The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-03-08
To THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
Address of the Democratic National
COMMITTEES.
To The American People:


South, and while engaged in that effort was
striving to make good its probable loss in the
North by dividing the votes OF the South.
This division it sought to effect, by an uncon-
stitutionAl use of the army in South Carolina,
Florida and Louisiana Second, troops were
sent to those State when there was
neither invasion nor domestic insurrec-
ton to require them, with legislatures
easily to be convened. The only demand for
their presence was made by the state Execu-
tive. The election in these states, therefore,
wse held in the shadow Of military power: the
bayonets glistened at the polls. In depositing
their ballots the citizens enjoyed only such
liberty as the army permitted. LII other states
elections were unusually peaceful 1mmedi-
ately afterwards the result showed one hun
dred and ninety-six TIlden electors had been
chosen. or the whole popular vote they re-
ceived a ma iority Of more than quarter of a
million and Of that Caucasian race which con-
trolls every other Christian and civilized gov
eminent of the world they received a majority
OF more than one million. On the day sue
ceedng the election it was announced, by the
Chairman Of the Nationsl Republican Commit
tee. that 184 Tilden and 1S5 Hayes electors
had been chosen. Nothing had then been
learned OF the election executing the vote
astually cast. 1t has never yet teen disputed
that by that vote q majority Of 1ilden
electors had been appointed Such an 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-
suit had been proclaimed a conspiracy was
formed by Republican leaders to reverse the
decision made at the polls. The field chosen
for the development OF this conspiracy was the
states of Florida and Louisiana. The persons
TO act with the original conspirators were the
Governor and members of the Returning
Boards Of those states The field was well
chosen the state officers selected were suita-
BILE persons for the work TO be done. For
more than ten years those states had been
subjected to governments not Of their choice;
taxation and INSTRUMENTATION had robbed
them OF their substance and we'll nigh des-
.royed their spirit and hope. The army of the
United States had been freely used to main
tain those governments in their acts Of cor
ruption and usurpation. 1t was believ-
cd it's services would aid in the de-
signed conspiracy. The names OF off
GERS depended upon are Marcsllus l..
Stearns, Samuel 3. McLinp, and Clayton
b. Cowgirl, of Florida. and VIM. Pitt Kellogg,
j. Madison Wells, Thos. Anderson, E. Cas-
sanave, and j. b, Kenner, CT Louisiana.
These men we're not strangers TO the Ameri-
can people. They had before unsurped au-
thority, The Returning Boards of these
states had made themselves bywords of the
land. The governors were known to be
pretenders. II there are two names dIshon-
o.ed in general estimation they were the
names OF VIM. u. Kellogg and j. Madison
summating the conspiracy confded They
entered upon the task with alacrity, advised
and encouraged by leading visiting Repub
lioan statesmen of the North, they took each
step with deliberation and an apparent regard
FOR law. Before the elecuOnla Louisiana VIM.
Pitt Kellogg and his subordinates assumed
exclusive control OF the execution OF the
registry law. They refused registration to
thousands entitled to it, and added thousands
to the lists who had no right to vote. On the
d. ,f eli l1a
officials appointed by the Governor. These
were in nearly every instance members
OF the Republican party. United States
marshals swarmed at every precinct, when
thought necessary, under pretense OF pre-
serving peace, but in fact to intimldate voters.
Ballot boxes we're stuffed in the interest Of
the Republican, candidates, poll books were
fasitied in some instances, and then returned
to the sanvassing board, while in other cases
returns giving Democratic majorities
withheld from canyassers altogether. After
the returns had been delivered to the board
they remained in its exclusive possession, and
while there they were opened with its consent,
and original papers distracted and false ones
substituted in their stead. When the returns
were opened the board, with an appearance of
fairness permitted persons representing both
parties to be present, but when the decision
was made az to what should be counted secret
sessions were held, from which every Demo
crat was excluded, although the law consti-
tuting the board required that it should be
composed OF representatives Of both polti-
cal parties; in countin g the votes it
exercised powers not conferred by
the statute, and in most flag
rant disregard of truth and justice,
the members OF the board changed the poll
books go that Republican officers appeared to
be chosen when their opponents had IN fact
been elected. They forged the name of Off
GERS to certificates of election. They threw
out votes Of precincts upon affdsvits which
they knew had been fraudulently returned
indeed, they themselves ordered false afida-
vita to be made hundreds of miles from the
places at which they were purported to have
been taken in order that the decision might
appear justified, which they had in advance
determined to make They arbitral lily threw
out votes where there no preliminary
statement from the Commissioners of Election
to give them jurisdiction. They corruptly, In
order to elect favorites, and to correct mistakes
of certain Republicans In voting for
electors, added to lists which had
never been cast. While considering
the ease, the members of the board
eDdeavored to enter into negotiations with
both the Republican and Democratic National
Committees TO sell their decision. Half d
million OF dollars was the price asked; not OBJ
tanning it, they tried 10 bargain with leading
Democrats of Louisiana to elect the state ticket
of their party. J. Madison Wells. with the
approval of Thomas Anderson, offered to elect
the Nichols state ticket for $500, 900 cash in
hand. The money was hot paid. Negotiations
were then renewed, II ever broken of, with
the leaders OF the Republican party. The re-
suit Was declared in it's favor The chief con-
spirator, j. Madison Wells admitted that he
had been paid by that organization for his
dec sion.
In Florida, the same frauds characterized
the returns and the action of the Returning
Board Votes were thrown out with the same
disregard Of Justice. Besides, in that state it
M rd he NJ Of
petent jurisdiction, and proceeded in the most
defiant contempt Of judicial authority. In
this manner more than one Thousand Tilden
votes were thrown out in Florida and more
than ten thousand in Louisiana. Votes of
those states, an consequence OF conspiracy.
which in fact had been cast for T1den, were
given to Hayes. The only excuse for this
outrageous reversal Of the Judgment OF the
people Is that Intimidation had been prscticed
by the whites against the blacks, where the
votes were thrown out. Whether this intlmida-
ton compelled some persons TO vote against
their will or prevented some from attending the
polls, it afforded in either case no justifics-
ton for the deliberate rejection OF ballots by
returning boards. But the statute Of Louisi-
ana only authorized proof OF intimidation IN
cases where charges OF violence were made IN
writing by Commissioners of Elec ions on the
day when the election was held. These
charges were to be enclosed to the board in
envelopes containing returns. In few cases
rest evidence was received without proper
foundation having boon laid. The evidence
received consisted in the main OF sfidavits
written out by clerks and employees Of the
returning board, without ever having been
seen by the persons pursorting to verify them,
or the officers purporting to certify to them.
There was therefore no adequate proof OF in
timidation.
1t may be remarked here that the tempta-
ton 70 kellogg and his returning board was
very great to manufacture cases Of intinids--
tion for it was only in them that the Demo-
cratic majority could be overthrowu and the
conspiracy be successful.
We should not fsil to call the attention of
tie people to the dangerous effect OF intimi-
dstion In politics. 1t disqualites from voting
not only the parties TO the act OF intimidation,
but all those who have voted st the same pre-
cinct with them. Two persons may conclude
to make case OF intimidation and thereby
csnse parish casting thousand votes TO be
rejected. IL makes elections farce; il takes
power from the people to rect in returning
boards; 1t enables the latter TO impose the