The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-01-10

"StrangerS, Without Official functions and that
sit would be a manifest interference with state
rights and local self government for persons
like ourselves, without official rights, TO at
tempt tc interfere with or control the actions
OF such tribunal. Angels and ministers OF
grace defend us! VIII wonders never cease?
John Sherman and his confederate republi-
cans preaching the gospel of state rights and
local self government in louisiana The
chief apostles of federal usurpation and the
Christianity of the bayonet striving TO hide
the villainies of republican returning board
under the mantle of Thomas JeffersonI The
sanctities of law invoked by the assassins of
stated Could anything be more sublimely i'm
pudent or more charmingly Satanic? These
emissaries of the president knew that the men
who proposed joint conference We're not
such idiots as to suppose il would possess any
official power over the legal functions of the
board. When Senator Sherman pre-
ten in the pettifogger. What we hoped from
the presence ana cooperative action of lead
ing republicans and democrats was the exer-
else of such moral influence over this
suspected tribunal as would secure publicity,
impartiality, and fairness in its methods of
canvaSsing the votes and ascertaining the re-
suit. Our purpose was unmistakable, and il
accorded perfectly with the declared wish OF
the president, that representative and fair
men of both parties" would visit Louisiana
ito see that the board of canvassers make
fair count of the vote actually cast" The
presence Of these republican leaders in New
Orleans In response TO the invitation OF their
chief, was clear recognition of the very
power which they afterwards disclaimed by
styling themselves strangers" with no right
TO control or influence any of the officers OF
the board as to the MANNER in which they
shall perform ministerial or political duties"
Fellow citizens, can any of you devine what
brought these gentlemen to New Orleans?
They recOil from the very thought of exercis-
ng amy " h boar % or Of M the
ceedings. Tney say they know of no reason
to doubt that Il would make a per-
ton of the results of the election.
And yet here were twenty-six "eminent citi-
zens" and christian statesmen" simultane-
Nfnr1w~ Loo Flnfw II
the call of the president, and attending the
sessions OF the returning board in successive
squads till its work was done. What is the
meaning of all this? They say they went as
witnesses, - but why go 50 far TO witness per-
Torrance that would undoubtedly be con-
Quoted with perfect honesty and fairness?
Why make long journey for the mere pur-
over which they could exercise neither Legal
control nor moral influence? These prOvOk-
ing questions are rendered all the more by
the singular fact that this formidable body of
witnesses" which the president detailed for
duty at New Orleans disobeyed their orders.
The private citizens and strangers whose in
nocent and useless mission was that of simple
spectators OF the doings Of the board,
failed even in that duty. They
were in the court room in which the board sat
while canvassing the returns and examining
the papers, but with rare and very slight eX-
ceptlonS they gave no more attention TO what
was going on and manifested no more interest
in the proceedings than If the whole affair had
related exclusively TO the denizens OF
another planet. Their confidence in
the board seemed to be so gushing
and unreserved that they peacefully resigned
themselves to their correspondence, their
newspapers, and their cigars, while the pres
ence ofa formidable military force in this city
to "see that the members of the board We're
unmolested in the performance of their du-
ties" was probably felt as Superadded
solace to their souls. They may have been
witnesses" to some OF the acts of the board,
but if so, il must have been at night in some
appointed gathering of the politically elect,
into which no friend of Tilden and Hendricks
could be admitted. Gentlemen, desire TO do
injustice TO no man. Unfounded suspicion is
mean and cowardly; but in the light of the
facts have stated again ask the question,
why did this remarkable troupe of political
partisans visit the state of Louisiana? Did
they go 10 see the orange groves and sugar
mills of the state, or the jetties of the Missis-
sippi? Was il trip of mere pleasure, or
private business, accidentally happening at
the time the returning board was in session?
Was the invitation OF the president utterly
without meaning2 II their mission was po-
litical, do you believe they went as an embassy
OF peace, putting party under their feet in the
overmastering desire to tranqullize the
public mind and enforce justice and
Cd they go as the hackers and accomplices
Of the returning board, in its conspiracy to
ni1ed tat h o1s @ o se
of Louisiana for the third time the precious
right of self-goyernment? Answer these ques-
tions for yourselves, after you have followed
me in the further development of my subject
THE VACANCY IN THE RETURNING BOARD
The board entered upon its regular duties on
the 10Th of November. Was il legally consti-
tuted7 The law creating Ii declares that IL
shall consist of five members, and that all the
sented. But there were but four members, and
these all republicans; and yet Senator Sher-
IN the shf
mean by so reckless statement? 1t is not de-
MED that the action of four members would be
as legal as that of the whole, so far as numbers
concerned:
ment that all political parties shall be repre-
sented on the board. This is just as binding as
the provision fixing the number of the body.
A board consisting of two members could not
act, because il would lack the numerical quail
composed exclusively of members of one po-
litical party lacks the political qualification
prescribed by the same law. The first duty of
the board, therefore, without which think it
was powerless to perform any other, was TO fill
the vacancy, which the law expressly author
lied and required 1t TO do. The counsel for the
democratic candidates formally asked for the
performance of this obvious and imperative
duty, suggesting the name OF most worthy
and well qualified man for the position; but
the board refused. 1t defiantly tram
pied under foot the two-foid command
to supply the political element which was
wanting. President Wells, 1.-The plain man"
who seems to be great favorite OF Senator
right to a member of the board by the resigna-
ton of Mr.. Arroyo, which think took place
year and half ago. He further said that
| the board had failed TO agree as TO the ap-
| pointment of the gentleman suggested, if
no other man could be found among the more
| than $1,000 democrats and conservatives of the
| state. He made the further pitiful plea, that
when this returning board was first Gre
ated there was no such organization
| as the democratic-conservative party in the
state, as If that fact could furnish the slight
est excuse for violating the law to-day:
This miserable drivel, by the side OF
which the worst forms of pettifogging
senate of the United shy Mr.. sherman
as q vindic@ion of the board; while in re-
cent debate in the house OF representatives,
Mr.. Hale, of Maine, sought to extricate Cover
nor Wells from his dispiciable dilemma by
saying that at its late session the board had Of
democrats, who successfully declined it.