The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1876-12-14
REPORT OF THE NEW ORLEANS
VISITING COMMITTEE

The committee appointed to visit
Louisiana and see the vote counted, have
made report, of which the following is
synopsis. 1t was sent to Congress by
the President, with a special message.
The report, after relating the causes
which took the committee to New Or
leans, mentioning the courtesy of the
Board in inviting their attendance at its
sessions, and in giving every facility for
Investigation and scrutiny, gives succint
history of the creation of a Returning
Board.
The committee say that, after the
whites of the South had, by rebellion, for
feited their right to participate in the
government, and had been compelled, as a
condition of restored citizens, to assent to
the Constitutional amendments giving
their late slaves the rights of citizens, the
annals of the South, especially Louisiana,
show that there was widespread, per
sistent determination to prevent the col
ored race from exercising the elective
franchise except at their will. This was
evidenced. by outrages, violence and muir
ders, which, Congressional reports show,
were over two thousand in the few weeks
preceding the election in 1868.
MURDERS IN 1868.
The report describes in wide terms
the terrorisms of that year, gives the fig
ures showing how amazingly Republican
votes were diminished in consequence.
Among the cases instanced are the par
ishes of New Orleans, which, in the spring
of 1868, give 1898 Republican votes.
but in the fall gave only 1,178; Caddo,
which, in the spring gave 29s Republican
votes, and in the fall but l. In St
Landy, where the Republicans had reg
istered majority of l,O7l, and in the fall
not one vote cast for Grant, Seymour got
4,787, and the Ku-klux killed and wound,
ed over 200 Republicans, hunting and
chasing them two days.
The report refers to the shooting Of
the 13 prisoners then. Republicans were
led to the polls and compelled to vote the
Democratic ticket, so that soon the
Democrats obtained supremacy. The
colored men have illustrated that they
naturally cling to the party which liberat
ed them whenever they have free vote.
THE RETURNING BOARD.
This state of affairs led to the act OF
1870, acquiesced in by both political par
ties. and passed, as amended in 1872
creating returning board authorized to
sit in New Orleans, having supreme
authority to canvass the votes cas
throughout the entire State, and author
lied, if convinced that riot, tumult, acts
of viole"ce, intimidation, armed distur
bance, bribery or corrupt influences hac
prevented voters from registering, or haC
materially interfered with the purity o.
freedom of the election at any poll Of
voting place, or had materially changed
the result of the election, to exclude th'
votes cast at such polls Or voting place
from the final count. ...
To illustrate this the report refers tc
the FIVE "bull-dozed" parishes, where ther
is in each case Republican majority. Ii
all Of them the entire registration o
white voters this year was 1,l34; coloret
1924; majority of cololed, s,ll9. l
the Democrats should by intimidation ge
majority in each of these, it would b.
an immense gain. If the Board rejecte,
all their votes it would be powerless t.
administer complete justice by declarin!
for the Republicans such majority in eael
parish as they would have but for intimi
dation.
This is substantially the law unde
which the present board is organized
The body cannot deny the necessity o
some tribunals as a check to such vic
leuce as prevailed; in fact, the powers 0
the board are too much restricted to afort
full relief against the wrongs it was dc
signed to prevent. 1t can never add t
the returns of voters wbi h would hav
been polled but for intimidation.
The returns excluded by the boar
will be found to be generally from pal
ishes which would in fair vote give RI
publican majorities
1t should be borne constantly in min
that whilst tribunal majorities, upo
proof and in the exercises Of its judici;
discretion, reject the votes for the cause
mentioned, it cannot, upon SO doing, r.
turn any not actually cast. 1t will there
fore readily occur to any one that car,
full selection by political managers of Gel
tain parishes known to have been large r,
publican for scenes of intimidation an
violence, in the belief that other parishe
withla the State would enable them t
carry it for their party, even should the
majorities in the parishes thus selecte
be rejected, might well be a favorit
method for achieving success, and as "
proceed it will be apparent that such h;
been the mode adopted to carry Loui
lana for the Democratic party, Will
from the very nature of the mischief
be remedied the law could but PARTIAL
repair it. ...... ...f.