The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-07-19
LOUISIANA RETURNING BOARD.

Inc UCLlOu OI Tue New orleans NITanu
Jury, which indicted the Returning
Board of the Crescent State for forgery
and perjury in the counting and declar-
ing Of the vote for State officers and
Presidential electors last fall, has been
the subject of comment throughout the
United States for the past two weeks,
and the independent press Of both politi-
cal parties agree that4hc matter should
not be hushed up by anything short of
full legal investigation, which will for
ever settle the charges that have been
made about the vote of this State rs true
or false. The Democratic party believes
that this vote .yns cast for it's candidates,
while large mass of Republicans are
equally confident that the State went Re-
publican by n fair majority. a verdict
from judicial tribunal is necessary to
put this ugly question forever at rest, by
either vindicating the integrity of the
members of the Returning Board or by
inflicting upon them the punishment
their alleged acts deserve, thereby max
ing public example Of them to check
the preparation of such crimes in the
future.
1t has been claimed by Judge Law
renee, member Of the commission sent
by Grant to New Orleans, that Governor
Nichols promised that there should be
no prosecutions for political offences, and
thet this indictment is violation of the
agreement. 1t is more than possible that
Gov. Nichols made this promise, but i.
clearly has not the significance which
the Republicans wish to attach to it, un-
less it contained more than the promise
mentioned, for neither perjury nor
forgery arc political offences-they are
crimes against the common and statute
laws of the land, and cannot be condoned
nor compounded by anything short of the
punishment prescribed for all criminals
who perpetrate them. The fact that
officials Of State have committed these
heinous offences does not alter the state
of the case one particle, unless it is to
make it graver and more dangerous rs n
public example. The fact that Governor
Nichols opposes the indictment does net
amount to anything. He has no more
right to interfere than private citizen
until conviction and sentence is rem
dered, and then he can only do so by
granting pardon, which I. is alleged by
some persons he will assuredly do if the,
| members OF this board are convicted.
We cannot believe he has ever author
lied such q statement, for he must know
that such course on his part would
probably cause his impeachment, and
would certainly render him an object of
detestation to all honest mcn. If Wells
and Anderson are guilty, he has no right
to say that the laws shall not be executed
against them, for all law-abiding citizens
| OF De;h parties would prefer to have such
crimes punished for the security of our
government in future.
The trial of this interesting case will
come OF THE fell, .:d :.= -cs:;:!!: vi! &c ot
the greatest importance to President
Hayes. IF 3 conviction is had he can
not afford longer to occupy the Presi-
dency, for although the verdict of the in
famous eight to. seven commission may
in law give him title to the office capa-
BILE of being sustained before a court
reckless enough to have made the de-
cision, yet he could not for one instant
maintain the confidence or respect of
any considerable portion of either party.
This sFial will in many respects be the
most remarkable one ever had in
lzAne1fcaS and no doubt 1t win nrearth
l-tNe faIl details OF the TlouiaisnA busshsaa
1 from the casting of the vote on Che n,
! Is rnvenher down to the beginning
4 the trial. e 7ol