them; but we had supposed
nevertheless, that there was an influence,
which might be rightfully exerted even
~ citizens ofthis Republic who are strans
'ers IN this State and we had taken it for
,ranted that your presence here in res.
'onse to the suggestion of the President
'as recognition of this fact. We had
imposed that it was not improper for us
remind the authorities of'this State by
Ut mere presence, at least, that there
re certain rules Of fairpess and Justice
Inch underlie all constitutions and laws.
nd upon whose observance must de-
end the acquiescence of the people of
u parties in the declared result of the ,
election rules such as these.
ut no one ought to be judge on his own I,
use. That the decision Of any contest !
lght not to depend upon the mere ar Il
trament OF one of the parties thereto. p
nat before such DECISIONS made, both '
lrtles ought to be fully and fairly heard; Il
at all questions of law ought to be de. h
led in conformity with the established :
neral principles and all Questions of p
Ct upon evidence duly presented and o
'iighed under the rules which are of ia
lyersal recognition in all the States of VI
s Union; that the trial of all causes b,
iolylng public interest at least oughtto OF
public, and that all the proceedings n,
orted to for the purpose Of Determining
issues IN thepresent electoral contest
Sntt oy their manifest irnpartiaIity, to w
arm the suspicion that the forms of /.
have been perverted into instruments oe
the violation Of its spirit. In this us
lnectlon we may be permitted to OBJ. tn
We that while undoubtedly, as you say, la1
edulous inculcation and cultivation of 1s,
habits OF obedience to the forms of
IN necessary to the preservation of !
stltutlonal liberty, it is no less impor. un
that refusal to yield such obedience loo
not provoked by using these forms as ~
cans for subverting the very ends for M -
ch they were designed. gre
'it!hgout undertaking to question the gay
erlty OF the belief which YOU are at viii
IS to express that the Louisiana Rel
ing Board will make perfectlyt T.
est and just declaration of the results os1
le recent election in Louisiana, we - !
n lt not not improper to remind you that W. W.
presence, IN this city of SO manv citi. 10
from all parts of the Union at this wor
lentseems obe evidence of in d
! WIDELY PREVALENT D1srRusr I.
e action, of the Board, and that this "
lst has this foundation at least that free
onstltution ofthe Board has not been max
geo since its returns were set aside
Congressional, committee, ofwhich VI
Republican candidate for the Vice Hay
dency was a member, and this dis. den
IS not unnatural in view of the
mat, as We understand, one of the NJ