The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1876-11-25
The answer.
Reply of the Visiting Democrats to
their Republican Fellom
statesmen.
NEW ORLEANS, Nov. II, 1876

Matthews, j. A. Garfield, ". D.. Kelly.
John 4. Kasson, E. w. Stoughton. G. IT.
vine Dirty, j. II. Van Allen. Eugene
Hale. NJ. 5. Quay. Will Cumhack, Ed S.
Noyes, 10 Z. Stevenson. John Coburn,
Lew. Wallace, John futile. NJ. A. Nc
Grew, J. w. Chapman. VIM. J.. Smith,
Abner Taylor. =. Il. Haven, J. NJ. Boards
ley, c. B. Farwell, Courtlandt Parker,
Sidney Clark, j. G. Wilson:
Gentlemen-We are in receipt
Of your answer to our letter of
the I4th inst, in which you in>
form us of your determination
not to confer with us for the pur>
pose of eXertirg such influence
as We may possess III behalf of
such a canvass Of the votes actu
ally east at the recent election in
Louisiana, as by it's fairness and
impartiaiity shall command the
acquiescence and respect OF all
parties. We sincerely regret this
failure of IL attempt to secure
the cooperation of all the citi~
zens from other States in further
ance of the purpose which, as we
supposed, had brought them
hither at this juncture. We regret
it all the more because your refu
sal to confer and cooperate with
us appears to be based upon a
serious misrepresentation of the
language no less than the spirit
of our communication.
1t Can hardly have escaped
your notice that our statement
5 of the result to be attained by
the cooperative action which we
sought to bring about vas a sim.
pie reproduction of the language
of President Grant (at whose re-
quest, We understand, yon are
here) in his recent order to Gen.
Sherman, That language was de-
liberateIy used, no doubt, in view
l of the fact, about which, as We
conceive. there can be no dispute
that the first and most essentia
: prerequisite to an honest ant
[. just declaration Of the results o
the recent election in Louisian;
is "a fair and impartial canvass o
the votes actually cast. And i
seems to us that you do tn
President great injustice in sup
n posing that in speaking OF "yo
Is ties actually CASTE he meant to in
}. clude votes illegally cast, as .'o'
certainly do us injustice by til
ilnpu,ation of desire to inSiS
I. upon so narrow and vicious a
j. interpretati4r:5 In our judgmen
g the expres<ihin ''votes actual
q cast" Of necessity designate
il votes legally cast, and, a COZ,
sequence, OF such votes only iii
% We desire to secure a fair and il
IL partlas canvass.
70 We beg leave to say. therefore
that YOU are mistaken in the be
n. lief that We sought nnduly to
r." NARROW TIE BASIS
:! on which we invited Your &C
rs operative action. And YOU are u
:. less IN error in attrihnting to us
Il. purpose to interfere with the l.
a. ga,ly constituted authorities
M this State in the discharge
l't their dutieS-to claim rights an
:" TO aGIogate to ourselves power
which we do not possess. In VT
ing our letter we were fully awa1
MS that both the organization IN
the action, whether judicial
'd: ministerial, os the Returnir
/. Board of Louisiana was boyer
Amy authoritative control fro
without, and that it would be Il
height of arrogance and folly
attempt to alter the laws of
State of which we are not Cit
zens, OF to obtrude our interpl
tation of these laws upon tho
whose duty it is to adlainiSt
as them. But we had suppose
an nevertheless. that there vas
influence when might be rig
ng fully exerted even by citizens
I'd this Republic who are strange
EN- in this State, aud We hail taxi
it for granted that your presen
ira here in response to the sugge
nls ton of the President was recOg
ed ton of this fact. We had su
TAI posed that it was not improp
for us to remind the authOriti
Of this State, by your mere. pre-
Tor ence at least, that there are &C
the tain rnles Of fairness and JUST
re. which underlie all cOnstitutio
OF and laws, and upon whose obs
M vance must depend the acqui
ence of the people of all part
ere in the declared result of the
q LOUISIANA ELECTION;
rules such as theSe-that no G
ought to he a judge III his o.
case; that the decision OF a
en- contest ought not to depend up
p, of the mere ADJOURNMENT of one
The the parties thereto: that bef'