The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-07-12
turning board was invented.

This WAS n machine entirely new, git!..
powers never before given to any tribu-
nal in any State. It's object was not to
return, but TO suppress the votes Of the
qualified electors, or change them to suit
the occasion. BY The terms Of the law Il
can exclude, suppress, annihilaSe ali the
votes of o parish for violence, intimida-'
ton or fraud, which it finds to have BEEN
committed aud .adjudges 70 have mate.
rally Influenced the result the polls.
This is judicial authority SO broad that
no court would consent TO exercise IT.
,inficting the fearful snalty of disfran.
chisement upon thousands at once, with
out hearing and without legal evidence,
hot'for any offense Of their own, but for
the supposed ain Of others over whom
they confessedly have 40 oontrolvs' OF
course it is in direct conflict with the
State constitution, which declares that eli
judicial power shall be vested in certain
ordained and established courts, and for.
bids it 10 be used even by them except
upon trial before q jury, and conviction
on the testimony Of credible witnesses
confronted by the accused and cross
examined by counsel. Il is, besides,
most insolept alfront TO the fundamental
principles Of all elective government, for
Il makes the poll Of the people mere
mockery, which decides nothing except
what the returning board is pleased to
approve, and elects nobody whom tho
returning board docs not gTaciously favor.
Its power TO veto q popular vote extends
to all elections, for every class of officers,
judicial, legislative, ministerial executive,
Including electors of President and Vice
President. ..y:,,b it,...ls.
.4.. How IT DID ITS WORK.
The, board consisted Of fvs parsons.
They were originally appointed by e
carpet-bag Senate, without end of their
tenure and with power to fill vacancies,
which made them q close corporation and
gave them perpetual succession. To put
on some show of fairness, the law re-
quired that all parties sioald be repre-
ser ed. This was at first thought to be
met by the appointment of one Democrat,
but when deed of more than common
baseness YVES to be done, the Democrat
was got rid of, and the of|er four, desir-
ing to work in secret, re. 5ed TO fill his
place. ny.ir 4s
APPLIED TO THE PRESIDENTIAL RLKC-
TION. .sA.t sl,g-
The election came OF on the propc:
day, supervised and controlled at every
polling place by officers of the carpet-bag
interest. According to their own couns,
the result was q majority of 1853
for the Tilden electors. 1t has never yet
been denied that this majority was made
up of ballots cast by citizens legally quail
flied. The vote was regularly taken and
properly counted, and true record of II
facts being undisputed, it, follows thai
| kbo oil 1,,1x kal
| if the people of the State have the ap
have, unless the constitution and thu
statute book are not to be relied on.
But the opponents of Tilden and Hen
bricks determined that the record of thu
appointment made by the people shoult
be mutilated and changed SO as to max,
II appear as if electors for Hayes ant
Wheeler had been choself: They ere
tended To helie.e that violence and in
timidation. had frightened the African
Hayes men from the polls, and that thei
coleerdics cHgh. &c be Y;s:ted, Ia ahe so=::
of diGfranchisement, on the heads O
those who had intrepidity enough to per
form their political duty. The allega
tions were utterly false. It was made no
only>withcnt evidence to sustain it, bu
in the face Of overwhelming proof to tn
contrary. All the places of registration
and voting were guarded by the creature
of the Federal and State administrations
superintendenfs, commissioners, deput,
marshals, and soldiers, and all OF thes
with one voice said that the election wa
peaceable and free.i Indeed, Ii is literal
ly impossible that any intimidation o
violence could have been practiced. N,
sensible person ever gave credit to it 70
moment. Notwithstanding much men
tai anxiety about the result, various rea
sons combined to make the election il
Louisiana probably the most quiet ani
undisturhed in the Union. .a
THE CHARACTER OF IT5 MEMBERS.
i The personae! Of the board justified til
faith of the carpet-baggers and thei
allies. If the evidence concerning it
members be rightly reported by the in
vestigatibg committee, they were nnarke
ont by the history Of their previous lives
! noted and signed to do any deed of sham
which might be required at their hands
4 Wells was q custom house officer at Ne,
} Orleans, and one of the worst of that ba
lot; n defaulter to the State ofilon
standing, without character for integrit
or voracity, and for thirty years regarde
rs unworthy TO be trusted. Anderson
character for honesty was equally bad
he had earned it in part by aiding, Will
no was Senator, to put up fIauduleu
I job upon the State, and taking tho ir
j iquitous proceeds to himself. Ofthe tw
:, mulattoes, one was indicted for larcen,
and, after admitting his guilt, was a
i lowed to escape punishment, and promp
ly taken into The board. The other VIZ
; too ignorant to know his duty, but h
testimony showed such indifference 4
j the obligations OF On oath that he WI
deemed as safe for the carpet-baggers ,
either of his colleagues. PA ~ 7
They comprehended the situation, sa
the difiicultyof the ework before then
. and resolved to make 1t pay in somethin
: better than Nero promises of ''recogn
tion," however generous and ample
) Wells, who was their spokesman in pr
vate as in public, wrote in strict cont
= denca to q carpet.bag Senat.c.r-;Lt.ii..es!: .i.s:
Washington letter which, being col
8 densed into plain English, means this
! 'There's millions in it. See our frien,
q en2a sct promptly n..y V. immediate
! or we will sell out to the other aid
4 Talk freely to the gentleman who presen
s this; he knows the moves" To the bea
3 er of the letter,he explained that it w
!. hard work to count In the Republics
:, candidate---the Democratic majority w
4 too largeto handle--he wanted oserve d
t party, but he would not take this X
It without compensation he must ha
&; 100000 apiece for himself and Ande
y, son. aud a smaller sum for the niggers
d Onthis bnsis no authorized his embass
N dnr n lUasLiaa.tn f. l,aa-af;af1a 10 II. tI