Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-03-14
THE DEMOCRATIC ADDRESS.
A PROTEST AGAINST THE DECLA-
RATION OF THE ELECTION
OF HAYES.
THE CHARGES OF REPUBLICAN
CONSPIRACY AND CORRUPTION
SUBSTANTIATED.

SUBSTANIlAIED.
WASHINGTON, MARCH 4.-The following
is the address adopted by the Democratic
members of the House of Representatives
at the caucus held Saturday evening,
March 3, in the hall of the House:
To the american People,:
We submit to the country the following
review of the events which have resulted
in the declaration that Rutherford Is.
HAYES has been elected President Of the
United States. In the late political can
vass two facts stood out prominently
first, the Republican party, true TO its
sectional nature, sought to unlIy the
North against the "solid South; ana
while engaged in that effort il was striv-
ing to make good its probable losses IN
the North by dividing the votes in the
South This division it sought to effect
by an unconstitutional use OF the army in
South Carolina, Louisiana and Florida.
Second, the troops were sent to those
States when there was neither Invasion
nor domestic inSurrection to require them.
With the Legislatures easily to be con-
vened, the only demand for their presence
was by the State Executive. The cleo
tions in these States, therefore, were held
in the shadow of military power. The
bayonets glistencd at the polls. In de-
posting their ballots the citizens enjoyed
only such liberty as the army permitted
In the other States the elections were un-
usually peaceful. Immediately afterwards
the result showed that 1876 Tilden electors
II &n1 hn tkrh
vote they received Il majority OF more thah
a quarter Of million, and OF that or the
Caucasian race, which controls every 9th
er Christian and civilized government OF
the world, they received majority OF
more than one million. On the day sue
ceding the election It was announced by
the Chairman of the Republican National
Committee that 1S4 Tilden and lS5 Hayes
electors had been chosen. Nothing had
then been learned Of the election except
ing the vote actually cast. 1t has never
since been disputed that by that vote a
majority of Tilden electors had been ap-
poiuted. Such an announcement, there
fore, could only have been made IN pursu-
ance of an arrangement to change the
vote shown to have been given by the
people.
We charge that after the true result had
been proclaimed, q conspiracy was form
ed by the Republican leaders to reverse
the decision made at the polls. The teld
chosen for the development ofthc consplr'
acv was the States Of Florida and Loulsl-
ana. The persons to act with the orlgl.
nal conspirators were the Governors ahC
members of the returning boards fthost
States. The field was well chosen, ano
the State officers selected were suitable
persops for the work to he done. FOL
more than ten years those States had beer
subjected to governments not OF thcll
choice. Taxation and maladministratloi
had robbed them Of their substance anC
well nigh destroyed their spirit and nope
, The army of the United States had ocel
freely used to maintain those governments
in their acts Of corruption and usurpatlon
II was believed that Its services would al(
in the designed conspiracy. The names
of tie officers depended upon are Marcel
,lus L. Stearns, Samuel B. Mcl.inn an(
CLAYTON A. Cowgirl, of Florida; and WIN
Pitt Kellogg, J. Madison Wells, Thos. B
+ Anderson, L. Casenave and j. b. kenner
of Louisiana. These men were not strah
gers to the American people. They hat
before usurped authority. The returning
= boards of those States had made them'
selves bywords in the land. The GoVeru
) ors were known to be prctcnuers.
there were two names dishOl ored IN gen
eral estimation they were the names o
: VIM. Pitt Kellogg and j. Madison wells
TO such men was the work of consumma
: |
tered upon their task with alacrlty, al
vised and encouraged by leading WISH
ing Republican statesmen or the North
= They took each step with dellboratlor
and apparent regard for law. Before th'
: election in Louisiana VIM. Pitt Kellogg
! and his subordinateS assumed exclusive
control of the execution OF lhn Reglstr.
) law. They refused registration TO thous
: apds entitled to it and added thousand
to the lists who had no right to vote. VI
. the day of election the polls were man
: aged by officials appointed by the Govern
!, or. These were in nearly every nstuhc
= members of the Republican party. ohite
e States marshalS swarmed at every pre-
cinct when thought necessary under pre-
tense of preserving'thc peace. but Ill lac
to jntimidate voters. Ballot'boXes Wer
stuffed in the interest OF the Repuolica
candidates. Poll-books were talSl1ed l
L some instances and then returned to tn
@ Canvassing Board, while in other case
returns giving Democratic maJorltle
V were withheld rom the canVaSserS aito
:. gether After the returns had been ae
livered to the board they remained III II
IL exclusive possession, and while they Wer
q opeued with it's consent and the orlglni
pnpcrs distracted and false ones subst
G tuted in their stead. When the return
q were opened the board, with an appear
ance of fairness, permitted persons repre-
senting both parties to be present, Dt
F. when the decision was to be made as
what should be counted secret session
ID were held from which every Democrf
e was excluded, although the law conStltu
ing the board required it should be con
= posed of representatives of both politics
II parties. In counting the votes 1t eXercE
ed powers not conferred by the statute
: and in the most fragrant disregard
h truth and Justice the members ofthe boal
changed poll-books, so that Republlca
10 officers appeared to be chosen where the
It opponents had, in fact, been elected
1Hey loTSeu VIC hAhies VI .
votes of precincts upon alfidavlts Whie
,s they knew had been fraudulently oosa,
, ed indeed, they themselves ordered Iais
= aflidavits to be made hundreds OF mii
+ from the places at which they purport'
no to have been taken, in order that deel
% ion might appear justified which they nj
er in advance determined to- make. I'M
a. arbitrarily threw out votes where the
was no preliminary statement from u
ID Commissioners of Election to give the
al Jurisdiction. They corruptly, in order
elect favorites and to correct the M
OF takes of certain Republicans in voting
le electors, added to the list votes whi
had never been cast. While conslderi'
at the case members Of the board endeavo
cd to enter into negotiations with DO