New-York tribune., 1876-11-23
LOUISIANA'S VOTES.

BOARDS RECORD BAD, But IT'S MEMBERS NOT
LIKELY TO REPEAT ACTIONS CENsURED BY con-
GRESs.
lFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT TRIBUSE.l
NEw-ORLEANs, Nov. 1.-THE Presidential contest,
even if it turns the vote of Louisiana, will not be
settled in NewOreans, either by the official report
of the State Returning Board, or by anything which
the representative Of the North now here will
be able to do. assume of course that the electoral
vote of this State will be given to Hayes and
| Wheeler This assumption is not based on any
accurate knowledge of the facts which will be
brought to the attention of the Returning Board
for that it is impossible to obtain r advance-butI
take it for granted that the universal expec-
taion in this regard is not to be disappointed OF
| the vote actually cast, the Democrats undoubtedly
| have majority, but have yet to meet the first
Republican politician, either resident visitor, who
believes that this result will not be reversed don't
mean fraudulenty Illegally by the action of the
Returning Board, and the Democrats are equally
unanimous IN their expectation of it. IL it should
turn ont that the Tden electors have majority in
this State in spite of any decision which the Return
ing Board may make in regard to the vote of the
"bulldozeP parishes, from that result there GER
tanly would be no appeal 1t would have to be ac-
cepted by the people, and Mr.. Tilden would be in
| augurated az President without opposition.
But anticipating no such decision this. and be-
Geving that the Hayes electors will receive the
ticates, repeat it that am sure that the Demo-
cratic party will not accept this result as final
luton Of the controversy unless the case made out
against them before the Returning Board is very
much stronger than expect it tobe The contest will
be transferred from this State to Washington; each
House, Immediately on assembling. will undoubt-
edly send here investigating committee,
and when the facts of the controversy have
all been ascertained. an enlightened pub
lie opinion will become the final arbiter. If it is
found that the side the election was con-
iucted fairly and legally and the returns honestly
canvassed, while on the other murder, intimidation,
and fraud were resorted to IN order to prevent
free expression of the will Of the people, then no
party will dare to take its stand in defense of the
latter But il the record of the Republican party is
not a clean one it, the Democrats assert, it has
thrown obstacles in the way of holding an election
in Democratic parishes; if it has coured outrage and
has systematically gone TO work to manufacture evi-
dence of il to explain Democratic gains where no
intimidation violence actually existed. and If the
vote Of a single parish or voting precinct is thrown
out by the Returning Board either illegally or un-
justlyin short If tins State has been carried hon
esty and fairly by the Democrats, no matter If 1t
has been done by the aid of negro votes, then it
never will be counted for Gov Hayes on the second
Wednesday Of next February even though the Re
publican electors receive the certificates from Gov.
Kellogg.
The belief entertained by the representatives, of
both political parties that the Presidential contest is
to be settled elsewhere has allayed excitement here
TO quote the words Of influential Democrat, this
is only the preliminary examination, which is to
taka place in New-Oreans next week, and is simply
interesting as the character Of the evidence to be
produced in the great trial hereafter IS foreshad-
owed.
Ii is exceedingly unfortunate that Louisiana
should be called upon To decide any great national
question There is nothing in the political history
of this State since reconstruction that Is calculated
10 inspire confidence in the honesty of its politicians
| or the fairness of its elections. Without taking
into the account the election on the 9TH of this
month, in regard to which have thus far been able
IN learn very little believe there has been no oc-
casion since the war when an attempt has not been
made by one party or the other, either to prevent
fair and free expression of the VIII OF
the people through the ballot-bOx or
10 falsify it in the count In 1868 the
election in Louisiana was mockery.
IL was not pretended at that time that any OF the
negroes voted the Democratic ticket, and yet there
was parish after parish in which not single hepuo-
lcan vote was polled returned In 1877 the eiec-
was never legally ascertaned. The Returning
| Board organized in accordance with law lby the
decision of the Committee Of the United States
Senatel. never had any returns to canvass but was
NOT hindered by this from declaring the Republican
ticket clected and the board which did have the re-
turns never had any authority TO count theIn The
Conservatives and Liberals undoubtedly carried
| the State, but Kellogg, the candidate OF the Adj
ministration party and u majority OF kepuDlcah
| MANNERS of the Legislature were placed III power,
backed by Federal bayonets and the void order OF
Judge who has since been forced to resign TO escape
an Impeachment trial. Ever since the exposure Dy
n Republican committee of the means by when the
Kellogg Government was set up IN TINS otate' the
Louisiana usurpatiOn has been admitted py honos.
men of all parties to be one of the most shameful
events in the history of this country The Legality OF
| what was then done has never been recognized by
Congress and the Senate at the last session, with
Republican majority of 10, virtually condemned the
whole proceeding by refusing to seat PinchDacK'
whose claims rested on exactly the same oasis Us
those of the State Administration.
In 1874 the present Returning Board, by
judicously rejecting tho vote III certain parisnes'
gave the Republicans majority IN the Legisiature'
A Republican committee of the House OF Represen-
tatves after two visits to this State decided that
its action was clearly Illegal, and that the Deio-
cratic Representatives were entitled 10 tlen ee'S'
By the terms of a compromise devised by MIR. Pheps
and Mr.. Wheeler, these men, who had been counted
out by the Returning Board, were restored to ther
places The meeting of each new Legislature OF TINS
State in the last six years has been attended with
violence In 1871 the Legislature was organized at
the muzzle of Gatling gum in 1878 guard OF
United States soldiers stood at the door Oh the
State House, and admitted no one unless
he had a pass from the United States MARSHAL
,ybo waa also Chairman of the Republican