The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-01-18
SHARP AND INcIS1YE.
The Verdict 6f&e Louisiana Poard.
rHarper's Weekly, Editorial

Committee ofthe two Houseso of Congress
to provide harmonious method of e.
claring 1t is most imperative. The Re-
publican leaders in Congress must not
misappreherd the sentiment of the coun.
try. The action ofthe Returning Boards
in Louisiana and Florida has undoubted-
ly covered the declared vote Of those
states with suspicion. The Republican
party has certainly not gained strength
since the election, and If the action in
those states should be followed by the
exercise of doubtful powers by the Sen.
ate, we do not apprehend any violence,
but the leaders in such a course should
be responsible for the total overthrow of
the party.
Look for instance at tie Republican
brief laid before the Congressional Com
mittee in Louisiana. 1t afIirms that the
Republican vote vas abridged by con.
spiracy and violence, by murder, massa.
ere and assassination, and that in certain
sections Of the State this condition of ter
ror prevailed "for period of more than
twelve months prior to the State elec-
tion," and that the effect of the ontrsges
was not confined to the parishes in which
they occurred. but spread to great dis.
tances in the surrounding counties. The
same violence, according to the author of
the brief, but in another publication,
overpowered the local returning officers
and this was the reason that the entire
power of returning the vote ofthe State
Board. Now here according to this Re
publican declaration, in a State with Il
Republican majority Of votes, and with a
Republican administration, there has
been in many sections total anarchy.
There is no claim that the Republican
Governor has made vigorous exeltious to
keep order, either by the State authority
and foIce, or if those were inadequate by
an appeal to the United States Execl.
tive. What is the inevitable conclusion2
1t is that the anarchy was found to be
politically serviCeabe.
1t is the very ldwlessness and crime
which it was Governor Kellogg's duty to
suppress at all cost, and he were unable
to do it, to ask aid of the President,
which is now urged as a reason for
throwing out just enough Democratic
votes to put in the Republican Electors.
Before that can be approved it must be
shown that every proper step, State aud
National, was taken to keep The peace;
and then the question will be, not Of the
validity Of the vote of a few parishes, but
of the whole State. The Twenty second
Joint Rule was adopted to authorize the
throwing out of the possible votes of
States in rebellion Its principle would
cover the case of State in anarchy like
that described in the brief. Republicans
must also remember that the proceedings
of the Board were open to question, il
nothing more. 1t was their duty to ill Il
Democratic vacancy This became the
more morally Imperative, because 1t was
plain that the result ofthe election might
depend upon their action, and because
the decisions of the Board had been pre-
viously criticised and dlsapproved by u
Republican Congressional Committee
But, after a formal atsempC to elect d
Democrat, the Board abandoned it, and
in strictly secret session threw out just
the number of Democratic votes neces-
sary to effect the election of the RepuDll-
cans.
If there has been any adequate justit-
cation of these proceedings, we have not
see, it. We have read carefully the re-
port of Senator Sherman and his col
leagues. We have read large part OF
the correspondence from New Orleans,
We believed the stories of intimidation
before the details were published. We
have no doubt either of spirit or the pur-
pose of the White League, as we had
none ofthe Ku KIux-Klan. We have no
doubt of the lawlessness, as we have none
of the semi-barbarism, of parts of the
State of Louisiana, But all this does not
satisfy us, nor does it satisfy thousands
of Republicans everywhere in the count
ry, that therefore four Republicans whose
action has been severely Censnred, prac'
tically refusing to have Democratic
witness, were justified in rejecting in Sc
Cret session just enough votes TO reverse
the face of the returns, and give the eleC-
tion TO their and ours. We are not now
saying that their action is not in confor.
nifty with the law of Louisiana, nor that
Congress can go behind the lawful Ger.
tifCate of the State. We are asking re.
publiCans whether they suppo g the par
ty could survive the inauguration of a
President upon whose title should rest a
grave moral doubt.
In the last election the aggregate Re-
publican majoritesin the Northern States
were less by far than five hundred thou.
sand than in 1872. Is it unfair to say
that the decline is largely due to Repub
lican distrust of just such performances
as these in louisiana AS Republicans
we are not at all concerned at Democrat.
lc brag md bluster, and our convictions
as to the probable character and conse
luences of Democratic administration
are unchanged. 1t would be misfor-
tune the extent of which We can not
But it would not be misfOr.
tune 80 great as Republican success by
means which every Republican who val.
les houest government more than his
party would heartily condemn. We trust
hat some of he Republican members of
The Investigating Committees in the
Southern States will feel as strongly as
We the necessity of clearing up these
points, al d that the Republican memr
oers of the Committee to provide for the
count in Congress will insist upon
method which, while just and reasonable
n itself, will not certainly exp jse the
party to destruction.