The Portland daily press., 1876-11-25
The etRuIId0Zed', Parishes,

The Democratic claim to majority in
Louisiana is based upon returns which set
forth that the Republican parishes Of East
and West Felciana, East Baton Rouge,
Morehouse and Ouachita have given the
Tilden electors four thousand majority. AZ
these parishes were overrun and intimidated
by armed bands Of the white league and
thereby prevented from expressing their
honest preferences the Republicans insist
that the returning board must, if it be faith
ful to its oath and obey the laws of the state,
throw out these returns. Indisputable evil
dence will be presented that the vote claimed
by the Democrats in these parishes has been
produced by intimidation, violence and as
sassination. The parishes have always been
heavily Republican. Their registration is
black S7O9, white 369S. In 1872, according
to the returns of the Democratic board, they
gave the Republican candidate 5000 majority; !;
in 1874 they gave 5000 Republican majority.
Toe facts which the Republicans will bring
forward to invalidate the returns are these.
In East Felicana the supervisor of fregstra-
ton, Anderson, was driven away by the
Democrats. Consequently there were no
registration lists, the officers appointed to
hold the election were not present and the
Democrats improvised ballot-boxes and pnt
in as many votes as they pleased. Intimida-
ton and violence were freely resorted to.
The clerk of registration, PC. Boiler and one
deputy marshal were killed, another, James
De Grey, seriously wounded, and negroes
were taken into the woods and whipped un-
til they promised to join the Democratic
clubs. The vote is returned 1743 Demo-
to Republicans, against 1858 Republicans
to 174 Democratic four years ago.
In West Felciana the blacks were
completely terrorized. Under the pre-
text that negroes were stealing cot
ton, bodies of white league cavalry visited
the blacks in their cabins, seized and hung
the leaders, and compelled the others to join
the "reform' clubs. The vote is returned
124S Democratic and 1888 Republican, against
1860 Republican and sol Democratic two
years ago.
In East Baton Rouge, wholesale assassina-
ton was resorted to. Over hundred negroes
were killed in three months, others were bru-
tally whipped, and leading white Republi-
cans, among them w. G. Lane and Major
Hustled, were driven from the parish. The
Democratic majority is returned as 625,
against Republican majority of 900 two
years ago.
In Morehouse white leaguers from Miss
issippi and Arkansas patrolled the parish and
prevented the blacks from registering. The
leading colored Republican, Mr.. Laws, and
some of his supporters were killed. The
Democratic majority returned is $50 against
a Republican majority of 1868 two years ago.
In Ouachta the work of intimidation be-
gan early. DR.. B. S. Dinkgrave, promi-
nent white Republican, was killed early in
the fall, and from that time until near the
close of the campaign Republican meetings
were given up. When they were resumed
they were attended and interrupted by armed
Democrats. "Bull-dozers" secured the coun-
try by night, aroused colored men from their
beds by shots and made them swear that they
WOuiO FOtC lOl 1uuCu dllu lClUIms w uGu
they refused they were shot. Among the
people of influence killed were Eaton Long
wood and Trimus johnson. On election day
the Republican vote-distributors were seized
and compelled to burn their tickets, the dep
uty marshal on his way to Logtown was shot
down and the ballot box stolen. Other Unit
ed States officers on their way to other pre-
cincts were compelled to turn back. The
town of Monroe was surrounded by seven
hundred armed men who allowed no colored
Republicans to enter. The Democratic ma
jority returned is 1914 against 92S Republican
majority two years ago.
This is the record in the five 'bull-dozed''
parishes OF Louisiana, and it is upon majori-
ties obtained by murder and fraud that the
Democrats base their claim to the state. The
American naonlp % n iuduo of tic iuStioo