Wilmington daily commercial., 1876-11-21
FIRST EDITION.
The Louisiana situation.

JUDGE STANLEY MATTHEW'S oPINIoN-THE
MAJORITY FOR HAYEs-PRooFs OF VIOLENCE
AND INTIMIDATION.
Speslal Dispatch to the NetO York Times.
CINCINNATI, Nov. 20.-The Gazette of to-
morrow will contain the following; Hon.
Stanley Matthews returned from New Or
leans yesterday, and we had brief conver-
sation with him at his Office in regard to
the situation in that State. He had neither
time nor inclination for full interview,
but will probably give to the public, to-day
or to- morrow, his personal observations in
that State. Whatever Judge Matthews
may state from his own knowledge, or as
the result Of his personal investigation, will
have weight with the people. In the
meantime, we are permitted to say that it
is the opinion of Judge Matthews that with
free and fair election Louisiana ls be-
yond question Republican State that
fair canvass of the votes according to the
laws of that State, and according to justice
and right, will give the electoral vote of
the State to Hayes that the election as
conducted in many Of the parishes was
FARCE AND A FRAUD
upon popular government; that the face OF
the returns, including those of the intimi-
dated parishes, will show a majority for the
Democrats of not over 1000, but revision
of the returns as required by law will give
the Republicans a decisive majority; that
the mistakes in regard to Republican Elec-
tors in one of the parishes, will not amount
to over four hundred votes, and will not
affect the general result. The Returning
Board, he believes, will act fairly and i'm
partially following the letter and spirit of
the law. The evidence in regard to vio-
lence and intimidation in many of the par :
ishes is overwhelming. AS an illustration
may be mentioned the case Of one voting
precinct, where the colored men were
marched to the polls
BETWEEN LINES OF ARMED WHITE MEN,
and compelled to vote the Democratic
ticket, and then marched to another place
where they received certificates that they
had so voted, which were to protect them
from violence. That the action Of the re-
turning Board ought to give the State to
Hayes, and that it ought to settle the con-
troversy in the minds Of all fair and intel
ligent men, he firmly believes but that
the Democrats as party, will 30 accept
the result he has grave doubts. The evil
dence of fraud and violence, and intimida-
ton, however, will be fully reported, and
the people of the North will have an oppor-
tunity to Judge for themselves. The mem
bers of the
RETURNING BOARD ARE FAIR MEN.
and are as fully entitled to confidence as
any board that might be selected for like
purpose in this city. Dispatches are sent
to the North from New Orleans by Demo-
Gratis of that city, who do not believe what
they telegraph. 1t cannot be denied by
any candid or fair.minded man that
Louisiana is a Republican State, and that
an election conducted without violence OF
intimidation or fraud would have placed
the result beyond dispute. This is known
to Democrats as well as Republicans, but
the former set out to carry the State fol-
Tilden at all hazards, and without regard to
law, Justice, or human life, and they are
not now disposed to give it up.