The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-03-08
A DEMOCRATIC PROTES I
An appeal From tho Electoral Tribunal
to tho American People.
How tho Republicans Have Counted ii'
and Buauguratea ErauauScnt
President.


on the ID day Of March, 1877, the fol-
lowing address was unanimously adopt
Cd. A. 3. HEwtTT. Chairman.
F.0. pa1NGE, Secretary.
10 the American People;
We submit 10 the country the FOLLOW
ing review or events which have result
ad In the declaration that Rutherford u.
unyea has been elected President Of the
United States. In the late political
canvass two facts stood our prominently :
1.-THE SOLID SOUTH"
First--The Republican party, true to
Tia sectional nature, thought TO unity
tho North against the solid South,
and while engaged In that effort u was
arriving TO make good Its probable
losses In the North by dividing the
votes OF the South. This dtvieton II
sought 10 effect by an unconstitutional
use OF the army In South Carolina, Flor
ida and Louisiana.
THE USE or TROOPS.
Second=~The troops were sent TO those
States where there was neither invasion
nor domestic insurreetion to require
them. with Legislatures easily TO DO
convened, and the only demand Tor
their presence was made by the State
Executive. Tho elections ID those
States. therefore, were held in the
uhadpw Of military power. The bayoA
neta pliatened at the polls. In depoait.
ing their ballots the citizens enjoyed
only such liberty 40 they permitted. In
other States the elections were un.
usually peaceful, immediately after
wards the result showed that 1876 Tilden
electors had been chosen, OF the whole
popular vote they received u majority
sf more than quarter OF q million. or
That Caucasian race. which controls
every other Christian and eiyilised gov.
eminent of the world. they received q
majority Of more than one million.
THE CONSPIRACY,
On the day succeeding the election II
waa announced by the Chairman OF the
Republican National Committee that
Isa Tiiden and 1856 Hayes Electors had
been chosen. Nothing had yet been
learned of the election excepting the
vote actually east, It has never since
been disputed that by that vote ma
iority of Tilden Electors had been ap-
pointed. Such announcement, there.
fore, could only have been made In pur-
auance of arrangement TO change the
vote shown TO have been given by the
people. -,
We charge that after the true result
hna been proclaimed. o conspiracy was
formed by the Republican leaders TO
reverse the decision made at the polls.
The field chosen for the development
Of the conspiracy were the States OF
Florida and Louisiana. Tho persons to
act with the original conspirators were
the Governors and members OF Return.
ing Boards OF those States. The Held
was we'll chosen. The State officers se-
lectea were suitable persons for the
work to be done. For more than ten
wears those States had been subjected
to governments not of their own choice.
Taxation and maladministration had
robbed them of their substance and
we'll nigh destroyed their spirit and
hope, The army OF the United States
had been freely used to maintain those
governments In their acts OF corruption
and usurpation, and it was believed
that Its services would aid In the de-
The names OF the officers depended
upon are Marcellus l.. Stearnes, Samuel
II, McIIinn and Clayton A. Cowgirl, of
Florida, and VIM. Pitt Kellogg, j.
Madison Wells, Thos. b. Anderson, Il.
Casanave and j. b. kenner, OF Louisi-
ana.
IT'S TOOLS.
THESE men were not strangers TO the
American people. They had before
usurped authority. The Returning
Boards OF those States had made them
selves hy-words in the land. The Gov.
errors were known to be pretenders Ii
there were two names dishonored In
the general estimation they were the
names of w. 2. Kellogg and J. Madi-
son Wells. 10 such men was the work
or eonsummating the conspiracy con-
ifded. They entered upon their task
with alaerity, advised and encour-
aged by leading visiting" Repub-
lican statesmen of the North. They
took each step with deliberation and
apparent regard for law. Before the
election In Louisiana, William Pitt kel-
logg and his subordinates assumed the
exclusive control Of the execution OF the
registry law. They refused registration
to thousands entitled to It, and added
thousands to lists who had no right to
vote. On the day Of the election the
polls were managed by officials ap-
pointed by the Governor. These were,
In nearly every instance, members OF
the Republican party.
UNITED STATES MARsHALs.
United States Marshals swarmed at
every precinct, where thought neces.
sary, under the pretense OF preserving
the peace, but, in fact, to intimidate
voters. The ballot-boxes were stuffed
in the interest of the Re publican candi.
dates; the poll books were falsified in
some Instances and then returned to the
Canvassing Board, while in other cases
the returns giving Democratic MAORI
ties were withheld from the canvassers
altogether. After the returns had been
delivered to the board they remained in
its exclusive possession, and while there
they were open with its consent, and the
original papers distracted and false
ones substituted In their stead. When
the returns were opened, the board,
with an appearance OF fairness, permit
ted persons representing both parties to
be present; but when the decision was
made as to what should be counted, Sc
cret sessions were held from which
every Democrat was excluded, although
the law constituting the board required
that 1t should be composed of represen'
tatiyes OF both political parties.
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