The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1877-02-03

A REPUBLICAN NEWSPAPER on TIL
SITUATION.
NO CONFIDENCE TO DE TLACEi, N tn,
RETURNING BOARD OR IT'S pBCislOS
IN. t.J'ibunc.
The Packard government inherit
the product of eight years of frau,
and perjury. From 1863 up to las
November there had never been a,
election in Louisiana in which tn,
number of the ballots governed til,
verdict Of the canvasscrs. Rcpeatcd
", "a ali impartial observers knows
the Democrats polled a majority y
the votes, but the declaration of til.
Returning Board always gave tho
i, victory to their opponents. These
proceedings have been several times
brought befo'e Congress ; Rcpublica,
committees Of invcstiS cation have re.
ported against the wrongs committed
in behalf Of their own party, and nc
politician Of prominence, even in
times of great pa, tisau excitement,
has ever defended them. 4 KrEub.
lican Senate has steadily refused to
admit Pinchback because admitting
him involved the recognition. of an
usurping government and kcpub-
lican members of the lIbuse, includ.
Ing the Vice. Ples!Icnt. elect, Mr..
Wheeler, reported, after investigating
the action Of the Returning Board at
the election of 1871, that it was ell
titled to no respect whatever.
That board was precisely the same
which has now given certificates to
Mr.. Packard and bis associates-pre-
cisciy the same, except that the one
Democratic member, who sat in it us
witness of wrongs which hc could
not prevent, has resigned and his
place has not been filed. Is it any
wonder that its decisions should be
scrutinizcd with suspicion, and that
the country should refuse to accept
its statements of fact until they have
been verified by ontside Testimony
Nay, We may 90 further it is very
surprising that the Democrats OF
Louisiana should refuse to BE bound
by judgment which past expert
ence might justify them in regarding
as dishonest ?-shoitld apply to the
Returning Board IN 1876 the words
which Mr.. Wheelbr's committee APP
piled to the same board in 1873, and
declare its proceedings entitled to no
respect whatever The greatest
consequences depending upon the ac-
ton OF tile board this year have only
made the country less willing to trust
it, Committees of the Senate and
House of Representatives, and cor.
respondents of the Tribune and some
other independent papers, have dis
closed great many important facts
conpect3d with the recent election;
and have proved that III some eases
at least tho board did no moro than
its duty in excluding returns; but
the word of the board itself counts
tor nothing with any intelligent man:
A few years ago, however, the rem
edy would have been easy. There
has been more than one OCCASION
within the past four years when ut a
word from the President, or the pas
sing of q simple resolution in tile
Senate, tie whole fabric of fraud
would have crumbled to pieces. But
the President was rcrverse and the
Senate was purplind. Gen. Grant
propped MP tho Returning Board with
swords and bayonets, and broke up il
lawful Legislature by military force
while the Senate, admitting that the
condition of Louisiana was 4 scandal
calling for interference, had not the
foresight to perceive how it could
benefit the Republican party by
prompt action. Nobody now doabts
that If the Washington Adm;nistra-
ton had done its duty when Mr.. Car
penter made. his celebrated report, or
even when the rival Legislatures met
at New Orleans in 1875, Louisiana to.
day would be at peace, aud tho elec-
ton of 1875 would ba5e been snb-
stantially fair and free: 1t is not at
all improbable that Gov. Hayes in that
event would have received the elect.
oral vote of the State untarnished by
any suspicious of fraud or irregular
ity; for in Louisiana as well as in
other Southern States Of late years 4
large party among the whites have
been ready to support any Republi.
can candidate for the Presidency who
would give them a chance to admin
lister decently their own affairs.