Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-01-11
Now and Then.

, U 0cct-kNtpCNNoNAuS NVoys Wv SUNNAe'
members being appointed for life.
The laws Of the state require that
the Board shall be made up of MEM
, bers of the several political parties,
but the present board, in violation
. ,Ne even common decency, paws not
= the sIi ,rtest regArt t. the law, rs
Wells himself was forced tu admit
before the Congressional IavestisaS-
jng Committee. The same men that
now constitute the b 'ard, did so in
1874. Their process of coumtiRg then
was so infamous that Republican
Congress raised a COMMITTEES tn in-
Quire into The matter. The mem,
bers OF said committee were VIM. a.
sWheeler, tho Republican candidate
Tor Vice Presidens, Geoege F. IToar,
VIM. z. Frye, Chas Forster, w. w.
/, Phelps, all allRepublicans, and G. N.
Potter aud Samuel NJ lrShaR, Demo-
Gratis. Forster, Phelps, Potter and
Marshall presented Il report, Feb
23rd 1875, from whieh W. quote the
following
1--WE understand the committee to
Se unanimous in finding the fact
thatJhe action of the Returning
Board has defeated the will OF the
people as expressed hy them at the
POLLS on the 3rd of November, 1871.
The people then elected To the lower
House of their Legislature a majori-
" Of Conservative members; Il por-
tien of the Conservative members
thus elected We're refused their Ger
tificates. This lS an act of great in-
justice to the individuals, of scavest
danger to the State and free govern
ment and ought to be ilmediately
corrected hy any power competent TO
correct X.
Ii seems that eYeI this WAS not
strong enough for Wheeler, Inr
and Frye, aud they submitteu anoth-
er report, in which they say
SIN Our judgment this condition
of things is fraught with the graveSt
Ieril tc the whole country. That
: the people of any State should be un-
willing to determine by peaceful and
legal means the result of their elec-
ti0ns. and that the President should
be compelled to interpOSe the militia
nv force OF the government to pre-
vent civil war. is terrible misfor-
tune. But the evil goes much furth-
! en- Upon the elections in Louisiana.
. as i'm other States, depends the right
TO their seat of Senators and Repre-
Sen+ativrS elect. who are TO aid in
making laws for the whole country,
and the choice of Presidential cleo
tors upon whose vote may depend
the title tn Office uf the President of
the United States himself. No par.
yiu tile United States will like to
suumit.t9 result decided by the
votes of electors chosen by. such
means. There is IN. our judg-
ment the greatest danger that these
elements MAY enter int" the next
national election to SO great an eX-
tent that it may leave the real ex-
preston of the will OF the people in
doubt. In such case, an appeal to
force. like that which has been made
i'm louisiana, must result in. civil
war, spreading throughout the entire
, country"
this is putting the case rather
strongly. for Republicans, but there
is no doubt the committee, includ-
ing Mr.. Wheeler, were rs candid az
they were earnest, in what they SAID.
Consequent upon this report, the
members Of the Louisiana Legisla-
ture thus fraudulently returned and
seated bv Grants bayonets, were
ousted and the duly elected members
took their seats. Kellogg, however.
was recognized as Governor Of the
state, although he had no more right
tU the executive char, OF Louisiana
shan the king Of Dahomay. This
was called compromise by the Ad-
ministration and the Republicans in
Congress.
Much interest was felt throughout
the country by men Of all parties,
what Mr. Wheeler would have to
say on the late actions OF the Louis
lana Return BOard-actions Infinite
~ more rascally than those of pre-
ceding years. No doubt Mr.: Wheel
or wrestled with conscience long and
hard, for he had nothing 10 say in
the unhappy controversy for a long
time. Finally conscience is quieted
-pocketed, and Mr. Wheeler speaks /:
lie says Congress cannot investi-
gate whether Louisiana has gone
for Tilden or Haves the action of
the Returning Board on this point
has been final and conclusive"
Further on Mr.. Wheeler, strains
hard TO give Wells and Anderson
certificates of character, thinking
no doubt they need them very much :
81 have the highest opinion Of the
personal integrity of Wells and An
derSon. Both are native LOuisian.
ians. Wells was a faithful Union
man. who was hunted with dogs
through the swamps by the rebels,
while Anderson fought bravely on
the Confederate side. .
The doctrine that Congress can.
not investigate how a state has real
ly voted, and that the finding of
pack of scoundrels is final in TIT
matter, is so monstrously absurd Al