, 1876-11-19


THE REAL CONSPIRACY IN LOUISIANA
Tie value of the concessions made by the
Democratic Commissioners at New Orleans
in their rejoinder to the Republicans who
reminded them Of the law and their unofficial
character is considerably lessened by the
individual opinions Of one of them (A1r.
WArrERsoN), telegrapled TO his paper to be
photographed throughout the country.
Though Mr.. WATTEnsoN signed the Demo-
cratic rejoinder, virtually admitting the po-
siton of the Republicans to be the only law-
full position, he telegraphed to his paper the
same day that *'The refusal of the Repub-
Leans sent here by the President to meet
the advances made by the Democrats in the
interest Of fair play fully discloses con-
spiracy to cheat the people Of the United
States out Of their free election" In the
entire controversy and amid all the outpour-
ings of bad blood under intense excitement,
there has probably been no utterance so ut
terly unfair aud Indignantly partisan Us this.
He went on to charge that the President had
sent troops to New Orleans to sustain this
conspiracy, and that the Returning Board
was proceeding to do the work laid out for
them BY this conspiracy. Mr. WArrERsoN tel
egraphed nll this in the very face Of IN invi-
tation by the Returning Board to Democrats
Us well as Republicans, each represented by
an equal number, to witness all their pro-
ceedings.
The fact is that there is q deliberate and.
We should think, concerted design on the
part Of the leading Democrats of the coun-
try to fix firmly in the minds of the people
the notion that the vote of Louisiana has
been cast for TuDEN, though TINT vote has
not yet been counted, and no man can truth
fully say Of his own knowledge whether It is
for TnDEN or HAYES. In support Of this
assertion it is only necessary to quote Mr.
WArTEnsos's peremptory summing-up Of the
situation. He says:
l. A fur maj ority Of the people OF Louisiana
have, ut peaceful election, voted for Tl1nrs and
HENDRICKS.
,. In that election all the machinery for intimi-
dation and corruption was in the hands OF the Re-
pub!1cans.
). A Returning Board, which was get aside two
ycars ago as untrustworthy, is to change the YER
dict OF the ballot-box, and the act is to b. sup-
ported by the Government and the Republican
party.
i. The agents Of the outrage are handful Of
dishonorcd Adventures, who have organized an
army Of ignoran: leld-hands By the aid OF govern
mental enginery supplied from Washington to
make war against all the responsible elements Of
life, religious, political, social, nd industrial.
How does A1r. WArrEnsos know that q
fair majority" in Louisiana voted for TIL
DEN? Has he himself counted all the votes
Has he the word of anybody who
has counted all the votes? Has he
taken testimony as to the fair :or
fraudulent character of the election
in all the parishes of Louisiana If he has
done none Of these things, by what right
does he positively and sole1nn]y assure the
people of this country that TnDEN has
"fair majority" of all the votes in Tlouisi-
ana? The fact is that Mr. WArrERsos,
though he happens to be in New Orleans,
has had no access to the returns, and has no
more positive knowledge before they have
been counted as to where the majority is
stirred out of Chicago since the election was
held. He has committed himself to posi-
tive assertion of thing which he does not
know and has as yet no means Of knowing.
He also asserts with equal positiveness that
AN the machinery for intimidation and cor
ruption was in the hands Of the Repub-
icans" How does he know this /?
Has he visited all the parishes and
taken evidence Of competent witnesses
throughout the State, or does lie content
himself with sitting quietly in New Orleans
hotel and inditing such dispatches under the
influence Of brandy -and-soda?
Does he think that all the machinery for
and corruption" was in the
hands of the Republicans in East Feliciana
parish, where the Republican vote at the
last election YVES 1,6SS and only three in the
present election? Even brandy-and-soda
won't wash this down. He likewise asserts
With the faith of clairvoyant that the Re-
turning Board *'is to change the verdict Of
the people" though he does not and cannot
know what that verdict is, and can only de-
the action Of the Board by divina-
lion or card-reading. Finally, he refers to