Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-12-13
Senator Sherman's Report.

The report Of the committee of Northern
Republicans Of which Senator Sherman was
chairman and which visited New Orleans
at the desire of the President, to witness the
proceedings before the returning board, was
transmitted yesterday TO Congress 10y the
President 1t is powerful and convincing
document, which will be read with sorrow
and indignation, that such state of affairs
can exist in any state Of the Union. It fully
justifes the action of the returning board in
excluding the votes from the precincts where
the will of the majority or the voters was
subverted by fraud and intimidation. The
portion which refers TO the developments be-
fore the returning board is as follows
"rhere were in the state Of Louisiana on the
day Of election ninsty-two thousand nine hundred
and nincty-six white registered voters and one
hundred and fifteen thousand three hundred and
ten colored n majority Of the latter Of twenty
two thousand three hundred and fourteen twas
well known that II left free to vote, uninhuenced
by violence or intimidation, the blacks would be
almost unanimously Republican, and that with
the white Republican vote its majority would
about equal that above indicated The plan ap-
pears TO have been to select for purposes Of intim-
idation and violence as few parishes as possible
for in forty Of the fiity-seven parishes where
these were not employed the Republican majority
was six hundred but to select those In which the
colored vote. as compared with the white would
be large unless unlawiully prevented, for in Sc
datptf tt.tohf lao 81 has -,
jority they could thus obtain in such parishes be
rejected they would nevertheless attain their pur
pose by the suppression Of large Republican vote
" In pursuance Of this plan, five OF the parishe,
selected in which the greatest violence and intmi
dation were practced, were Fast and West Fell
| ciana, which border upon that portion Of the Mis-
sissipp in which murder and outrages so prevailed
during and preceding the election ~ substantially
toprevent any Republican vote East Baton Rouge
which borders on the southern portion Of Eas
felciana, Morehouse, which ad Joins the state
Arkansas, and Ouachita, which adjoins and lie
directly south Of Morehouse The geographical
position of these five parishes was well suited /,
the purpose TO be attained. for it was easy TO
members Of clubs TO be formed therein and VIII,
usually perpetrated their outrages with maske,
faces TO pretend that they were committed by
border rufllans from Mississippi and Arkansas
where like outrages had been perpetrlted
The location Of these five parishes was not
however, better suited to the plan to be accom-
plished than was the great dispropotion exist
ing therein between the number Of white an,
colored voters. The former numbered but five
thousand one hundred and thirty-four and tn,
latter thirteen thousand two hundred and fifty
four-a majority Of the latter equal to more thai
one-third Of the entire majority Of the coloret
voters in the ffty-seven parishes OF the state
The returns Of votes actually cast in these par
ishes suggest that the clubs to whom was as
signed the task of securing democratic major
ties therein have proformed their work Of vioenc
and intimidation effectuay, whilst proof dis
closed that wherever intimidation were inefficient
murder, manning, mutlation and whipping wer
resorted to-
" Instead Of majority OF six or seven thousand
which the Republicans should have had in thes
parishes upon fair election, there was actual
returned to the returning board a democratic ma
ority for the parishes OF East and West Feliciana
Morehouse and Ouachita Of three thousand eigh
hundred and seventy-eight, and in East Feliciana
where the registered colored voters number tw
thousand one hundred and twenty-seven, not
Republican vote for elector was east In Ia,
Baton Rouge, containing three thousand five hun
dred and fifty-two colored registered voters an
but one thousand eight hundred and one white.
the democrats claim majority of six hundre
and seventeen, which but for the rejection Of Sc,
eral polls by the commissioners and supervisors q
election would have been returned to the return
ing board as votes actually cast. II 10 the demo
cratic majority from four parishes, as abov
stated, we add six hundred seventeen thus elaine
before the returning board, democratic majort
OF four thousand four hundred and ninety-five.
the result OF the election in five parishes contain
ing thirteen thousand two hundred and forty-fou
colored Republicans and five thousand one hur
dred thirty-four white democratic voters.
The conclusion that intimidation and yiolenc
alone could have produced this is almost irresis
lble, and that such influences were employe
and were supplemented by murder when tina
vas thought necessary, is established by tn
proofs already referred to. 1t but confirm
this conclusion to refer to the vote cast in thes
five parishes in 1874, when no special motive e,
listed for the use Of cruel means to influence tn
election. The Republican majority therein wa
then three thousand nine hundred and seyet
ty-nine.
" The proof OF violence and intimidation an
armed disturbance in many other parishes is q
the same general character although more ger
er'l and decisive to the parishes particular
referred to. In others these causes prevailed
particular polling-places, at many OF which tn
Republican vote was to a considerable extent pr,
vented"
The report is signed by John Sherman
f. W. Stoughton, J. H. Van Allen, Eugen
Hale, j. A. Garfield, Garland Parker wi
liam d. Kelley Sidney Clark and j. {
Wilson.