The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-02-11
THOSE REPORTS.
Made to the House by Its Louisiana
Committee.


DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY REPORT.
Washington, Feb. 10.-The House
special committee en- Louisiana affairs
made II report yesterday, in the course
of which they say:
In the late canvass the policies pur-
sued by the two parties were essentially
different. The Republicans don't APP
pear tn have made any strenuouseffOrts
to maintain order and secure a peaceful
election, while the Democrats, not >ole-
ly it is believed OH the part of all OF
them because of their love of order, but
for prudent reas ous also, knowing that
any violence or disturbance would he
seized on as a pretext for reversing the
action of the people at the polls, did
counsel the preservation of peace and
the observance of law, as on sue l a
course could they only llope ~ succeed.
The interests of the Republican party
lay in the duration of disturbance and
violence, and the past history of that
organization in Louisiana assures US OF
its readiness to consult its advantage
without scruple as to the means to be
employed. The committee conceive
that the means by which a large num-
Der of colored votes were secured for the
Democratic ticket at the late election
were not such as can b rigl tfdlly or le-
gally characterize as Intimidation.
| They were. wien stripped of the false
presentation made of them 10y the knav-
cry of those WHO are to profit ly the
success of their scheme, 10 more than
such us are RI sorted to in all cities and
States of this Union, at every election
in which large public Interest is elicit
ed. Conceding for the returning board
/ all the judicial dignity claimed for it by
| admirers of unparalleled iniquities, it
can't be denied that in order to give
validity and effect to its decision, that
| where it has attempted to throw out
and reject returns from polls, the juris-
| dictional fact required by the statute
must afirmatively appear, and unless
that fact does SO appear, its action in
the case was without jurisdiction and
OIL its face null and void.
REPUBLICAN MINORITY REPORT.
Washington. Feb. 10.-Representa-
tives Hurlbut, Townsend, Danford,
CT 70 and Joyce have made their mi
! nority report in the Louisiana investi-
CATION, concluding as follows:
For the first time in the history of
this country it has been attempted to
destroy the lawful expression of a State
in an election for President by assum-
ing the power in the House of Re, r sem
t.tivess to examine lit any ~ II
polls and to purge an election; to make
itself Il r, turning Uoafu anu 4. L>.u... Z
by "a partisan vote What Louisiana
ought to have done. We regard it as a
most fatal attack attempted upon c m
stitutional right; as a gross usurpation
of power: as sutjecting the entire
question Of the election of President to
the will or decision of the House of
Repi esentatives. What has been at
tempted by this Democratic House in
Louisiana. may be done on the same
principle by some other dominant party
in another State whose vote may be in
the way of their patty candidate. The
cry of fraud is quickly raised, aud is
readily repeated, and far too easily be-
lieved. Evidence is always ready to
support that or any other charge, if
great political advantage is to be gain
ed. The only way to preserve the just
balances of power is to stand ,ly and
support the formal, deliberate and law
full decisions of tribunals, constituted
for the purpose, ordained under the
constitution by the highest State au-
thority by laws which have been
pounded and sustained by proper Su-
preme courts. Any other course Is to
-snbst tute guess work for a legitimate
decision; the rule of the mob for the
orderly processes of law. Passion and
prejudice will wear themselves out in
time: the rash assertions Of party p ess-
es will pass from mems minds, and then
the case Of louisiana win perhaps 10