The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1876-11-23
COUNT ALL THE VOTES FAIRLY

New ORLEANS, Nov. 13.-To tile Hon.
Joseph MediH: New Orleans is as quiet
as nursery; the people cannot be goaded
ed to you is this: Shall the American peo-
pie be cheated out of their free choice
and their free government by handful of
desperate adventures? kellogg, War
mouth and Packard, backed by the Presi-
dent and the military arm of the nation
these reckless persons, followed by an
army of plantation hands, are arrayed
against the responsible elements of socie-
ty in Louisiana. Nobody's life is in dan
ger, nor nobody's liberty. Is it possible
that you can place the world of worthless
vagabonds against that of every property
holder, banker business men, and bona
fde citizen in Louisiana?
HENRY WATTERsoN.
REPLY.
1t was supposed that the men going
down to New Orleans to see the votes
counted were cool, dispassionate, discreet,
and fair-minded men; but the tone and
terms of this dispatch place Mr. Waiter
son in exactly the opposite category. The
language is very reckless, partisan, and
excited. Mr.. Watterson should either
have remained in Louisville, or taken
along with him larger stock of ice for
refrigeratory purposes. He says: 'The
people here cannot be goaded into an
outbreak" By people" he probably
means that half of them who voted for
Tilden and Hendricks; but the other half
are "pcople" also. They are American
citizens, and are entitled to as many civil
and political rights as those who support
ed Tilden, Notwithstanding they voted for
Hayes and Wheeler. When Mr.. Wat
terson speaks Of "the people who cannot
be goaded into an outb eak," does he
mean the half who voted for Hayes or
the others who supported Tilden? We
are very sure the Republicans will do
nothing to "goad" the Democrats into an
outbreak, nor do they with to be "goad-
ed by them.
Mr.. Watterson asks: "Shall the Amer
lean people be cheated out of their free
choice and their free Government by
handful of desperate adventurers? Ger
tainly not. No power on earth or under
the earth is able to cheat them in either
Of the supposed cases. The will of the
majority legally expressed at the polls,
according to the forms of law, must be
respected, and "the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it."
Our editorial brother divides the popu-
laiOn of Louisiana into 'the responsible
elements of society" and "the plantation
feld-hands who follow desperate adventu-
rers." By the term "feld-hands' we
suppose he means the industrial classes
who cultivate the fat soil of Lou
isiana and produce annually vast
quantities and values Of cotton, sugar,
corn and other agricultural products. In
Illinois the cultivators of the soil are call
ed farmers or grangers, and are consider
ad to be the bone and sinew of the
State. They are supposed to constitute
large share Of the Irresponsible elements
of society" Those who rent land or
work it on shares are treated with respect
in this State, irrespective of race or color.
If by "plantation feld-hands" is meant
those who work on farms for wages, they
too, are useful members of society, and
entitled to equal, civil and political rights
with other men who own land and hire
help to till it, AS to the desperate ad-
venturers," we cannot imagine who they
are, unless they are citizens from other
States. But this is a free country, and
men have as much right to remove from
the North to Louisiana for lawful pur-
pose as they have from New England to
Illinois, or from Illinois to Colorado; and
an "adventurer' of the former has quite
recently been elected Governor of the
latter, while this state is full of advertu-
rers of the East and South who have
secured offices. One of these "adventu-
rerS" is from Mr.. Watterson's own State,
and has just been reelected from this
city to Congress, and by the votes of the
class whom he weuld not call 1.-The re-
sponsible elements of society,"" but nobo
dy's life is in danger and nobOdys liberty
on account thereof.
But coming to the practical point:
What is it Mr.. Watterson would have?
He wants the vote of Louisiana counted
for Tilden and Hendricks. Is not that
it? In order to secure that object, does
he wish to reject the votes cast by the
field hands" the tillers of the soil2
Does he wish to exclude the votes of the
adventures" being white adventures
from the North?
If a majority of the votes legally cast
were given for Tilden and Hendricks, let
the canvass so declare. If majority of
such votes were cast for Hayes and
Wheeler, the electoral vote of the State
must be declared for them. Votes must
not be rejected because they were cast by
men who work for living in the fields
and plantations, and "earn their bread by
the sweat of their brow" And it does
not make bit of difference whether
these men who thus toll are of black,
yellow or white complexiOns, their votes
must be counted all the same.
All the President is doing with "the
military arm" is, first, preserving the
peace in that combustible and intolerant
community, and that he is succeeding Mr.
Watterson bears unwilling testimony, for
he says in his dispatch that New Orleans
is as quiet as a nursery" and that "nobo-
dy's life is in danger and nobody's iber-
ty" After previous election blood ran
in the streets; killing and usurpation
were the order of the day, until the same
President, with the military arm, restored
peace, quelled the riots, and rendered the
life and liberty again safe. The second
thing the President is doing is making
preparations to secure fair and honest
count OF the legal votes cast in Louisiana.
He says in his despatch to Gen Sherman:
Should there be any grounds of suspic-
ion Of fraudulent counting on either side,
it should be reported and denounced ut
once.
No man worthy the office of President
should be willing to hold it if counted in"
or placed there by any fraud. Either par
ty can afford to be disappointed in the re-
suit, but the country cannot afford to have
the result tainted by suspicion of illegal
or false returns.
In the name of right and justice, what
is there to find fault with in this deter
mination of the Executiye2 Would Mr.
Patterson have him initiate the imbecile
and cowardly course of James Buchanan,
and let madmen set fire to Louisiana,
which might spread to the whole Union
if blown by the hot breath of fanatical
partisans and reckless demagogues? Let
the peace be preserved, and all the legal
votes cast be counted, and the result an
nounced. The people will acquiesce in
and abide by it.-7ribne.