The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-11-01
nFOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE
PINEW00Ds VOTERS"

"Mr, B. W. Woodruff, our popular
REGISTRAR. has deemed it expedient to
establish another polling box in La
INQUIRE Ward, for the convenience OF the
Pinewoods voters. The Poll VIII De
located at the Church on the line or
Ouantico and Chambers plantations"
i Rapides Gazette.
When Mr.. Woodruff abolished the
"Big Island" precinct on the north
side of Red River, a white precinct, a
"pinewoods" precinct, where he had
an opportunity to consult the icon
venience" of the "Pinewoods voters"
his pretext was that he either could
not Or would not appoint but four
teen polling places. In considera-
ton thereof and to give the people
living at Big Island an opportunity
to vote at Dennis Smiths on the
River he moved the Latannier box
back to Smiths from Robinson's
Store where he had placed it, and we
were satisfied. Thus the matter
stood and was so published by us on
Wednesday last. On Wednesday,
the "Republican LEADER and Presi-
dent of the Returning Board came to
town and on Thursday the Burnt
down" precinct was announced by
the Registrar. The coincidence is
striking. An effort was then made
to get the Registrar to restore the
Big Island precinct but he absolutely
refused to do so.
Now these are the facts. If Mr..
Woodruff saw fit to abolish one of our
precincts and to make a new negro
one in the very heart of "a large negro
settlement and almost at the door of
the President of the Returning Board
he was exercising a discretion YES
ted in him by the law, for which he
is amenable to no other authority
than his pledges Of fair play and for
which he could be called to account
in no other court than that of his
own conscience. We could by ap-
preciating the pressure brought to
bear upon him, make allowances for
the Registrar, but we have ko words
strong enough to express our con-
tempt for the artiice of pretending
that it was done "for the convenience
of the Pinewoods voters" In the
first place there are not twenty pine
woods voters whose convenience had
not already been consulted in max
ing the other polling places, and we
have yet to learn that the President
of the Returning Board and the Ra-
pides Gazette are the proper and
suitable custodians of the interests
or convenience of the Pinewoods
voters.
We are firm in our belief that they
would spurn with disdain any such
sponsors. The Executive Commit
tee of the Democratic Conservative
party are abundantly able, and more
than willing to look after the conve-
nience Of the "Pinewoods voters" who
vote their ticket to q man, and the
display eff so sudden an interest in,
and zeal for them, from such ques-
tionable quarters, reminds one of the
patronizing solicitude of the fox for
the hen, or the eager anxiety of the
wolf to look after the convenience of
the lamb. The game they are play
ing is one easily detected, with all
the profound thought and tine
thodical work" of the Republican
Leader" They want the negroes to
vote at boxes by themselves so as
That that same Leader, when he drops
the role of Leader and assumes that
of President of the Returning Board,
may upon such false and fiimsey
pretexts as he used in 1874, throw
out the white boxes and leave the
republican ones intact. A Demo-
cratic House of Representatives and
the election Of Samuel j. Tilden will
block that "little game" even if the
people Of Louisiana, tired of being
swindled out Of their victories and
robbed of their property, do not take
the matter in their own hands.
The putting of the box at Cham
bers' "Burntdown" place exclusively
for the colored radical vote is part
of that plan, which it is sought to
hide under the fimsiest of pretexts
and the basest of falsehoods. We
think that our friends are able to
take care of themselves, and we are
inclined to believe, and beg leave to
suggest, to the Gazette and it's owner
that they will have their hands full
in looking after their own interests.