, 1876-12-09
Democratic visitors, Address,

The committee of visiting democrats have
issued the following address
NEW ORLEANS, Dec, l, 1876
To The People of The United States, On our ar
rival here, in casting about for approaches
! TO the officers who control the election in this
State, we discovered that they wers all of one
political party; that the Governor bad aP-
pointed none but republican supervisors of
elections, and that the returning officers con-
s.ituting the State board were of the same
political school, Influenced by these insu-
spicious surroundings, our thoughts and
hopes were turned toward the eminent gentle
men who had been selected by the President
TO be present and see that the board of can
ysssers made fair count of the votes actn-
ally cast, and on the 14,h of November We
invited these gentlemen to meet and confer
with u.s.
This cooperation was declined T; but never
theless We have reason to believe that 10 this
correspondence may be attributed the invi-
tation to us, on the 18th ult., by the return
ing board, TO attend and be present at ITS
meeting as spectators and witnesses of its
proceedings. Through this courtesy and the
services of a competent stenographer, we be-
| livered On the face of the official papers. We
have been furnished with certified copy Of
the duplicate statement of votes made by the
commissioners of election at each place OF
voting in the State.
From these statements it appears that the
| Tiiden electors received the following votes,
viz: McEnery. IS. 3.712; Wicbliffe, 50. $50 /;
ST. Martin, s., ,616 Poche, So 529; DeBianc,
So. .667 Zsary. 81. .S442; Cobb, s.. SO Gross,
s.. .652 and the Hayes electors received the
following votes, to-wit; Kellogg, n, 152 !;
Burch. TIA; Joseph. "A. l.SS9; Sheldon,
1854; Marks, 1921; Leviszs, $50 !;
Brewster, 70 ,457; Jefferson. IS. $50.
The result of the vote for Presiden ial cleo
tors disclose Oh the face of the returns opened
| by the returning board !: For the TIlden elee.
tors, McEnery. SO, ,223 ST. M4rtin. 81, l20 !;
| DeBlanc. 81, ,06J; Cobb. 81 ,050; Wickliffa,
S2.346; Poche. S2.036; Zesry, 9.942 !;
! Cross, 81. 1G6. For H4yes electors, kellogg,
77.023; Joseph, 74.6f2; Marks. - .OS7 !;
! Brewster, y ,210; Burrh, 16. .S73; Sheldon,
| 4,67S; L-vi--c, 20, 157. j. fferson. n so.
In most cases the returns opened by the returning
board correspond precisely with the certified copies
or statemets By the commissioners of elections fur
nshed u.s. The most material diff renee arose from
the failure OF the SUPERVISORS OF East fatcn Rouge,
Tangipaoa and OF Orleans to forward the statements
OF from all voting places in these respective
| parishes.
In IS out of IS States in the Union these figures
| would be conclusv-. None would rlaim that Iiien
and Hendricks not emitted 10 the electoral vote
of the State; But in Louisiana a tribunal mas been
set up which on former occasions has overthr
the will OF the people expressed at the pu!ls for
which the power Is claimed IN its discretion 20
change the result OF the popular vote at the recent
| electlon.
In view, however, of the returns and the law and
the facts which shoull control the returning board,
with winch have made ourselves familiar. we have
hesitation in saying that the result shown by the
votes actually ctst cannot b. h@nsed. without pal
pable abuse of the letter AMI spirit Ct the law rOVern
ing the returning board, and manifest perversOn of
the fact before II. irregularities have been commit
tel in instances OF eouauctng the election and
/ in making returns but they are about as much on
1 one siie as the other.
As TO intimidation, violence other Illegal acts
preventing fair and free election. there Is evidence
on both sides but OF such character TO affect
the general result In most instances the acts OF vio
lence proceeded from mere lawessnsSs, the ease
of Henry and Eliza Pinkston, and had no ronection
with politics. II significant fact that parishes
where IL is alleged that voters were kept from the
polls By intimidation the total votz of such parishes
was as large at any tGe her-toior-, and in the
whole State is 1890 above any vote heretofore east
AMI an honest ID fair canvass of the returns. even
uner the Louisiana law, cannot materially re1ure
1ildens majority, shown on the face Of returns.
| JOIN NJ PALMER,
LYMAN TRUNBULL.
| MN. BIGLEK.
| Gfo- B. SMITH,
| Gro. w. JULIAN,
| IL. WATrEKsoN.