The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-07-25
MORE THUNDER.

New Orleans, of the two black and
two white members of the late Re-
turning Board, through the presenta-
ton of the District Attorney, has
produced, and continues TO produces
the widest CONSERVATION in the land,
and more particularly in high con
tracing and social radical ranks.
AS the fraud was against the nation
at large, it is we'll that it should now
assume a national aspect and be the
long talk of all sections and in all
quarters. 1t has revived the whole
Presidential contest, and the bottom
facts which are now being proved
must in a few months upheave the
grandest rascality and premeditated
fraud of the past centennial years of
our Republic. Every day, every
hour, turn up of some Importance in
unmasking the grand bargain which
in Louisiana has lent its charms to
the dead monstrosity.
So widespread and terrific is this
new rage of the nation, that nearly
it's whole press and all its decent
statesmen, without regard to past
political tenets, are coming to the
front, with almost open confessions,
and demand the severest investiga-
ton and the fair and impartial pros
ecution of the members Of tie de-
funct and nearly damned Returning
Board. Our readers will elsewhere
see, and we hope read with atten
ton, the remarks Of the Philadelphia
Times, the leading Republican Jour
nal of Philadelphia, edited BY Col.
Mcclure, q gentleman Of the first
rank in educational endowments and
lately the Attorney General of that
State, and will perceive that he goes
even further than the Democratic
Journals of this State, and that he
feels the grand Importance Of the
coming trial, and that like all true
patriots he cries to US to 60 ahead.
But in this connection to justify
ourselves before our people we desire
to give them a few paragraphs from
another Pennsylvania paper, the
Pittsburgh Commercial, the ablest
Republican Journal in Western Penn
sylvania, an extreme party paper,
and the special organ of the Came
rons. In view of all these circum
stances the extracts below must
prove interesting and forboding
coming thunder:
The ontgivings, from various quar-
ter, if correctly reported, are not of an
assuring kind. President Hayes has
been reported as deprecating the move
ment, as involving a breach Of faith on
the part of Nichols and his supporters.
Nichols has been under pressure, and
anxious to prevent the indictment.
He speaks Of it as n violation of the
legislative agreement. Then Wells
comes along, not to say no is innocent
and ready to meet his trial, but that
unless others stand up he will let the
bottom out. Along with this comes
the report that if Wells and his col
leagues are convicted, Nichols will
pardon them if he dare. We pause III
the presence OF these strange, yet SIN
gularly harmonious reports to ask what
they mean. The surface Interpretation
is, that there was guilty COLLISION all
around in settling up the Louisiana
business. |. That Wells and Andor-
son, with their coadjntors, counted in
Hayes, in some illegal and fraudulent
manner, and left the evidence Of it in
a shape that the grand jury has found
the material on which to indict them.
2. That in the fx.up, through the
commission sent to Louisiana, all this
was taken into account, was clearly
understood, and was provided against
Nichols being made governor under
some arrangement whereby the mem
beers Of the returning board were to be
shielded from the consequences of
crimes of some sort. 3. That the
members of the returning board be
lieve themselves to have the power,
evidently through the possession OF
important secrets, to compel interter-
ence in their favor on the part of those
high in official authority. tits signif-
cant, in this connection, that Wells
peacefully holds his position as survey
or of the port at New Orleans, and
Nichols seems very comfortable over
the fact, and Hayes manifests nc
anxiety to disturb him. All this il
significant. We have no desire to put
an unfavorable construction on it, and
wait for further light; but as it stands
1t puts several parties high in officia
position in very bad light.
! We have honestly and steadily be
lieved that Hayes and Wheeler fairly
carried Louisiana on a proper count o
the vote, excluding the bulldozed dis
tricts. We have steadily believed tina
what were thrown out were not emit
tied to be received, but VIC also be
lieved that if Hayes aud Wheeler wer
electhd, Packard was, and his aban
donment put the suspicion Of fraud o.
the presidential count. We have new
er minced words about this, and on
belief today on that subject remain
entirely unchanged. Therefore tn
course now being pursued is the logiti
, mate outcome of the Louisiana settle
!, ment, whereby Nichols was put in til
gubernatOrial chair and Packard turn