Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-12-27
MATTERS IN LOUISIANA.
Progress Of the Investigation by the
House Committee.
Statements of Both Republicans an,
Democrats to the Committee.

Statements of Both Republicans and
Democrats to the Committee.
New ORLEANS, December 2O.-Fo1.
lowing are the statements made to the
committee now Investigating the late
election frauds in Louisiana:
REPUBLICAN CLAIMS.
The line of evidence submitted to the
Senate Committee by counsel on behalf
of Republicans: We charge as true and
propose to prove on behalf of Republi
cans the following facts:
1. That the late election in this State VA
IN certain polls and In certain precincts and
parishes made null and void In law bv violence
and intimidation; this was occasioned bv and
consisting OF secret conspiracies; leagues and
armed bands OF brigands, known as bull
dozers. who have inflicted upon white and
colored Republicans, whippings. shootings.
hanglngs. burnings, mutilations and assassina-
tons, and in many instances have perpetrated
murder and massacre; that by these means a
condition OF terror has been produced among
Republicans In certain sections of the State
which has continued for period of more than
twelve months prior to the late election.
2. That the election law in this State was
enacted to meet similar condition of affairs.
which had occurred in 1861 that the law
declares an election held under such conditions
to be null and void, and votes pretended to be
cast under the insecurity, danger, fear and
terror thus occasioned to be null aud void:
that law vests the returning officers of the
State with power to inquire into and examine
facts whore such condition of affairs is
charged, and to ascertain the truth of such
oh TO
election, and carry into effect such nullity by
rejecting and refusing to count pretended
votes so made null and void; and that this cleo
ton Jaw is righteous, just and necessary.
3. That the returning officers did so examine
aud inquire according to law, and did find that
in certain parishes and polls the election WAS
mede null and void by the causes above re-
cited, and the returning officers, as command
ed by law, did declare the nudity, and did
reject and refuse to count the pretended votes
then made null in localities thus terrorized bv
bIigands aud bull dozers
4. That at the recent election from IL, OOO to
COO Republican voters who we're desirous of
voting, and who made earnest and diligent ef-
forts to vote the Republican ticket were in
fear OF their lives aud terrified by these sys-
tematic Outrages so they were driven from the
polls and prevented from voting; that from
5000 to 5000 Republican voters were by the
same means forced against their will, and
through fear, to vote the Democratic ticket.
5. That in said election the right of 16, 600 to
20, 900 colored persons to vote was by these
means denied and abridged
6 That the extent Of this denial and abridg-
ment as to territory was as follows, in the
whole or in part Of the following parishes. to-
wit: East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West
Feliciana, Ouachita, Morehouse, Rchland,
Grant. Livingstone, Franklin, Sabine, Cald-
we'll, Lafayette, Claybourne, De Solo, Jackson
and NatchitCches. That the extent of this
denial or abridgment IS to number of voters
ia as follows: In the foregoing parishes not
less than 16. 900 to 10000 voters were prevent
ed from voting as they wished Or forced to
vote contrary to their wishes at said election.
Z. That this denial and abridgement was
effected by mems of a conspiracy to and for
that end; that this conspiracy he for it's ex-
press purpose the violent suppression of q
number Of Republican votes large enough to
enable the cOnspirators to carry the state for
Demo Gratis, and that this conspiracy was car
ried out by means of armed bodies of men
known as Build Zers, and by night ridings,
patrolliug, wbippings, shootings, hangings,
burnings, mutilatiOns, assassinations, murders
and massacres, committed by them.
8. That the conspiracy aforesaid, and various
acts of violence, lawlessness and outra ges done
in pursuance thereof, were committed by white
men, Democrats
9. That the method and purpose thereon
X,
suppress, drive away and prevent from voting
or coerce to vote the Democratic ticket such q
number of Republican voters as would secure
an apparent Democratic majority in the state.
10. That preconcerted system and con-
spiracy to these ends is shown; first. by the
secret Patton letter. known as the confidential
circular, signed and issued by the Chairman
of the State Democratic Central Committee;
second, by the selection Of the parishes to be
carried by bulldozing, to wit: those Ct East
Baton Rouge East Feliciana, West Fe)iciana,
Ouachita, Morehouse, Richland, Grant, Liv-
ingstone, Franklin, Sabine, Caldwell, Lafay-
etc. Claybourne, DeSoto. Jackson and Natchi
toches. OF these the following, to wit: East
Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West Feliciana,
Ouachita and Morehouse. are parishes border
ing on the states Of Mississippi and Arkansas,
and in these parishes there is a Republican
vote of II 1874. and q Republican ma
iority Of 1870, to a Democratic vote Of
1924; in the remaining eleven of these parish
es to-wit: Richland, Grant, Livingstone.
Franklin, Sabine, Caldwell, Lafayette, Clay
bourne, DeSoto, Jackson, and Natchitoches,
there was less brutal but not less effective
system of intimidation, by which proportion
Of the Republican vote was suppressed, suf-
fctently large to compensate for the Demo-
cratic vote which would be lost in bull-dozed
parishes by the operation Of law in multiplying
the election in said parishes; third, by the
sudden and simultaneous outbreaks of violence
and murder in these parishes, before and near
election; fourth, by the anomalous and unus-
ual conduct OF white communities among
whom these outrages occurred, as contrasted
with those which obtains among other civil
lied communities where similar acts occur.
They were connived at concealed meetings.;
they were secretly encouraged; there were
no attempts to discover or punish crini-
nails there has been no condemnation of
these acts by the press, public meetings or by
the clergy, while citizens who have ventured
to denounce these outrages have been menaced
with prescription and persecution, and thus
Slenced. The Democratic managers have
pretended that these outrages were not per-
petrated, or, whore they have been compelled
to acknowledge the facts, they have falsely
attributed them to the neglect or inefficiency
of local officers although we'll knowing that
these local officials were rendered powerless by
the same terrorism which rendered these out
RACES possible.
II. That under our law there are no returns
of elections, and can be none except those
made by returning officers, and that neither
commissioners of elections nor supervisors of
registration are returning officers. nor have
either of them authority to make and declare
returns.
Il. That the effect of these outrages and
lawlessness and intimidating colored people
vasnot confined to the limits of parishes in