Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-01-11

THE SOUTH.


The rather cor vstive Redfield,
the correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial, under date December IS,
writes from the South, of the political
situation, as follows: .
THE LOUISIANA CASE.
| went To Louisiana inclined to the
belief that the Democrats had carried
that State by SO large majority that
whatever intimidation there might
have been would not account for it
that is, hat the majority Was larger
than the number of votes they had
gained by "bull-dozing." Yet 1 had
not the least partisan bias one way or
the other, and was only desirous to get
the exact truth to the reader, without
squealed. The result of my investiga
tiOns were that Louisiana is a Republi-
can State by from ten to eighteen
Thousand when the election is per 'ectly
free, lnli and fair--,hat is, on National
issues. But IN State ISSUES, although
Republican, the majority is small, and
might be overcome by perfectly fair
means. For instance, there are great
mauy colored men OF intelligence and
property in Louisiana, and it is of un-
common thing for them to vote with
the whites on local State issues.
But when it comes to the Presidency,
Hayes and Tilden for instance, am as
well satisfied that free, fair election
would give the State to Hayes, as am
that Pennsylvania is for Hayes. Yes,
in proportion to voting population.
Louisiana is more of Republican
State than Pennsylvania.
| wish there was some way to have
the election over again, with such pro-
lection and safeguards as would cause
every man to vote his honest senti'
ments. All would then be willing to
abide by the result, and would accept
the decision as final. so far as this Pres
ilential election in that State is con:
rned. Individually care very little
whether Hayes or Tilden goes in, but
have the keenest desire that whoever
does go in, shall be there fairly, and the
I framework of our Government not i'm
paired. a:l4i.5 fEs.is.J s-- l8 ha
While this is true, yet am eOnvinc
ed that Hayes is the man who is elect
ed. ] believe he would have carried
Vermont, if the election-and the con-
duct of the voters previous to the elec
tion--had been as fair in the former
State as In the latter. 5rs5r t1 -al.1
The five tsbull-dOzed" parishes were
carried by murder, wbippings, sintimi'
datiOn, and reign of terror There
were, during the campaign, in those
parishes, fully forty Republicans mur
dered. They were killed to intimidate
the rest and carry the election. These
parishes are mainly near the Missis.
sippi line, and the Mississippi plan was
carried into effect. Mark this, in every
parish where there were no murder
and intimidation of black, the Repub.
licans made gains-gain5 that would
have carried the State in triumph for
Hayes had the same per cent. held
good in the five bull-dozed parishes.
But, behold, in these five parishes
where there was a reign of terror the
Democrats made net gain of about
nine thousand. That is, they turned
the usual four thousand five hundred
Republican majority into Democratic
majority of about the same amount.
This is what gave the State to Tilden
on the face of the returns. Please keep
that in mind when rejecting about The
Louisiana case, and it will help sou to
see through the muddle at a glance.
The Associated Press has been indus
triously sending over the country the
testimony before the Democratic
House Committee, showing how this,
! that and the other Democratic darkey
was "threatened" by those CT his color,
for voting the Democratic ticket. But
you will observe that there was not a
single murder of a Democrat, whether
white or black, while in the parish OF
| Ouachita alone the rifle clubs killed q
dozen in the process of carrying the
rejection. In that parish there were
five armed rifle clubs, who rCde about
killing, wounding and whipping Re-
publicans, breaking up their meetings
and instituting reign Of terror fol
campaign purposes. The evidence /:
overwhelming. l doubted until
could doubt no longer. But did armed
bodies of organized black rifle clubs &c
about killing black Democrats anG
breaking up their meetings in Orleans
Parish or elsewhere? No. The sim
pie truth is there was not sufficient In
timidat .on of black. Democrats 10 make
any difference with the result; for
mind you, right in Orleans Parish
where the House Committee is finding
that so many black Democrats were
"threaiened," and which testimony
goes to the country daily by the Asso
ciated Press-right in that parish th'
Democrats made immense gains! Blu
in the five parishes where the Republi
cans were murdered, whipped and ter
rorized; the Republican vote fell oi
tremendously. In the East Feliciana
where they usually poll near tw,
thousand votes, there were hut tire
east! Now if the House Committe'
Can show any such falling off as this IL
the Democratic vote where the blacl
Democrats We're abused and ''threat
ened" by those of their own color, theI
will they make out "a fair case of set
off. .s ~. a..f &. .,.. n..Ii..
| l know the negro is natural ''in
tiinidator." They are more proscrip
tive and intolerant toward one of thei
race who acts with the Democrats, thar
are the whites. If they dared, the,
would make short work of what few
black Democrats there are in th
South. But there are so very few @
this class that, should the black Radi
Gals kill them all ii would make littl
difference with the general result.
But ii ia of Louisiana alone that W
4 ora Snna L inu The aasa thora Ia n m