Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-12-21

Win the uoa2e OF tnc 6Oaru. we were
however, relieved from all embarrass
ment by receipt of a formal invitation
hereto annexed, delivered to us anC
to gentlemen who attended at the re-
quest OF the Chairman of the Demo
cratic National committee, inviting the
attendance of five gentleman from
each delegation as spectators and wit.
nesses of the proceedings of the Board
and this invitation WAS Accomplished
With an offer to furnish sienograptit
reporters, selected by each COMMITTEES
10 be present and make full report o
all the proceedings and testimony, and
to secure the daily publication thereof
by the press.
The undersigned made arrangements
Tor that purpose with the proprietors
of one Of the daily newspapers printed
in New Orleans, and thus perha ps
there and elsewhere have been enabled
TO give such proceedings and Testimony
the widest circulation. In justice To the
Board it should also be stated that this
privilege was freely accorded By its
members, without solicitation, and
that they cordially united with us in
the desires to have all their proceed
iDgs published throughout the country.
Fhe scrutiny invited by the Board has
been constantly exercised day by day.
Both committees have been in attend
ance before the Board with their stem
Ographic reporters, and in addition, q
privilege rendered to both committees
vi inviting gentlemen from States 9TH
er than Louisiana, has been several
times availed of as the returns were
opened, whether contested or not. The
papers inclosed have been freely ten.
dered to the committees for examina.
ton, and have usually been carefully
inspected, and AS means of detecting
any possible changes in the re.urns af-
Ter leaving their respective parishes,
both committees were furnished by the
respective parties with statements of
the vote as claimed by them respect
lively, that by comparison it might be
known If any alteration had been
made in the returns to be passed upon
by the Board, with which statement
the returns usually agreed.
Whenever 1t was known to the
Board that return was to be contest
ed the attorneys for the candidates in
terested were sent for to be present at
the ceremony of opening, and when
such knowledge was attainable only by
the inspection Of the inside of the pack
age containing such returns, these at
torneys were invited to be present be-
fore any action was taken upon it,
There were thus secured, i'm the man.
ner stated, publicity of all the proceed
lngs OF the Board and most careful
scrutiny of every package OF returns by
IL opened, and an opportunity for cam
didates insisting upon the validity OF
the returns to appear personally and
by counsel before the Board, in many
instances before the returns were OPEN
ed, and In every instance before action
was taken upon them. 1t has been be-
lieved quite unusual to give such full
and wide spread publicity to the pro-
eeedings OF Returning Board. Nor
do we think that better means for
permanently recording every word
and act of its members while engaged !
fTthe discharge of their duty could |
nave been afforded than those enjoyed.
Having thus presented statement OF |
the means accorded of witnessing the
canvass, itmay be well to state briefly |
the CAUSES which led to the creation of |
such Board in Louisiana, and to cell |
to the statue which deyolves
on II powers and duties of great public |
The white people of that and other
Southern States had by their rebellion |
forfeited all right to representation in
Congress, or to any participation in the |
government of the Union, and had
been compelled, as a condition of re-
'uning their former political rights, to
assent to constitutional amendments
by which, in hostility to their will,
hose who had been but late their
slaves were made citizens, and although
t was their duty to submit to this DO!
ltical reorganization, the annals of the
south, and especially of Louisiana,
1iscloser widespread and persistent
determination of its ruling white pso-
Die to prevent the exercise of the elect
We franchise by the cOlored race, ex-
.ept subject to their will. This was
by violence, -outrages and h
murders perpetrated in that State lust
preceding the Presidential election of
1868. They will be found stated in the
'arious Congressional reports. r
From these it appears that over two !
thousand persons were killed, wound I
d and otherwise injured In that State
within few weeks of the Presidential !
lection of that year, that half the ,
tate Was overrun by violence, mid i
light raids, secret murders and open !
lots, which kept the people in constant !
error until the Republicans surrender ,
q all claims, and then the election was c
arried by the Democracy. The parish +
I Orleans, which contained 20,910 vot- [
rs, Ii, ,O20 OF which were .colored, and :
which in the spring had given 1873 I
republican votes, in the fall cast for q
Grant but I17S, falling off of +
2, ,795 votes. r.
Riots prevailed for weeks, filling New 5
)rleans with scenes of blood, and Ku- r
Alux notices were scattered throughout e
he city, warning cOlored men not to a
ote. In the parish of Caddo there +
iere 29S Republicans, who in the 1
pring of 1868 carried the parish which 4
the fall gave to General Grant but G
ne vote, and there also bloody riots il
ccurred. In the parish of st. Landry h
he Republicans had registered ma I
ority OF 1O71 votes, whilst in the fall v
OF a vote was cast for General Grant y
'hilst for Seymour and Blair the Dem. n
Gratis cast the full vote of the parish, e
lS1 votes, and there occurred one of y
ne blOodiest riots on record, in which h
ne Ku -KluX killed and wounded over r
Do Republicans, hunting and chasing
hem for two days and nights through !,
alds and swamps; thirteen captives I,
from Jail and shot, and a $,
lie Of twenty-five dead bodies was n
,und buried in the woods. Having s
nus conquered the Republicans, and Il
illed and driven off their. r.white lead q
rs, the masses were captured by the a
Au-Klux, marked with badges of red d
annel, enrolled in clubs, led to the n
oils and compelled to vote <he Demo- I,
ratio ticket, after which they were Y
iven certificates of that fact.
These are some ofthe outrages viii h h
Aarked the pathway to political supre- i,