New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-19

proper subject IN s1o Peuuing IVY oAe'
ton, and we hope it S'll be made a
issue.
A DEMOCRATIC CENSUS AND SUPER
VISION ORDERED.
The Democratic State Central Com
mittee has issued instructions to subor
dinate clubs in the several parishes re
questing general census of voters to b
taken with classification as to color, ant
as far as practicable as to political prefer
ences. The duties assigned to the various
Democratic committees are analogous te
those imposed upon the officers Of regis
tration and election, and if the instruc
tons are fully carried out, the State Cen
trail Committee will be put in possession
of what they will claim to be copy o.
the registration, and the returns of the
next election.
In the circular of instructions great
stress is laid upon the duty of noting the
progress Of voting, reporting all disturb.
ances at the polls, whether any ballot
boxes have been tempered with, or any
disturbances take place. In this connec.
ton, we may state that the instructions
are silent on the subject Of intimidating
Republican voters, coercing colored men
into voting tickets which may be put into
their hands by Democratic bystanders,
and elbowing and crowding voters SO they
can not vote before the closing Of the
polls, and one or two other tricks which
are usually resorted to to swell the count
on one side and reduce it on the other.
We copy the fifth paragraph entire, as
it seems to be adapted to an entirely new
style Of Democratic tactics:
5. The ward organization must then, from
the census returns thus forwarded to it,
make out list of all the Democratic Con-
voters, and also Of all doubtful
voters of the ward. The object Of this is to
make subdivision for more effective work
in the campaign. This subdivision is to be
made into sections of ten, and an assistant
VI OuACA Will uOS0 Cu0IRo "a Ouo SOULFUL LIS
main business being to see to the regularity
and correctness OF the registration papers
of each of these ten voters, and to the
proper deposit of their ballots on the dav of
election at the polls. In largely populated
wards, or when from other reasons it is
deemed sufficient, the ward organization
may, besides, appoint an assistant, under
whose supervision and direction several
sections may be placed, and to whom the
chiefs or assistants of these sections will d.
'ectly report, and from whom they will re-
,eive Instructions.
Thus, it will be seen that the Demo
,ratic-C Conservative votes, and also all
voters of the ward" are to be
mustered into squads Of ten and marched
o the polls and voted under the command
# chief" whose duty among other
Kings it will be to see that the registra-
ion papers of the men under his COM
aand are regular and correct, and that
heir votes are properly deposited. The
assumptions which arise out Of this reg
lation are several, and some Of them lead
suspicious consequence.
1. 1t must be presumed by the central
ommittee Of the party which claims to
ossess all the wealth and intelligence Of
ne State that they expect to secure the
otes Of large number of sufragans who
re incapable from ignorance of letters
erhaps to decide for themselves whether
leir registration papers are regular and |
orrect or not.
2. That each voter in the squad or Sec
on of ten, when duly enrolled under the
of the chief, will vote the ticket |
hich may be put into his hand by his
lperior, whether he be a straight-out |
Democratic Conservative voter" or only
doubtful one." The plan adopted is
ell calculated to solve the doubt in the
amer most agreeable to the chief Of the
3. That the right given by law to put
S vote into the ballot box with his own
md and see that it sproperly deposited,
to be taken from these American citi-
MS in droves or squads of ten, and
ansferred by the Democratic committee
agents selected by its authority.
The chiefs of ten will thus practically
st the votes of their subordinates, who
II probably not be allowed the right Of
aiming their votes, or knowing but few
any of the names upon it. We may
Il this voting by machinery, running
3 Democratic party by rules established
headquarters, and disfranching the
TX and file of the voters.
What can have happened to the voters
the Democracy that it is necessary, in
s one hundreth year of our history, to
IS put them under tutelage? Have the
TX and file Of that great party so far
regarded in The scale ofintelligence that
y have to be led up to the polls and
ed in gangs? Why, this is worse than
, Ignorant negroes" are treated by Re-
blicans. The voters who can not read
,erally select some intelligent man in
ON they have confidence to explain
'ir tickets to them, and sometimes ask
have changes made for them. But this
ut of selection is to be denied the pri- '
es in the great army of 'Tilden, :
ndricks and Reform" But right .
70 presumption arises that there
something more than usual in
this preparation. These elab-
tie instructions for counting the
ers and watching and directing the
ers, indicate settled purpose to have
sed in review, under the eyes of Dem