The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-03-14
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.
The Democrats in Congress Issue q
- Manifesto.
The Iniqufty Of the Commission De
elared and the whole Case
Reviewed.
How Hayes Got the once OF President.

How Hayes Got the ONCE OF President.
WAsHINGroN, March AT the caucus of
the democratic members of the house of
representatives held on March 3, 1877,
in the hall of the house, the following adj
dress was unanimously adopted, L. Q. @.
Lamar, chairman; Henry b. Banning and
William NJ Robbins, secretaries. At a
meeting of the members of the national
democratic committee held on the third
day OF March, 1877, the following address
was unanimously adopted, A. s. Hewitt
chairman, and F. o. Prince, secretary;
To the American People:
We submit 70 the county, the Ioao"ing Re.
declaration that r. b. Hayes has been elected
president of the United States In the late po-
liticsl canvass Two facts stood out promi-
/: The republican party true to Its sectional
nature thought as,t to unity nS the 1orta
in that effort it was striving 70
by dividing the votes Of the south. This divi-
sion IL sought to effect by an unconstitutional
use Of the army in South Carolina, Florida
2. The troops were sent to these states when
there was neither invasion nor domestic res
directions to require them with the legisla-
demand for their presence presence was ' made
by the state executive. The election
in these states therefore were held In the
shadow of military power, the bayonets glIs-
tened at the polls. In depositing their ballots
the citizens enjoyed only such liberty as was
Unusually peaceful. Immediately afterwards
the result showed that 1876 Tilden electors had
been chosen. or the whole popular vote
quarter of q million of that Caucasian race
which controls every other Christian and CIV
illzed government of the world. They re-
the day succeeding the election IL was an
nounced by the chairman of the republican
and is5 Hayes electors had been
chosen. Nothing had then been
learned Of the election excepting the vote
puted that by that vote majority of the
filden electors had been appointed. Such an
nouncement, therefore. could only have been
made In pursuance OF an arrangement to
change the vote shown to have been given by
the people. We charge that after the true re.
formed by the republican leaders to reverse
the decision made at the polls. The
field chosen for the development OF this con-
spiracy was the states of Florida and Lou
isiana. The persons to act with the original
conspirators were the governors and members
of the returning boards Of those states. The
field was well chosen. The state Officers
lected were suitable persons for the work to b.
done. For more than 10 years these states had
choice. Taxation and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
had robeed them of their substance and well
nigh destroyed tS their spirit b and hope The
used to maintain governments in their acts of
corruption and usurpation. 1t was
Rfd the ha designed eenspiTscy w9H he
names of the officers depeneu upon are Mar
cellus l.. Stearns, Samuel b. McLin anu Clay
ton A. Cowgirl, Of Florida, and William Pitt
Kellogg, J. Madison Wells, Thomas b. Ander-
son, E, Coszenova and ]. B. Kerner, OF Louisi-
ana. These men were not strangers to the
American people. They had before usurped
sSd The returning adag f boards Of
by-words in the land. The governors were
known to be pretenders. Ii there were two
names dishonored in the general estimation
Madison Wells. To such men was the work OF
concentrating the conspiracy confided. They
entered upon their task with aIacrity, advised
and encouraged by the leading visiting repub-
hcau statesmen of the north. They took
each step with elaboration and
fore the election in Louis ana William Pitt
kellogg and his subordinates assumed the ex-
elusive control of the execution of a registry
sands entitled to it, and added thousands to
the lists who had no right to vote. On the day
of the election the polls were managed by OFF,
q the republican party. United
precinct when thought necessary, under the
pretense of preserving the peace, but in fact TO
fntimidate voters. The ballot boxes were
stuffed in the interest OF republican candi-
dates, the poll books were falsified III some in
stances, and then returned to the canvassing
giving democratic majorities were with
held from the canvassers altogether. After
the returns had been delivered to the board
they remained In Its exclusive possession and
sent, the original papers abstracteo and false
ones substituted instead. When the returns
were opened, the board with an appearance of
fairness, permitted the persons representing
both pa-ties to be present. When the de-
cison was msoe a. 70 VIVA. S SnEHia fo 0e
which every democrat was excluded, although
the law constituting the board required that
Ii should be composed of representatives OF
both political parties. In csunting the votes
the board exercised powers not conferred by
the statute, and in the most fragrant disregard
of truth and Justice. The members OF
the board changed the poll books
so that the republican officers appeared
fact been elected. They forged the names of
officers to certificates of election. They threw
out the votes Of precincts upoh afiidavits
tanned. Indeed, they themselves ordered
false affidavits to be made hundreds
OF miles nom fo have assn they
order that the decision might appear
justified, which they had in advance deter
mined to make. They arbitrarily threw out
votes where there was no preliminary state
ment from the commissioners of election to
give them jurisdiction: Iney corruptly, In
mistakes Of certain republicans in vot-
ing for the electors, added to the lists
While considering the case the members of
the board endeavored to enter into negotia-
tions with both the republican and democratic
half million dollars was the price asked, and
not obtaining II they tried to bargain with the
leading democrats of Louisiana to elect
q state ticket Of their party. j. Madison
Wells, with :he approval Of Thomas G. Ander-
son, offered 10 elect the Nichols state ticket
for 800 900 cash In hand. The money was not
paid, and negotiations were then renewed, IL
ever broken on, with the leaders of the repub-
lican party. The result was declared In its
favor. The chief conspirator, j. Madi-
Wells, admitted that he had been
paid by that organization for his
decision. In Florida the same frauds cnarac-
terized the returns, and the action Of the re-
turning board Votes Were thrown out with
the same disregard Of justice, besides in that
courts OF competent iurisdiction. and pro-
ceeded In the most defiant contempt Of ju-
dicial authority. In this manner