Richland beacon., 1877-07-21
THE RETURNING BOIRU PROSECU
TONS.

TIONS.
The prosecution OF the members OF the n0>
,orious Louisiana Returning Board seems 10
have created quite sensation throughout Tie
Un;,ed States. and to have gwen Returning
Board HAYES and his friends great uneasinesS'
and has called forth general expression I'll
opinions both from the press and Ptlitc'an>'
which only go to show the various p"l'lc'i
predictions OF the writers and srca"ers III
most instances, though some of The Journals
have taken Il common sense view OF the
matter and discussed the subject on It's legal !
merits alone, recognizing the .act tha' Tie
State Courts havca right to investigate charges |
of perjury and forgery, and punish the crmlN
mails, no matter if those crimes were commit
ted for The purpose of making and unmakIng
presiden, and other prominent officials.
IL is a notorious fact tina, it was the general
immersion that this board made fraudulent
return of the election last November. The
National Returning Board did not deny this
fact, but refused 10 investigate II, assuming the
position that the only recourse of the people
was in the courts of the country, and resort
to this means Of redress is only in compliance
| with the suggestion of those who were really
,nnoin,ed TO investigate the matter but refused
10 discharge that duty, and will not effect
publc opinion one iota until the case is finally
decided and they are convicted OF acquitted
If they are Innocent it ought TO be the desire
of Mr.. Hayes and his friends that the matter
should be thoroughly investigated, and thus
remove the stain of fraud from his and their
garments; bu, instead Of this, they claim that
there was an agreement, between them and
Governor Nichols and his advisors that, II
he were permitted TO enter upon the duties OF
the office to which he had been elected, there
, should be no prosecutions for political otienses
, and that he should intefere and stop the prose-
cu,ons, or pardon them if they are convicted
Now we do not believe that Gov. Nichols
was ever a party to any such bargain or
, compromising with felony; but if he was, We
enphatically deny that he had any right to
a give any pledge to interfere with the yudicia
E ry and prevent the prosecution of criminals
n or to promise their pardon before they were
prosecuted and we were greatly deceived IL
I the man we supported for Governor.
L If these men are innocent; if Mr.. Haye:
and his friends are not satisfied that thei
!, trial will prove that the charges are true, ane
= that he is a fraud, why are they so anxious
e that they should not be brought to trial'
d tkis charge of fraud is false, why are they no
anxious to prove it false, and thus establish
n the business of Mr.. Hayes claim TO the position
:. which the people believe he holds by irau'
4 and vindsa,e his character fran these damag
ing Impressions
10 No matter, however, what promises "er
y made by those who had no right 10 max
n them, or what may be the motives OF Nj
:, Hayes' friends in desiring the prosecution
stopped, the Liberties Of the people deman
that Justice shall be done these men VIII
% stand charged with robbing them of II ei
'e right of franchise by perjury and forgery
n though the heavens should fail" If the
:" are innocent let their innocence be established
and if they are guilty let them receive tn
punishment they have merited by the
of crimes