Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-12-07
The Vote OF Louisiana.
REPORT OF SENATOR SHERMAN AND OF
FRS TO THE PRESIDENT.

REPORT OF SENATOR SHERMAN AND 9TH
Frs TO THE PRESIDENT.
The report of Senator sherman and other
distinguished citizens. who, at the request
of the President went 10 Louisiana to wit
ness the counting of the votes of that state.
transmitted by the Presidentto Congress yes
ter,lay, sets forth the fairness of the return
ing board in discharging its duty: gives a
history Of the causes which led the creation
Of such board, and illustrates its necessity
by the following statement:
The parish of Orleans, which cOnta ined
1910 voters, I5.020 of which We're cOlOred.
and which in the spring had given 1888 re-
publican votes, in the fall cast for General
Grant but LIS. "a falling off of 1876 votes.
Riots prevailed for weeks, filling New Or
leans with scenes of blood, and ku-kIux no.
tees were scattered throughout the city
warming the cOlOrcd men not To vote. In the
parish OF Caddo there were 29s republicans,
who in the spring of 1868 carried the parish
which in the fall gave To General Grant but
one vote. and there also bloody riots occurred.
In the parish of Saint Landry the republic
cans had a registered majority of |. "a ! and in
the spring Of that year carried il by G3s votes,
whilst i'm the fall not vote was east for
General Grant, whilst for Seymour and
Blair the democrats east the full vote Of the
parish, i,tS1 votes. and there occurred one of
The blOOdieSt riots on record, in which the
ku-kluX killed and wounded over two hun
dred republicans, hunting and chasing them
for two days and nights through fields and
Swamps. Thirteen captiveS were taken from
the jail and shot, anu n pile of twenty-five
dead bodies was found buried in the woods.
Having thus conquered the republicans and
killed and driven of their white leaders. the
masses were captured by the kU-klux
marked with badges OF red fiannel enrolled
in clubs, led 10 the polls and compelled TO
vote the democratic ticket. after which they
were given certificates of that fact. These
are some of the outrages which marked the
pathway Ia political supremacy % those who
but a few years before had obtained the mer-
ego government under whose laws the
black republican and the white democrat
were entitled to equal protection.
There were in the state of Louisiana on the
day of election 1886 white registered voters,
and 1880 colorcd, n majority of the latter
OF 22,5i4. IL was well known that if left free
20 vote, uninfiuenced by violence or intimi-
datiOn, the blacks would he almost unani-
republicans vote its majority would he about
equal To that above indicated. The plan APP
pears TO have been 10 select for purposes OF
intimidation and violence as few parishes as
possible flor in forty Of the fifty-Seven par
ishcs where these were not employed the re-
publican majority was Co., but TO select
those in which the cOlOred vote. as compared
with the white. would BE- large. unless until
fully prevented, for in SO doing il might he
expected that should any majority they
could thus obtain in such parishes be reject
ell, they would nevertheless attain their pJIr-
pose by the suppression of q large republican
vote. In pursuance of this plan. five OF the
parishes selected i'm which the greatest vo-
icnce and intimidation were practiced were
East and West Feliciana. which border on
that portion OF Mississippi in which murder
and outrages so prevailed. during and pre-
cedin% the election. as 10 prevent any rppub-
Hcan vote; East Baton Rouge. which Dor
ders ON the southern portion of East Felc-
ana. MOrchouse. which adiOjns the state of
Arkansas. and Ouachita. which adioins and
lies directly south of MOrehOuse.
The report then proceeds to state the course
pursued by the committee while in New
Orleans gives a biographical sketch of the
several members of the returning board, and
%
telllgence. IL then gives an outline of proof
10 show that violence and intimidation was
practiced by the democrats of Louisiana. and
concludes: IF political success shall he at
tanned by such violent and terrible means as
were resoried 10 i'm many parishes OF Louisi-
ana, complaint should not be made if votes
thus obtained are denounced by judicial tri-
bunals and all honest men AZ illegal and
void