The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-12-16

ltOr the lowest lilden electOrONcr INC niRnehl
Hayes eeetor. Thisyot was violently chang
ed in secret session to give the Hayes cleo.
tors from 4,62G to 4,7l2, and how the result
was reached is still withheld from the public.
On the subject of intimidation, the report
deals frankly with the question The sum
ming up on that disputed issue and the clos
ing appeal Of the commissioners TO the coun-
try is as follows:
The evidence taken on both sides, so far as
it has been accessible to us, discloses state
Of lawlessness in certain parishes, not in the
State generally, about the cause of which
parties are not agreed. The Democrats at
tribute it to the ineificiency and imbeciity of
the State government, which they allege to
be usurpation, resting wholly for support
on the federal army, without the confidence
or respect Of the people and without the dis
position to prevent or punish crime which
they can pervert to political uses. Such a
state Of things, as might be expected has led
to disorder, and, in some instances, to the
most shocking barbarties.
The Republicans, on the other hand, attri-
butte the lawlessness to the hostility Of the
white against the colored race and as largely
due to politics.
The murders and outrages which have been
brought to our notice are frequently com
hlttcN Wy DVioOno vi liC hulllt IdCt upuH tbGu
other, and in a large majority of cases have
no political significance Many such cases
were brought to the notice Of the board
by ex parte affdavits, without regard to the
time Of their occurrence, and when they did
not have the slightest connection with the re-
cent election. Strangely enough, it is as
sumed by the Republicans, who have had
complete control ofthe State government for
years, that if they could show that lawless-
ness prevailed in certain localities and crime
went unpublished, that those facts furnished n
reason why they should be continued in pow.
er, Notwithstanding the large majority of bal
lots cast against them.
Another assumption of the Republicans is
that all the colored men in the State are ne
cessarily Republicans. This is by no means
true. We were visited by large number of
colored persons from different parts of the
State, including the alleged disturbed dis
tricts, who made speeches and took an active
part in the canvass in favor of the Democrat
&c ticket, and who gave, among other reasons
for SO doing, that they had been deceived by
Republical officials, who had proved dshon-
est and corrupt, had robbed them Of their
school money, and burdened them with I'M
necessary taxes, and that they believed it for
the interest Of the colored race to unite their
fortunes with the whites, whose interests, like
their own, were identified with the State.
1t is certain that thousands of colored per-
sons voluntarily and actively supported the
Democratic ticket. The entire vote of the
State at the recent election is about fifteen
thousand greater than ever before. and even
in the parishes where intimidation is charged
itexceeds, in the aggregate, any previous vote.
The congressional committee, which, it is
understood, will soon visit the State armed
with authority to send for persons and pa
pers, and inquire into all the facts connected
with the recent election and the action of the
returning board, will have greater facilities
for arriving at the truth than we possess, but
with the law and such facts before us as have
been disclosed by the action of the returning
board, we do not hesitate to declare that its
proceedings as witnessed by us were partial
and unfair, and that the result it has announc-
ed is arbitrary, illegal and entitled to no re-
spect whatever.
Fifteen years ago, when Fort Sumter was
fired upon by men who sought a disruption of
the Union, million patriots, without regard
to party affiliations, sprang to its defense.
Will the same patriotic citizens now sit idly
by and see representative government over.
thrown by usurpation and fraud? Shall the
will of forty millions of people, constitution.
ally expressed be thwarted by the corrupt,
arbitrary and illegal action of an illegally
constituted returning board in Louisiana,
whose wrongful action heretofore, in all re-
spects similar to its present action, has been
condemned by all parties? II is an admitted
face that Mr.. Tilden received a majority of q
quarter of q million of the voters at the recent
election. This majority is ready and willing
TO submit to the rule of the minority when
constitutionally entitled to demand such sub
mission, but is it willing, that by an arbitrary
and false declaration of votes in Louisiana
the minority shall usurp the power2
| These are dark days for the American peo-
pie when such questions are forced upon their
consideration. If it were true, as some in
sist that neither the white nor the colored
voters have in all instances been afforded an
opportunity to give free expression to their
wishes at the ballot-box, shall we, by sus.
tanning fraudulent and illegal declaration OF
the votes cast, sthe the voice of the millions
of voters who have freely expressed their
choice, and thus seek to correct great wrong
by committing another UNNECESSARILY greater
wrong?
Can we sanction such action of the Louis.
lana returning board, and thereby form a
precedent under the authority Of which q
party once in power may forever perpetuate
its rule, and SO end constitutional liberty
Shall such be the fate of this republic ut the
beginning of the second century of its exis,
tence is the momentous question now pre-
scented for the determination of the American
people.
John NJ. Palmer, Lyman Trumbull
William Bigler, George b. Smith,
| George W. Julian, P. II. Watson.
New Orleans, December o, 1876.