New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-30

~ ASoy' . = GOOOO0AN00e
1. w: PAtton-Ido not, hold any position
tral Democratic Committee, )ocsted in New
Orleans; our canvass was a. Thorough - We
could make it; nearly all the parishes were
canvassed; we had thirty or forty men out
canvassing, and there were many local can.
vassers and speakers: our cAnvasserS were
instructed to preserve the peace; We were
satisf d that We could carry the State; We
issued circulars on the conduct Of the cam.
paign; have copies of those circulars and
mittee with copies; heard the speeches made
BY leading Democrats in this city, and
those speakers advised their hearers to pur
sue conservative course in the election;
my conviction is that the Republican lead
era purposed to create disturbance for po-
liticsl effect; was informed that when j.
H Burch was to speak in Baton Rouge be.
fore the election that be would 30 roughly
dealt with by the colored people; We in
stantly Instructed our friends in Baton
Rouge to prevent trouble; one night man
would impart information Of greas import
once; he told me that Clover, To Supervisor
st Baton Rouge. was mot . eitisen OF
Louisiana; We always made our best
efforte to prevent trouble; heard Of
many cases Of whippings and murder
during tho canvass; tho troubles ,vere ON
both political sides, but know nothing OF
the cssss personally; my committee had IN
outrage committee for the parish OF Or
election day I was in the eleventh ward,
and ct my headquartess: the election vas
peaceful enough; there were . great many
unfair things done, principally the Rspub-
hcans refused to give tho Demoerats .
proper proportion of election ofhcere; We
requested State Registrar Hahn and Lieu
tenant Governor Antoine to appoint the
men whose names We handed them, but We
did not receive the appointments. Nc.
Patton read the correspondence on th.s
subject, between himself and Lieutenant
Governor Antoine.
The witness also related all he knew
concerning the ''sewing machine circulars.' y
Direct-I found that among the colored
people here there existed desire to vote
for Hayes and Wheeler and for the Demo.
cratic State ticket; We had c0lOred can
vassers Of that kind, but they agreed tO
work only on the State nominations.
To Mr.. Townsend-I was born in Vir.
ginia and cane to this city after the war;
our central committee had correspondence
with persons in almost every parish; thir'
teen Years of my life have been wasted IN
the army-the United States and the Con
federste; my experience in politics has Deen
very limited; the State has generally beer
believed to be Republicans; We believed
that at the last election We would carry
the State BY fair majority; our in
formation was CLEANED from correspondence
with the country executive committed o
colored people said that on account of the
bad management of Republican State 9th
cials they intended to vote the State Demo
cratic ticket; heard of murders in the oOun
trv. but only know what the newspaper
stated; it is Q very general habit among oul
people to carry weapons, concealed an0
other wise, but the habit does not signify
! that the wearers expect an outbreak; ne
groes almost universally carry razors con
oealsd; the remaining number over tn
| l4OO persons who responded to the % VIM
machine circular may have been fraudulent
| but can't say; few parties whose name
| had been omitted went to the supervieor'
| and on making known their cases the,
| were permitted to vote, if they were emit
| tied to; read about the Regulatore; know
that j, H Burch is very obnoxi0u
to the people of Baton Rouge
and that he does not 60 back there
he remains in this city; when We lesrne'
that Mitchell had been killed in East Felic
ana l wrote for particulars, and the AMI
| vers we're that Mitchell had been killed b.
unknown persons; Mitchell was . cOlOre
Republican; each parish had one Democrat
super visor; one Of the voters, we'll knowl
whose name was scratched from the pO
list because he did not answer to the sew
ing machine circular was unaware. OF tbs
fact until he went to vote, and then We
told that he must see Pat Cresgh. th
supervisor, and get note from bim t., sho
that he was entitled to vote; Mr.. Cresg
found that the name should not have bee
scratched of, whereupon he gave II
gentleman . note to the commissioner
permit him to vote; think that no ma
should possess that kind Of power, esp
cially after registration is cl"sed; sucn
| man could give thousands of notes NJ
each note would be 9 vote; supervl 'Ors y
under oath to perform their duties, b
some of them fall far short of doing the
duties.
n;roct-Tha citv nnlico ia hnf n atandi,