The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-12-07

U04LoO states.
new ORLEANS, December 1.-The
committee of visiting Democrats issue
the following address
NEW ORLEANS, December l, 1876.
To the people of the United States:
On our arrival here, in casting about
for approaches to the officials who con-
troll the election of this State, we diScoV-
cred that they were all Of one political
party, and that the Governor had ap-
pointed none but Republicans supervis-
ors of elections, and rhat the returning
officers eous 'ituCing she State board were
of the same political school. Influenced
by these insuspicious surroundings, cur
thoughts and hopes were turned toward
the eminent gentleman who had been Sc
lected by the President to be prese Mt
and see that the board of canvassers
made fair count of the votes actually
cast, aud on the fourteenth of Novem-
Der We invited these gentlemen to meet
and confer with Us. This cooperation
was declined, but we nevertheless have
reason to believe that to this CORE spond-
ence may be attributed the invitation to
Us, on the eighteenth ultimO, by the re
turning board, to attend and be present
at It's meetings as spectators and wit
| nesses of its proceedings. Through this
courtesy and the services of a competent
stenOgraPher, we became possessed of all
the essential facts developed on the face
OF the official Lapers. We have been
furnished with a certified copy of the
duplicate statements of votes made BY
the commissioners of elections at each
place of voting in the State, and from
these statements il appears that the cleo
tors received the follow ing votes:
For Tilden eleHt6rs-McEnery, 83.-
7l2; Wicklife, 83. $50, st Martin, So
GIG; Poohe, SO 529; Deb!auc. 83,667;
Seay, 83.842; Cobb, 83,579; Gross, 85,-
$50
For Hayes acknowledging. 77,l52;
Burch, 77,l44; JOsenh, 1889 Sheldon,
1884; Marks. IS POI; Levisse, rs, SO;
Brewster, rs, ,457; JefFrion, 1884.
The following is the result Of the vote
for Presid ntiol electors, as disclosed on
the face OF the returns, OpeEed by the
returning board in our presence
For Tilden electors s-MeERerJ, 80. .223;
Wickliffe, 1896; St Martin, 80 1873;
Poche, 80 .O36; Deblanc, 82,065; Seay,
80 242; Cobb, 81 ,959; Cross. 82,l0s
For Hayes electOrs-Kellogg, II, ,l23;
Burch, 76, 983; Joseph, 1852; Sheld5n
1853; Marks, 75,0S7; Levisse, 75,l57;
Brewster, 1920; Jeffrion, $500.
In most cases the returns opened ty
the returning board correspOnled pre-
ciselV with the certified copies Of the
statements of the commissioners of elec-
ton TGruisneG Is. ide mOsG material
differeace arose from the failure # the
supervisors of East Baton Rouge, Tang
pahOa and Orleans 10 forSsrd the state
mGnts of the votes from all the voting
places In their respectiV parishes In
thirty-fve out of the thirty-eight States
in the Union these figures would be con
elusive No one would claim that Til
den aud 81 andricks were not eutitIsd to
the electoral vote Of the State. But In
Louisiana a tribunal has been set up
Whioh on former occasions has over
thrown the will of the people as ex-
pressed at the polls, and for which the
power Is not claimed, and in its discre-
ton, to change the result of the popular
vote at the recent election. In view,
however, of the returns and the law and
the facts which should control the re-
turning board with which we have
made ourselves familiar, We have no
hesitation in saying that the result
shown By the votes actually cast cannot
be changed without the p8lpable abuse
of the letter and spirit of the law gov
erning the returning board and a mani
fest perversion of the facts before it. L.
regularities have been committed in
some Instances by the officers conduct
ing she elections an making the re-
turns, but they are about as much on
one side as the other, and, as to intimi-
dati0n, violence OF other illegal acts
preventing a free and fair election, there
is evidence on both sides, but not If
such character as to effect the general
result. In most instances the acts Of
violence proceeded from mere Iavlese-
n~ss, as in the cases of Henry and
eliza PinkstOn, and hAd no con nection
with politics. 1t is a significant fact that
ia the parishes where it is alleged that
votes were Kept from the polls by in
tlmidation, the tp1al vote OEsaid parishes
was as large as at any time heretofore,
and in the whole State is fifteen hun.
dred above any vote heretofore cast
An honest and fair canvass of the re-
turns, even under the Louisiana law,
cannUt materially reduce TiIden major
ity, as shown on the face of the returns.
JsHN NJ PALMER,
LYMAN fRUVBUlL,
WILLIAM BLGLER,
GEORGE B SMIEH,
GEORGE W. JULIAN,
H. H. WATSON.