The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-11-25

1
isiana, have desired me to address you, witt
the request that you will give to the public
in such way as may be most agreeable to you
your views Of the present unhappy politica
situation in that State, |, accordingly, do So
with great pleasure and in the hope that yol
will BIO able to accede to the request, beg Il
remain Very truly, yours,
CHARLES II. ISGERsoII..
Prof W. q. SUMNER, New Haven.
NEW HAVEN, Nov. 81, 1876.
DEAR Sin lin response to your request,
! will state as briefly and clearly as possible
the impressions received during my visit tC
New Orleans
The gentlemen who were requested by the
National Democratic Committee to 90 "a
Louisiana expressed ut once to one another
the determination TO certify to the Northern
people the truth with regard to the vote Of
Louisiana without party bias. Several Of
them expressly declared that they had not
come to New Orleans to get the State vote
for Mr. Tilden, and all acquiesced. The first
effort was, therefore, to ascertain the fact.
Judging from the usage of Northern States,
tins would not seem difficult On addressing
the State Committee for information, it was
at once found that that body had been obliged
to contend with unheard-of difficulties in their
efforts to obtain returns. These difficulties
were partly physical, due to the lack of means
OF communication with remote parishes, but
Tor the most part, they were due to artificial
and malicious distractions placed in their
way. The election was held under compli-
Gated and elaborate corps Of officials, appoint
ed by the State Government, aud free from
any Of those popular checks which we, in the
North, regard as essential 10 selfgovernment.
The effort of the press and the party commit
tees to obtain information we're treated as
impertinont. 1t was furthermore necessary,
inasmuch as the ruling party did not publish
returns Except as hereafter stated and did
not therefore either deny or accede to the
Democratic reports, TO fortify these latter by
certificates in manner totally unknown in
the North. The Democratic Committee,
warned by the experience of 1872 and 1874,
took, as il appears, energetic measures to Sc.
cure trustworthy returns, duplicates of the
returns sent to the Returning Board. The
suspicion of the latter body implied in this
course of action is abundantly justified by its
history. have before me detailed state
ment by parishes of the returns which were
received as result Of the efforts of the Dem
ocratic Committee, with memoranda of the
authority on which each parish return is
based. Allowing for possible errors Of detail,
this statement establishes moral certainty
that Gov. Tilden carried the State by 1000
majority according to the returns.
met no person in Louisiana, and mixed
as freely as possible with persons of all classes
and both parties, who denied or doubted that
this was the true result of the election. was
told that the Republican newspapers had pub.
lshed returns from thirty or forty parishes,
coinciding with those in the Democratic state
ment, but had then desisted, declaring that
the returns were incorrect and unsatisfactory.
No counter claim is made in regard to the
returns. The only answer made is that there
have been outrages and intimidation in five
or six parishes, and that the Returning Board
will have to correct the returns by throwing
out the votes of those parishes. The Repub.
lican newspaper of the 18th inst, went furth-
er, and declared that it would be necessary
to insert the votes which would have been
cast for the Republican ticket if the intimida.
ton had not taken place. | met no person
whatever, who admitted any other hypothesis
than that the Returning Board would bring
out a Republican majority. 1t was not dis
cussed; it was assumed as Of course. The
proposal, then, is that the Returning Board
shall destroy the votes of large number of
persons who really voted, and supply the
votes Of large number of others who did not
vote, because they think that some persons
voted under coercion and others RETAINED
under intimidation. Could anything more
arbitrarily destroy the whole theory Of popu-
ular electoral government?
For obvious reasons could not enter into
the question of fact as to outrages. | heard
oh nj ~ lot nf a,,kr f. tnoA
negroes who voted the Democratic ticket and
/ talked with a number of persons who had
such complaints to make. | also absolutely
pursued oil possible inquiries within my reach
to try and find out the truth. In converse.
ton which number Of us held with Gov.
Kellogg, he was asked for facts under this
head. He cited the case Of Gair only. Gair
was killed by lynching, under circumstances
of revolving injustice, in September, 1875.
Politics had nothing to do with it, much
less this election. 1t is fair to say that our
interview was cut short, and Mr.. Kellogg got
no further with his recital Other charges of
outrage which heard or saw were intangible
and uncertain. Icould not bring any of them
to distinct shape. All Of them were denied,
and especially the broad and general descrip.
tons Of systems of intimidation were energet-
ically denied by men of unquestionable char.
acter and integrity.
see no guarantee against frauds except in
the vigilance and interest Of the opposing par
ties. Such guarantees exist in Louisiana,
with the vast preponderance Of the chances
in favor OF the party in power, which appoints
all the officers of election, has the Federal
officers on its side, and controls the Federal
troops. Every effort made by the Democrats
TO prevent frauds is tortured into proof of
intention to commit fraud, and runs through
the North in the present temper of the people
finding ready credence. lido not wonder that
the people Of Louisiana despair of Justice and
fair treatment from US when I see the readi.
ness with which honorable men accept a mis-.
construction of all their efforts, and the tena.
city with which the same men cling to party
prejudices. 1t is shame to human nature,
and fragrant violation Of all the assumptions
Of free government II only proves with re.
newed force how wrong it is for us to be gov.
erning State sixteen hundred miles away.
If the vote of the State is not to be counted
as cast, 1t is plain that the investigation ought
to be fhl, open, impartial, and complete
but cannot see how any such investigation
is possible in the nature of things if the tri-
bunal were above suspicion. The theory that
such an investigation is possible leads to one
result as yet distant, but sure-Congress will
be the Returning Board of the nation, and
usurp the election Of President.
The only conclusion could reach in regard
to the general matters in dispute were as fol.
lows Society in Louisiana is almost entirely
disorganized. II is claimed, and strong facts
are alleged in proof, that this is due to the
maladministration Of the civil officers, from
the highest to the lowest, with very few ex-
ceptions. The law is made an engine Of
abuse at every turn. Officers Of every grade
neglect or violate duty for favor and reward.
The most sacred institutions Of civil society
are perverted to produce wrong and abuse.
The election law is intricate, and while up.
parently adapted to provide for oil contiin.
gencies, really creates q hundred TECHNICAL
ties and machinery which renders really
popular elections impossible. The play Of
its various parts allows scopes for fraud,
chicanery, and abuse. II depends upon the
action Of on army of officials, many Of whom
are far away from any control and free from
all responsibility, while they are able to de.
feat the whole purpose of the election by
corrupt or malicious assertion. The ingenuity
with which devices are planned and practiced
for producing fraudulent results is diabolcal.
The party in power, having control Of this
machinery, can make any election mockery,