Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1877-03-17
Democratic National Address.
WASHINGTON, March 5th.

ative, held on the Sd of March, 1877,
in the Hall of the House, the fol.
lowing address was unanimously
adopted:
To THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: We sub
NIT to the country the following re-
view Of the events which have re-
suited in the declaration that r. B.
Hayes has been elected President OF
the United States. In the last polit-
ical canvass two important facts
stood out very prominently:
First-The Republican party, true
to its sectional nature, sought to
unity the North against the solid
South, and while engaged in that
effort, it was striving to make good
its probable losses in the North by
dividing the votes of the South.
This division it sought to effect by
on unconstitutional use of the army
in South Carolina, Florida and
Louisiana.
Second-Troops were sent to those
States when there was neither inva-
sion nor domestic insurrection to re-
quire them. With legislatures easily
to be convened, the only demand for
their presence was made by the State
executive. The elections in these
States, therefore, were held in the
shadow of military power. The bay
onets glistened at the polls in de-
posting their ballots. They only
enjoyed such liberty as the army
permitted. In other States the cleo
ton was unusually peaceful. I'M
mediately afterwards the result show
ed that 196 Tilden electors had been
chosen. Of the popular vote they
received majority of more than one
quarter of million, and of that of
the Caucassion race, which controls
every other Christian and civilized
government of the world, they re-
ceived majority of more than one
million. On the day succeeding the
election it was announced by the
chairman of the National Republican
Committee that 1874 Tilden and 1856
Hayes electors had been chosen.
Nothing had been learned of the
election except the vote actually cast.
1t has never since been disputed that,
by the vote, the majority of Tilden
electors had been appointed. Such
announcement, therefore, could only
have been made in pursuance of ar
rangement to change the vote shown
to have been given by the people.
We charge that after the true result
had been proclaimed conspiracy
was formed by the Republican lead
ers to reverse the decision made al
the polls. The field chosen for the
developement of the conspiracy was
the State of Florida an1 Louisiana.
The persons to aof as the original
conspirators were the movers and
members of the returning boards of
these. States. The field was we'll
chosen. For more than ten years
these States have been subjected to
governments not of their choice,
Taxations and administrations had
robbed them of their substance and
well nigh destroyed their spirit and
hope. The army of the United
States had been freely used to main
tain these governments in their acts
of corruption and usurpation. It
was believed its services would aid
in the designed conspiracy. The
names of the officers depended upon
are Morcelles L. Stearns, Samuel B.
McLinn and Clayton A. Cowgirl of
Florida, and VIM. Pitt Kellogg, j.
Madison Wells, Thos. B. Anderson,
E. Casanave and j. B. Ksnner of
Louisiana. These men were not
strangers to the American people.
They had before usurped authority.
The returning boards of those States
had made themselves bywords in the
land. The Governors we're known
to be pretenders. If there were
names Dishonest in general estima-
ton they were names of VIM. Pitt
Kellogg and J. Madison Wells. To
such men was the work of consum-
mating the conspiracy confded.
They entered upon their task with
alacrity, advised and encouraged by
leading Republican statesmen of the
North. They took each step with
deliberation and apparent regard for
law. Before the election in Louis
lana, William Pitt Kellogg and his
subordinates, assumed exclusive con-
troll 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
day of election, the polls were man
aged by officials appointed by the
Governor. They were in nearly every
instance, members Of the Republi-
cna party. United States marshals
swarmed atevery precinct, whenitwas
thought necessary, under pretence
of preserving the peace, but in fact
to intimidate voters. The ballot
boxes were stuffed in the interests OF
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