The Portland daily press., 1876-12-08


ure in stating that our ability to do so is dna 10
the exercise of a courtesy and kindness bv the
returning boardswhich entities its members not
only to cur thanks, bat to that confidence which
a Just public extends toward every tribunal
which desires that all its proceedings should
be duly presented to public scrutiny. 1t was
our earnest wish that this publicity should be
attained, but we have felt delicacy in request
ing any, privilege not in harmony with the
usage OF the board, We were, however, re-
lieVed from all embarrassment by the accept
ance OF ITS formal invitation, hereto annexed
delivered to US and to the gentlemen who at
tended at the request of the chairman of the
democratic committee, inviting the attendance
OF five gentlemen from each delegation as spec-
tators and witnesses of the proceedings of the
board, and this invitation was accompapied
with an offer TO permit stenographic reporters,
selected by each committee, and make a full
report OF oil the proceedings and testimony, and
to secure the daily publication therof by the
press. The undersigned made arrangements
for that purpose with the proprietors of one Of
the daily newspapers printed in New Orleans
Thus, perhaps there and elsewhere, we have
been enabled to give such proceedings and tes-
timony the widest circulation. In Justice to
the board,i should be stated that this privilege
was freely accorded by its members without So
licitations, and that they cordially united with
US IN the desire to have all their proceedings
published throughout the country. The scrutiny
invited by the board was constantly exercised
day by day.
Both committees have been in attendance be-
fore the board with their stenographic reporter
and in addition a privilege rendered to both
committees of inviting gentlemen from states
other than Louisiana, has been several times
availed of as returns were opened, whether can
yassed or not The papers enclosed have been
freely rendered to the committees for examna-
ton, and have usually been carefully inspected
end as means of detecting any possible
changes in the returns after leaving their re-
speetive parishes. Both committees were fur.
rffa
menfs OF the vote as claimed by them respec--
lively, that by comparison it might be known
if any alteration be made in the returns to be
passed upon by the board, with which state
ment the returns usually agreed. Whenever it
was known to the board that a return was to
be contested, the attorneys for the candidate
interested were sent for to be present at the
ceremony of opening, and when such knowl-
edge was attainable by the inspection of the
inside OF the package containing such returns
these attorneys were invited to be present be-
fore any action was taken upon it. There was
secured in the manner mentioned publicity of
all the proceedings of the board. The most
careful scrutiny of every package of the returns
by it opened, and an opportunity for candidates
insisting upon the validity of the returns to ap-
pear personally, or by counsel, before the board,
in many instances before the returns were
opened, and in every instance before action was
taken. 1t has been, we believe, quite unusual
to give such full and widespread publicity to
the proceedings of a returning board, nor do
we think that better means for permanently re-
cording every word and act of its members
while engaged in tbe discharge of their duties
could have been afforded than enjIyed.
Having thus presented q statement of the
means accorded of witnessing the canvass, it
may be well to state, briefly, the causes which
led to the creation of such board 10 Louisiana,
aud to call attention to the statute which de-
wolves on it powers and duties of great public
importance. The white people of that and
other Southernlstates had by their rebellion for.
felted all right to representation in Congress- or
to any participation in the government of the
Union, and had been compelled, as a condition
of resuming their former political rights to as
sent to the constitutional amendments by
which, in hostility to their will, those who had
been but late their slaves were made citizens,
and although it was their duty to submit to
this political reorganization, the annals of the
South, and especially of louisiana disclose a
widespread and persistent determination of its
ruling white people to prevent the exercise of
the elective franchise by the colored race ex-
cept subject to their will. This was manifested
by the violence, outrages aud murders perpe-
trated in the state just preceding the Presiden-
tal election in 1868 They will be found Stated
10 various congressional reports. From these
it appears that over 2000 persons were killed
and wounded aud otherwise injured in that
state within few weeks of the Presidential
election of that year; that halt of the state was
overrun by violence, midnight raids, secret
murders and open riots, which kept the people
in constant terror until the Republicans surren-
dered all claims, and then the election was car
ried by the Democracy. The parish of Orleans,
which were colored, and which in the
spring had given 1873 Republican votes,
in the fall cast for General Grant but
1478, falling of 1875 votes. Riots
leans with scenes of blood aud Ku-Klux
notices were scattered throughout the city
warnIug the colored men not to vote. In thepar.
ish of Caddo there were 29Svotes. The Republ-
cans IN the spring of 1868 carried the parish,
which In the fall gave to General Grant but
one vote, aud there also bloody riots occurred.
In the parish of St Landay the Republicans
had registered majority of 1071 votes, and in
the spring OF that year carried it by 678 votes,
while in the fall not vote was cast for Gen.
eral Grant, whilst for Seymour and Blair the
Democrats cast the full vote of the parish, 4787
votes; and there occurred one of the blOodiest
riots on record in which the Ku- Klux killed
and wounded over 200 Republicans, hunting
and chasing them for two days and nights
through the fields and swamps. Thirteen cap
tves were taken from the Jail and shot, and
pile of twenty-five dead bodies were found
buried. in the woods, having thus con-
driven off their white leaders. The masses
were captured by the Ku-Klux, marked
with badges of red flannel, enrolled
in clubs, led to the polls and compelled
to vote the Democratic ticket after which they
were given certificates of that fact. These are
some of the outrages which marked the path
way to the political supremacy of those who
hut few years before had obtained the mercy
of government under whose laws the black
Republican and the white Democrat were en-
titled to equal protection. 1t was but natural
and just that the colored race should unite with
and cling to.the party to whose principles they
owed their freedom and protection; and this
seems to have marked their political course
from the time they were given their electoral
franchise, and their history in Louisiana has
but illustrated this whenever they have been
left free to vote as they pleased. It was evil
dent that fair election could not be held IN
parishes containing any considerable majority
of cOlored voters, and hence the act of 1870,
acquiesced in by both political parties and
| amended in 1872, was passed, creating return
| ing board authorized to sit in New Orleans,
having supreme authority to canvass the votes
cast throughout the entire state, and authorized
| if convinced that riot tumult, acts of violence
| intimidation, armed disturbance, bribery or
| corrupt influences had prevented voters from
| registering, or had materially interfered with
the purity of freedom of election at any poll or
| voting place, or had materially changed the
result of the election, to exclude votes cast at
such polls or voting places from the final
count.
| This law, with some amendments not male
| rally changing its nature, is that under which
| the present returning board of Louisiana is
| now organized and sits. That some such inde-
| pendent tribunal was necessary for the protec'
| tion of the legal voter, and as check upon the
| violence and intimidation which had before
| prevailed throughout the state, no one can de-
| ny. 1t will be seen when the statute organiz-
| ing this board and defining its duties is exam
| med, how inadequate are its provisions to af-
ford full relief against the wrongs it was de-
| sired to prevent. Thus the powers of the
| board are limited to the rejection of the votes
| polled for the causes stated, while it cannot in
| any Case add to the returns votes which would
have been poed but for the intimidation, vio-
lence etc., mentioned. To illustrate, the uu-
dersigned will refer to the five parishes of East
and West Feliciana, East Baton Rouge, More.
house and Ouachita, which appear az the evil
dence discloses, to have been especially selected
| for the perpetration of such violence and in-
timidaton as should be necessary to prevent
the Republicans from casting any considerable
| vote in either. In each aud all of these there
is large Republican majority. In all of them
| the white voters registered for this year num-
j kaEaa . ~ and tho nnIArad ! 2 2il - iaEit.