The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-02-08
THE LOUISIANA EAsCALS.
Some Republican Testimony.

The Cincinnati Enquirer says: OF
course the Republicans are denying it.
They are defending the Louisiana Re-
turning Board with vehement devo-
tion. The fact nevertheless stares the
country in the face, that the Board did
count out nearly ten thousand votes
for Tilden electors, and the testimony
is still uncontradicted that Wells said
he was anxious to count the State for
Hayes, but he couldn't take the risk
without pay. Mr.. Hoar, of the Elect
oral Commission, will do well to re-
member his opinion of this Returning
Board in 1874. The Congressional In
vestigating Committee on Afsirs in
Louisiana, on tho 18th of January,
1875, presented a report to the House.
Mr.. Hoar, Chairman, made the report
1t was a Republican Committee of
course. A few extracts from the re-
port may be interesting: Your Com
mittee are, therefore constrained to
declare that the action of the Return
ing Board In the rejection of these re-
turns in the Parish of Rapides, and
giving the seats for that parish to the
Republican candidates, was arbitrary,
unfair, and without warrant of law.
Without now referring TO
other instances, we are constrained to
declare that the sction of The Return
ing Board, on the whole, was arbitra-
ry. unjust, and in our opinion. illegal !;
and that this arbitrary, unjust, and H.
legal acIion alone prevented the re-
turn of a majority of the Conservative
members to the Lower House.
No general intimidation OF Republi-
can voters was established. No col
ored man was produced who had been
threatened or assaulted by any Con-
servative because of political opinion
or discharged from employment, or
refused employment. OF all who tes-
titled to intimidation there was hard
ly any one who. of his own knowl-
edge, could specify a reliable instance
of such acts, aud of the white men
who were produced TO testify general
lyon such subjects, being nearly all,
if not every single one, was the holder
of an Office On the other
hand, it was in evidence that the blacks
who sought TO act with the Conserva-
tive party, were, Oh their part, some
Oh
In the interior one colored man was
shot for making Conservative speech
and in New Orleans it appeared from
the testimony that coiored men who
sought 10 cooperate with The Con-
serva;iyes were subject 10 so much
abuse from The police and otherwise
teered to protect them, but with lit
tie effect. But the reduction
of wages, the non-tulfillment of per-
sonal and political pledges, the NAL
feasnce of home and local officials,
disputes among leading colored per-
sons in other localities, of the loss and
CtuOt LLlCHCbt NaSCo vi
the echool funds, and the failure CT
the Freedmen's Bank-all combined
to divide the views of colored voters
during the late campaign.
Indeed, it is conceded by all parties
that the Kellogg Government is only
upheld by the Federal military. With
draw the military and that Govern
ment will go down"
This is Republican testimony con-
corning Republican Louisiana and the
Wells Returning Board in lS74-75.
The ofense OF the Returning Board
then consisted in counting cut few
votes in two or three parishes, which
affected two or three seats in the Gen
ersl Assembly. Is the Board better
now, since it has attempted TO count
out 10000 votes and steal the Execu-
tive Department of the National Gov
ernment? Mr.. Hoar should be re-
minded of the report he made and
signed two years ago. 1t is good
reading still. and it is pertinent to this
hour,