Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-07-13
Returning Board Indictment.

The history Of the proceedings whiei
/ have eliminated in the Indictment ot th'
members of The Louisiana RetuTnn:
Beard will reflect but little credit upor
5fbose ~ whose INSTANCE the step has beer
80, Rymor attributes it to the ingen
;nns naIfgnity Of malcontents on botl
49, which is NOT irnprobable. There ar,
pe,ublcaus who imagine that charges sf
fecting the integrity of the board necesSa
riIv prejudice the title of the President
and they are not unwilling thus to annoy
and perhaps to weaken. one whose motives
they impugn and whose treatment Of 'n'
Southern question they detest. On th'
other hand. there are Democrats OF the III lire,
eating stripe who see in the BresiueiiC
action nothing for which the South should
Ia ,,raatf,,l, and who. moreover, make no
attemnt TO conceal their contempt Tor the
,,,,Ior,+s course pursued by Gov. Nichols
.;rca the recognition of his authority by the
cano,.I Government. 1t is understood
that the Governor disapproves of the in
dictment of Wells and his colleagues and
viii pardon them in the event of their con-
viction. The Democratic extremists, tits
said, have instituted the prosecution in an
ticipation of this result, and with a desire
to embarrass Nichols as well as pretext
for assaihng the Presidents position. The
move is not an evidence of good faith on
the part of the Democracy of Louisiana.
The declaration adopted by the Nichols
Senate was while the commission was
pushing its inquiries, that any attempt of
prosecution of individuals for the past
from any quarter, would be deprecated.
This was understood toapply to the mem
bers of the Returning Board. If convic-
tion should follow from a partisan tribu-
nal. it can have no political significa nee,
and will rise no higher than an effort to
crafty a spirit of wantonness and vexatIon.
It can carry no moral weight in or out of
the State, and, therefore, except for the
purpose Of annoyance, will be undeserving
Of consideration. Its only effect will be to
put sneers into the mouths of Republicans
hostile to the Presidents Southern policy,
and to intensity bitterness in a communi-
ty whose interests urgently require a cessa-
ton of political strife 1t is clear that if a
reasonable degree of harmony is ever to be
restored to Louisiana or other Southern
States who have had similar experience, a
spirit Of forbearance must be cultivated by
both parties. We see some reasons for be
lieving that as between the majority of the
Southern whites and the President, this
fact is distinctly acknowledged. The
President has acted upon it, and the
South generally is not likely to stand 81
lently by while the validity of the author
ity by virtue of which he acted is called in
question. Altogether, then, the indict-
ment seems to he as stupid as it is mali
cious. 1t may entail trouble upon Mr..
Wells and the other indicted persons, but
as a piece Of partisan maneuvering it
promises to be failure.
In anursery wherein aIlis life and laugh in
stead of crying and fretting there is sure to
be found DR., Bulls Baby Syrup. Price %
cents per bottle.
Gen. Grant celebrated the 4th by hold
ing a reception for Americans at the house
of Minister Pierpont, in London.