The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-07-13


bricks determined that the record of the ap-
pointment made by the people should be mu-
| tilated and changed so as to make it appear
as if electors for Hayes aud Wheeler had
been chosen. They pretended to believe that
violence and intimidation had frightened the
African Hayes men from the polls, and that
their cowardice ought to be visited, in the
form of disfranchisement, on the heads of
others who had ntrepidity enough to perform
their political duty. The allegation was ut
terly false. 1t was not only without evidence
to sustain it, but in the face of overwhelming
proof to the contrary. All the places of reg
istration and voting were guarded by the
creatures Of the Federal and State administra
tious, superintendents, commissioners, deputy
marshals, and soldiers, and all of these said
that the elections were peaccable and free.
Indeed, it is literally impossible that any in
timidation or violence could have been prac-
tised. No sensible person ever gave credit to
it for a moment. Notwithstanding much
mental anxiety about the result, various rea-
sons combined to make the election in Louis
lana probably the most quiet and undsturbed
in the Union.
THE CHARACTER OF ITS MEMBERS.
The personnel of the board justified the
faith of the carpet-baggers and their allies.
If the evidence concerning its members be
rightly reported by the investigating COM
mittee, they were marked out by the history
of their previous lives, noted and signed to
do any deed of shame which might be re-
CURED at their hands Wells was Custom
| House officer at New Orleans, and one of
the worst of that bad lot a detaulter to the
State of long standing, without character for
integrity or veracity, and for thirty years re-
garded as unworthy to be trusted. Ander-
son character for honesty was equally bad;
he had earned it in part by aiding while he
was Senator to put up a fraudulent job
upon the State, and taking the iniquitous
proceeds to himself OF the two mulatt0es,
one was indicted for larceny, and, after ad-
mitting his guilt, was allowed to escape pun
ishment, and promptly taken into the board
The other was too ignorant to know his
duty, but his testimony showed such indif.
ference to the obligations of an oath that he
was deemed as safe for the carpet baggers as
either of his colleagues.
They comprehended the situation, saw
the difficulty of the work before them, ant
resolved to make it pay in something better
than mere promises of recognition" how
ever generous and ample" Wells, whc
was their spokesman in private as in public
wrote in strict confidence to carpet-bal
Senator then at Washington letter whicl
being condensed into plain English, mean
this There's millions in it. See on
friends and act promptly. Buy us imme
diately or we will sell out to the other side
Talk freely to the gentleman who present
this he knows the moves" To the beare
of the letter he explained that it was yer.
hard work to count in the Republican can
didate-the Democratic majority was to,
large to handle-he wanted to serve his par
ty, but he would not take this job withou
compensation; he must have "s2OO,OOI
apiece for himself and Anderson, and 4,
smaller sum for the niggers." On this basi
he authorized his ambassador at Washing
ton to negotiate with the Republican man
ayers. At the same time he was offering
himself at New Orleans to the Democrats
at first for half million, but afterward pro
posed that he would leave in enough vote
to elect Mr.. Nichols democratic candi
date for Governor) if 100000 cash wer
first placed in his hands.
| THEIR VIOLATIONS OF THE STATUTE.
The action of the returning officers il
this whole business was unsupported by lie
gal authority. The Legislature of the Stat
did not, because it could not, give then
power to disfranchise qualified electors
They lacked, therefore, the general jurisdic
ton which they assumed. But that is no
all; they proceeded in the very teeth evel
of the void statute which they professed t.
follow. That statute pretends to give then
no such authority as they exercised, owe
any return to which a protest or statemen
or charge of intimidation is not attaches
when it is sent in by the Supervisor of Reg
istraton or the Commissioner of Election
and the charge so attached to the returl
must be supported by the atiidavts of thre
citizens of the proper parish.
Wanting this, the board was absolutel
without the pretence OF power to touch tn
return from any parish or polling place, eS
cept for the purpose of compiling it and al
ding it as true to the others. BY the cleo
ton law of Louisiana the board has no nor
authority to examine or decide questio
of intimidation which is not raised by tn
election officers than a private individua
would have to steal it from the records an
burn it. So stands the law. The fact
established by conclusive evidence that froI
every one of the Democratic parishes the r,
turns came up without any charge ,statemer
or protest In all those cases they wei
therefore without color of jurisdiction.
FORGING AFFIDAvITs AND RETURNS.
But the conspirators could not afford [
be baked of their game by the failure
the local officers to make false charge
intimidation. These votes must be excl,
ded per tas dm nefas, and the Returnin
Board must do it that was what the boar
was made for, The returning officers wei
upon the principal ant asveniam am tacia0
They made the protests which they cou
not find ailidavits which no creature in Il
parishes was base enough to back with h
oath were fabricated in the Custom Hous
and used by the board with full know
edge that they were mere counteriets. III
exclusion of returns on the ground of intir
idation was i'll every case dishonest, for
none was there particle of evidence to ju
tify it. When nothing else would serve Il
purpose they did not scruple resort
plain forgery. OF the return from Vern,
parish every figure on the whole bro