Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-12-23


electors in Ohio or Massachusetts do
clare the Tilden electors in those states
elected,
IN THE FACE OF THE FACT
that the returns showed "A majority for
the Hayes electors. We have shown
that 1t is questionable whether the legis-
ature OF Louisiana has made provision
Tor the appointment OF electors at all :;
that II 1t has made such provision, it has
not vested the returning board with au-
) thorlty TO canvass the returns of the
votes east Tor such officers; and that if
II were possible to construe the statute
f as conierring such authority on the re-
turning board. then the same statute
limits the authority of the board to the
t canvass and compilation of .'the state
ments OF votes made BY the commission
. ers OF election" without authority to
reject any on account OF Intimidation or
other acts of violence unless the founda-
. ton therefor be first laid. as provided in
the statute; that the evidence does not
disclose that such foundation was laid in
any instance. There is, however, evil
dence OF attempts surreptitiously to lay
such foundation after the consolidated
returns were completed, and that the
supervisors of election, in many in
stances, unlawfully withheld their re-
turns Tor that purpose, and interpolated
among them ex-parte atiidavits, taken in
secret In New Orleans before United
States commissioner, which the board
has no Jurisdiction to consider.
The evidence taken on both sides, SO
lar as 1t has been accessible to US dis
closes state of lawlessness in certain
parishes, not in the state generally, about
the cause of which parties are not agreed.
The democrats attribute it to the insf.
iiciency and imbecility of the state gov
ernment, which they allege to be q usur-
patton, resting wholly tor support on
the federal army. without the confidence
or respect OF the people and without the
disposition to prevent or punish crime
which they can pervert to political uses.
Such state OF things, az might be
expected, has led to disorder, and in
some Instances, to the most shocking
barbaritles.
| Ihe republicans. on the other hand,
attribute 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 cur notice are frequent
ly committed by persons of the same
race upon each other. and in large ma
IorIty of cases have NO political signiti-
canoe.
Many such cases were brought to the
notice OF the board by ex-partex fidavits,
without regard to the time of their oc-
currence, and when they did not have
the slightest connection with the recent
election. Strangely enough, it is as
sumed by the republicans. who have had
complete control of the state govern
ment tor years, that if they could show
lawlessness prevailed in certain lecali-
ties, and that crime went unpunished,
that those facts furnished reason why
they should be continued in power, not.
withstandinS the large majority of ballots
cast against them.
Another assumption of the republicans
is, That all the colored men in the state
are necessarily republicans. This is by
no means true. We were visited by u
large number Of colored persons from
different parts of the state, including the
alleged disturbed districts, who made
speeches. and took an active part in the
canvass in favor of the democratic tick
| ct. and who gave, among other reasons
for SO dong. that they had been deceived
| by republican officials, who had proved
dishonest and corrupt, had robbed them
OF their school money. and burdened
them with unnecessary 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
persons voluntarily and actively sup
ported the democratic ticket The en-
| tire vote of the state, at the recent cleo
| ton, is about $4,000 greater than ever
before and even in the parishes where
intimidation is charged it exceeds in the
aggregate any previous vote. The con-
gressional committee, which. it is un-
| derstood. will soon visit the state armed
with authority to send for persons and
papers. 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 US witnessed by us were
partial and unfair, ami that the result it
has announced is arbitrary, illegal and
entitled to no respect whatever.
Fifteen years ago. when Fort Sumter
was fired upon by men who sought a
disruption of the Union, million patri-
OTIS. without regard to party affiliations,
patriotic citizens now sit idly by and see
representative government overthrown
by usurpation and fraud Shall the
WILL OF FORTY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE,
constitutionally expressed, be thwarted
by the corrupt, arbitrary and illegal ac-
tion of an illegally constituted return
ing board in Louisiana, whose wrong
full action heretofore, in all respects sim
liar to its present action. has been con-
demned by all parties? 1t is an ad-
mitted fact that Mr.. Tilden received a
majority of a quarter of million of the
votes at the recent election. This ma
jority is ready and willing to submit to
the minority when constitutionally en-
titled to demand such submission, but
is it willing that by an arbitrary and
false declaration Of votes in Louisiana
the minority shall usurp power? These
are dark days for the American people
when such questions are forced upon
their consideration. II it were true, as
some insist, 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 sustaining Il fraudu-
lent and illegal declaration Of the votes
cast stif1e the voice of the millions of
voters who have freely expressed their
choice, and thus seek to correct a great
wrong by committing another immeas-
urably greater wrong7
Can we sanction such action of the
Louisiana returning board. and thereby
form a precedent under the authority Of
which party once in power may forey-
er perpetuate its rule, and so end con-
stituti 'nal liberty? Shall such be the fate
of this republic at the beginning of the
second century of its existence9 is the
momentous question now presented for
the determination of the American peo-
pie.
JOHN NJ PALMER,
LYMAN TRUMBULL,
WILLIAM BIGLER,
GEORGE B. SMITH,
GEORGE w. JULIAN
p. II. WATSON.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 6. 1876.