Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-12-09
and violence, largely exceeded the registered vote

and violence, largely exceeded the registered vote
| of the democratic party.
We have thus alluded to some Of the causes
| which led to the creation of this Board, and have
also called attention to its duties aud the proof on
| which it is authorized TO act 1t is tribunal es-
tabllshed by the laws of Louisiana, entirely indie
pendent Of the laws of any other State or Of the
| United States. Ii is empowered among other
things to canvass and finally determine the num-
Der of votes legally cast for electors Of the Presi-
dent and Vice President of the United States, but
| in the discharge of that duty it acts explicitly
under the authority of the laws of that State that
the Constitution of the United States declared that
each State shall appoint in such manner as the
legislature thereof may direct number of electors
equal to the whole number Of senators and repre-
seniatives to which the State may be entitled in
the Congress.
Not only is the action Of this board independent
of State or National laws. other than those of
| Louisiana, but its determination to the votes
cast and candidates elected is final and substan-
tally conclusive, as appears from q decision of
the Supreme Court Of that State, reported in the
18th volume of the Louisiana annual reports,
where the Court, on page 26S SAYS:
'No statute conferrng upon the Courts the
power TO try any cases of contested elections
title to Office authorizes them to revise the action
| of the Returning Board II we were to assume
that prerogative we should have to 60 still further
and revise the returns Of Supervisors of elections,
| examine the right of voters TO vote, and in short
the Court would become in regard to such
mere officers for counting compilations and report
| ing election returns.
The legislature has seen proper to lodge the
power to decide who has not been elected in the
| Returning Board. 1t might have conferred that
power on the courts, but it did not. Whether the
law be good or bad it is our duty to obey its pro-
visions and not to legslate.'
THE BOARD ENTITLED TO RESPECT.
1t became our duty Immediately on arriving in
New Orleans TO thoroughly understand the con-
sttutiona powers and duties of this Board and to
| o. mi wi he sta II nd "
bound to act; and enough has been written to
show that tribunal charged with such duties and
| invested with such powers, the members of which
were originally appointed by the Senate, is emit.
tied to the respect of all citizens until it shall be
| forfeited by violation Of its judicial or ministerial
| obligations.
The PERSONNEL OF THE BOARD.
The great national Importance Of the duties to
be performed by the Board invested each member
with much interest and as many reports had been
circulated concerning them, were led to make
some inquiry as to their individual history. Two
of them, Hon. James Madison Wells, President of
the Board, and Gen. Thomas c. Anderson, next
senior member, are southern born, and of old and
highly respectable families: The father of the
former was Hon. Levi Wells of the parish of
Rapldes who in 1872 represented it in the con-
ven,ion called to frame the constitution of the
State of Louisiana.
The son received liberal education aud was
early engaged in planting and other interests of
his father He was a Union man from the
time the war broke ont, and although he suffered
greatly by it in the loss OF property, he never fall
tered in his devotion to the Union cause. Under
the Banks reconstruction scheme he was chosen
It. Gov. on the ticket with the Hon. Michael
Hahn who was elected Governor and upon the
election of the latter TO the Senate a year after,
Mr.. Wells became Governor of the State, to which
office he almost unanimously reelected under
the reconstruction plan of President johnson.
His experience in public lie has been great and
varied. and his capacity to discharge the duties
assumed cannot be questioned.
Gen Anderson was born in Virginia, has re-
sded in the parish of st. Landry for the period
of some forty years, is cousin to Gen. Anderson
who commanded Fort Sumpter at the outbreak of
the war, was educated as lawyer, is a farmer
and carries on several plantations, is widely
known and highly respected throughout the State,
has been intimately associated in the promotion
of social and industrial interests of his parish St.
Landry, and has represented it in both branches
OF the Legislature more than twenty years.
Mr.. Casauave, the third member OF the Board,
is man of intelligence character and business
habits, not dependent on an Office for living, and
not seeking it, but well educated citizen, who
/ has long conducted prosperous and respectable
business in the city of New Orleans.
Mr.. Kcnner, the junior member of the Board.
is young man born and reared in the city of
New Orleans, intelligent and active, who WAS for
some time in charge of the Street Commissioner $
Bureau in the Department of Improvements.
EVIDENCE OF FRAUD, VIOLENCE AND INTIMIpA-
TON.
We will now present such an outline of the
proofs as disclose not only such violence and in
timidation as prevented fair election in several
parishes and at many polls, but disclose also that
} these grave offences were committed in pursuance
of preconcertcd and settled plan formed by the
democratic leaders, to prevent the republican vot-
ers from attending the polls, and that such unlaw
full purpose was so effectually accomplished not
only to interfere with the purity and freedom Of
the election, but materially to change its result.
CAREFULLY LAID PLOTS.
To illustrate how carefully the political cam
paign was considered, and the plan mentioned
continued by the leaders of the democratic
party, it is instructive to refer to circular issued
from the rooms of the democratic Conservative
State Central Committee at New Orleans, marked
confidential" and signed by j. w. Patten, Pres
ident, and j. p. Sullivan, Secretary, intended for
circulation in each parish, and recommending the
formation of ward clubs therein.
a These circulars urged that in conversation no
gloomy foreboding should be INDUCED in and that
the result of the election should be spoken of as
a foregone conclusion, as we have the means of
carrying the election, and intend to do so. But
be careful to say and do nothing that can be con-
strued into threat or intimidation of any char
acter. The circular also recommended that there
should be frequent meetings of all the clubs to be
formed, and that occasionally they should form at
their several places of meeting and proceed thence
on horseback to the central rendezvous, stating
that proceedings of this character would impress
the negroes with sense of your united strength, /"
and it further recommended that on the day of
the election at each polling place there should be
afdavs prepared to the effect that there has been
no intimidation and disturbances on account of
any efforts by the democratic Conservative party
to. prevent any one from voting account of
race, color or previous condition of servtude."
Thus carefully guided from the central demo.
cratic authority by this secret and confidential
circular, urged to impress ON timid blacks by
horseback professions sense of the united
strength of their former masters, and warned to
prepare blank aidsvits in advance that no terror
| ism had been exercised.
| ANOTHER MEAN DODGE.
The next, and not least important part of the
scheme of these leaders, was to select parishes
where, having the means to carry the election,
and intending to use them as stated in the circu-
| lar, they could do so with the most effect.
p There in the State of Louisiana on the day
of election I92, 996 white registered voters and
1880 colored, majority of the latter of 22,3l4.
1t was well known that if left free to VOTE unin-
| fluenced by violence intimidation, the blacks
| would be almost unanimously republican, and that
with the white republican vote its majority would
be about equal to that above Indicated. The plan
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