Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1876-12-21
Extracts from Sherman's
Report.
Brutalities and Butcheries by
the Bull-dozers.
Democratic Stragetics for
Tilden and Reform.

The Senate, on Thursday, adopted the res
oution for the printing Of $4,000 copies OF
Shermans Committee report submitted by the
President with his special message. After
relating the causes which took the Commits
sion to New Orleans, and mentioning the
courtesy Of the Board in inviting their at
tendance at its sessions, and in giving every
facility for investigation and scrutiny, it gives
"a succinct history Of the creation of the Re
turning Board The commission says that
after the whites Of the South had by re-
belion forfeited the right to participate in the
Government, ane had been compelled, as a
condition of restored citizenship, to assent to
the Constitutional amendments giving their
late slaves the rights of citizens, the annals of
the South, especially Louisiana, snow that
there was
A wlDE-sPREAD, PERSISTENT DETERMINATION
10 prevent the colored race from exercising
the elective franchise, except at their will.
This was evidenced by outrages, violence
and murders, which, as the Congressional re
ports show, were over 1000 in few weeks
preceding the election of 1868 The report
describes in vivid terms the terrorism of that
year, and gives figures showing how
amazingly the Republican votes were dimin-
ished in consequence Among the o"soo in
stanced are the parish of Orleans, which
in the spring of 1868 gave 1873 Republican
votes, but in the fall gave only LIS; Caddo,
which in the spring gave 29S Republican
votes. and in the fall but one; in ST. Landry,
where the Republicans had u registered MA
iority of 1,U71, and in the fall not one vote
cast for Grant, and Seymour got 4, 1877.
THE KU-KLUx KILLED AND WOUNDED OVER
TWO HUNDRED REPUBLICANS,
hunting and chasing them two days. The
report refers to the shooting of thirteen pris-
oners. Then the Republicans were led to
the polls and compelled to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket SO that soon the Democrats OBJ
tanned the supremacy. The colored men have
illustrated that they naturally cling to the
party which liberated them whenever they
have free vote. l his state OF affairs led
to the Act Of 1870, acquiesced i'll by both
political parties. and passed as amended IN
1872, creating u Returning Board, authorized
to sit at New Orleans, and have supreme
authority to canvass the votes cast through
out the entire State and authorized, If con-
vinced tha: riot, tumult and acts OF vlo-
lence and intimidation or armed disturbance,
bribery or corruptive influences, had preven-
ted the voters from registering or had materl-
ally interfered with the purity or freedom OF
the election at any polls or voting place, or
had materially changed the result OF the elec'
ton. to exclude the vote cast 1T such polls or
voting places from the final count.
THIS IS SUBSTANTIALLY THE LAW
nnder which the present Board is organized.
Nobody can deny the necessity of some such
tribunal as check on such violence as pre-
vailed. In tact, the powers OF the Board are
much too restricted to afford free relief
against the wrongs it was designed to pre-
vent 1t can never add to the returns votes
which have been poled for intimidation. TO
illustrate this the report refers to
THE FIVE BuLL-DozED PARISHES,
where there is il each case large Repub-
lican majority. In all of them the entire
registration of white voters this year was
1874; colored, 13,214-a majority Of S,11O.
If the Democrats should by intimidation get
a majority in each of these, there should be
immense gains. The Board rejected all their
votes; but 1t would be pOWerlesS 10 admins
ter complete justice by declaring for the Re-
pubIicans such majority in each parish as
they would have had but for intimidation.
The returns excluded by the Board will be
found to be generally from parishes which
would, in a fair vote, give Republican ma
iorities. 1t shonld be borne constantly in
mind that whilst that tribunal may, upon
proof and in the exercise of judicial discre-
ton, reject the votes for the causes men,
toned, it cannot, upon so doing, return any
not actually cast.
PROOFS OF INTIMIDATION.
In the array of testimony given was cir
cular issued by the Democratic Conservative
State Central Committee, marked ''Confiden-
tial," and signed j. W. Pa!lone, President,
and P. S. Sullivan, Secretary, intended for
circulation in each parish, recommending the
forming of Ward Clubs in each parish, and
urging that no gloomy forebodings be indulg-
ed in ; that the result of the election ''be
spoken ofasa foregone conclusion, as we have
the means of carrying the election and intend
to do it," The circular also recommends free