New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-30

4 AeAANAAASSN 1890
employers Rs they were regardless OF the
penalties OF false swearing, saved them
selves the tTouble of examination BY max
ing afidavitsa against every name that was
given them as not residing where regis
tered. This crowded Judge SOath-
worth's eourtzsom, and out OF hundreds
of cases there were not more than q
dozen convictions, though all appeared
The matter became disgusting even
to Democratic counsel, who threatened
to refuse to try more of such
frivolous cases aased on Palpable per-
juries. 1t was matter of Indifference to
the Democratic managers whether the
cases were tried or not. Their object was
species of intimidation, one of the few
that was ventured on in the city. By
means of it the colores peoplelhad become
aware, as was desired, that the name Of
every one who registered would I've given
to Democrat, who would visit his home,
and, with pretended authority, imperti
,neHIly question his family, cause his ar
rest If possible, and hold the probability
of.a.Ghallenge at the polls over him. With
the daily news ofmurder of Republicans in
the country parishes this was expected TO
be sufficient to deter hundreds of colored
people, easily influenced by such means,
from registering or voting. No opposition
to payment of legal fees in these cases has
been made.
But the officers of registration were as
determined as Democrats that it should
be thoroughly revised. At the head of
the bureau was Hon. Michael Hahn,
whose personal character and political
integrity none dare question. When the
registration was completed the same
means Of questioning it as employed by
Democrats, that of inquiry at each house,
was adopted, but with this difference:
Instead of sending two partisans to
trouble and alarm the residents, circu-
lar---the sewing machine circular-was
sent to each. A blank envelope would
not have answered the purpose, for the
simple reason that it would have caused
immediate Democratic notice to be
given to all people to receive all
letters the postman brought, no mat
ter whether the party lived there
or not. The circular postponed detection
long enough for all to be delivered or re-
turned. The infamous notice, so signif-
cant of fraud, was then given, but too
late to affect its purpose. Twenty-one
thousand were sent out, and nearly two
thirds returned If Democratic hands
had controlled the election machinery,
this would have been evidence enough to
erase every Republican vote. But those
returned were subjected to second test
Of visit by the police, and the number
was still further reduced, omissions by
letter carriers being thus corrected.
Even this was not deemed sufficient,
and afidavits we're then made by the
officers, and the marshal's deputies
put to work in the search for legiti-
mate voters For the first time the
Democratic managers came forward in
aid of the law. They published at their
own expense the docket of the court as a
notice to all Democrats to come up and
prove the legality of their registration pa
pers if they could. About thirteen hun
dred succeeded in doing this. There re-
manned about seven thousand white and
three thousand colored fraudulent regis
tration papers. in existence, and the names
were properly designated that voting on
them might be prevented. In all fright
and Justice" not one should have been
used, but Governor Kellogg, in Difference
to the cutlery of the disappointed perjur-
ers, but in defiance of law, permitted the
votes TO be taken "under protest, and
some sixteen hundred fraudulent votes
were cast. This fact proved in any other
State would invalidate an election, and it
can be proved. With the exception of a
few polls, however, the Returning Board
allowed the parish Of Orleans to stand.
Every step in this proceeding is sanc-
toned by law and justice. II is the duty
Of the registrar TO use every endeavor to
keep the registration perfect. The ex-
pense incurred for the circulars and post
age was certainly legitimate one Of his
Office. The sending Of them has
been violently denounced by Democrats
as ''using the postofice for political pur-
poses. But, under the law, how was it
possible for the department to refuse to
receive them, or for the letter carriers to
refuse to deliver or return them? The use
Of the police as canvassers is denounced
by Democrats in the same terms But
under the law election matters arc put
especially in their charge. The drag
ging Of citizens 10 court was also de-
nounced BY Democrats, but the service BY
the marshals was compulsory on them,
and except in an aggravated case no one
was locked up. The Democrats forget Al
this time that they. On less grounds, Lad
had 200 colored voters arrested, ani
had as many thousand afidavits pre-
pared for service, but feared TO us
them, the PERJURY being too palpable. Al
a matter Of statistics. the afiaavits mad,
b. Democmts weks sworn to on the aver
ags of nearly 1850 10 each afaant and Q
Us $50 tried thirty-one were convicted
/ TIE saaIallaIion officers eanssd 8223 wal