The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-15
The Facts in Louisiana.

inc cOnsplratOrs AT washington have
tried in every way to confuse the public
mind in regard to the real facts in Louis
lana, and to sustain their Returning Board
by the grossest misrepresentation. To
cover up the frauds and forgeries by
which that State has beer seized and
transferred to HAYES, they lave cried out
" intimidation" in order to create the
belief that the Republicans were deprived
Of votes TO which they were entitled. ana
that the party strength could not be polled
from this ana other causes.
We propose to 20 to the bottom facts in
this case. so that every mau may judge for
himself. What the people want is the plain
truth, free from all bias and false coloring.
In 1870, five years after the war, the total
population of Louisiana was 726 915 with
an excess of about 1000 of whites over
blacks Since then local census has been
taken by KELLOGG, but us the object was
wholly political, and TO support the theory
that the blacks largely outnumber the
whites, so rs to claim Republican major
lty on that basis. ii is not and cannot be
accepted as having any substantial value.
The condition of the State under carpet
bag rule has not had the tendency to ill.,
vite white immigration; and If any part of
the allegations be true which KELLOGG
aud his confed rates have put forth con-
cerning the treatment of the colored peo-
pie the necessary effect would be to ex-
clude any accession from that source.
Both these influences have conspired
against anything more than normal in
crease of the population, and that rela-
lively less than III wel-govorned States,
where peace and prosperity prevail.
The first elections under the national
census took place in ls'2 for Governor and
President. The Republican Returning
Board, headed by LYNCH. proceeding
without an Official report from single
poll in the State, AMI wholly upon figures
taken from their own partisan papers. let
tiers of local leaders, aud their personal
judgment of what the vote ought to have
been, fabricated the following returns:
11e.'.s.' 7lo5a KILL ooo So''or. 7ssoo
1RExLAY ......... 5712o NccsgaY ........... 5io.1
Totai.............i.s.ess Total. iegoIJ
The electoral returns of the State were
thrown out in 1873. when the two Houses
met To count the votes for President and
Vice-Presidcnt
In 1874 there was an election for State
Treasurer and members of the Lagi,lature
The Conservatives carried both but were
again counted out. The oillclal returns
were as follows:
For Urea -urerM nScrRE, Democrat ......... - pot
DUbtcLAf Republican. n srs
Total liG,s5i
Next III order was the Presidential election
Of last November, with tue following results
for tho highest candidate on each electoral
ticket, compiled from the regular returns
made TO the board, of which j. ". WELLS
is President:
L. G. MIcKrfPFr 80 $50
W. r KELLOGG LepuOIcdn. ..................., 7717i
l6l,p33
II IS thus seen that the aggregate at the
Prc-ldnntlal election exceeds that of Isl!
by 1851, or fully twenty-five per cent. in
crease, and that OF the State election of
1874 by lil7O, or about ten per cont. in-
crease, of which the blacks hal full
share. Now, allowing three per cent. OF
annual increase of the entire population
since 1870 and one voter in every live. ana
the result produced would be some lGs,OjJ
persons entitled to vote or only : 900 moro
than the number actually cast.
These proportions are unusually large,
but they are taken so that the II ,publicans
may have every advantage. There IS no
other State where the vote cast comes 50
nearly to the aggregate number of voters,
showing that both parties did their very
best, aud that the circumstances must have
been singularly favorable, especially in
an agricultural State. where the polls arc
far apart, TO have brought out such an ex-
hibition Of strength.
Al the time of this election KELLOGG had
been acting rs Governor OF Louisiana for
four years without any color OF title to the
Office, and held up by Federal bayonets
alone. His social ed Government would
have tumbled 10 pieces at any hour during
that time if GRANTS protection had been
withdrawn. 1t was fraud maintained by
forco from tho beginning in all It's parts
and pretences Yet this usurper was in
vested with almost absolute power, in or
der 10 perpetuate tho rule of his party.
The Governor Of Loui ,iana appoints and
removes the Registrars of Election AMI
their assistants throughout the State,
whose judgment is final rs 10 tho right OF
the citizen to vote. Most OF them are
usually nOn-rcsideuts Of the parishes
where they olhciate, AMI are chosen for
partisan purposes exclusively. IIo con-
trolls the appointment Of tho Commissions
ers Of Election, who receive and revise the
votes Where the Democrats arc lArs ,ly
in the majority, as IN New Orleans, tho
Metropolitan police control the elections
an they are appointed by the Govern ~
and may be used in any part OF tho Stale.
IKE standing army. He also appoints the
tax collectors OF the State, and the assess
ors IN New Orleans lie appoints the State
Board OF Public Works. lie has power to
appoint an extraordinary force, q chief
constable aud rs many deputies as he
pleases in any parish, with authority to