Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-01-19

every one Of these parishes their decision
was shown to have been correct by the actu-
al result of a peaceful and fair election.
These same officers, familiar with the law
and all the prior historical facts, entered up-
on the discharge of a public duty. Now,
what are those historic facts that throw
light upon their action ? Louisiana has
been the scene Of greater crimes against the
elective franchise than any other State in the
Union. The Plaquemine frauds in 1874 are
notorious. Hundreds if not thousands of men
we're gathered up from the boats and whsrfs
OF New Orleans, and on the day of election
were taken and landed at different points in
the parish of Plaquemine, lying along the
river, and there voted and counted in open
violation Of law. The leaders in this fraud lost
neither social position nor political influence,
but were advanced to the highest honors
OF the State; one of them having been sub
sequently Senator of the United States.
1t the Presidential election of 1874 had
depended upon the vote of Louisiana, we
would have had the precise case now before
US. The frauds this year are as plain and pal-
pable, with added violence and crime, as were
the Plaquemine frauds in "A, now universally
admitted and spoken of in New Orleans and
everywhere as part of the undisputed history
of those times.
Again, during the existence of the Know
Nothing party, from 1854 to 1860, there
were many cases of riot, intimidation, mur-
der, and violence of kindred character to
these we are now to deal with. Then
they were aimed at persons Of foreign birth
and Catholics now they are aimed at ne
groes. The same spirit Of violence prevailed
then against large class Of the people of
louisiana on account of their religion as now
prevails against great class and q large
majority of the people of Louisiana OH ac-
count of their color.
And so again in 1866, 1870, 1872, and
1874, the elections were preceded by crimes
and riots, tumults and intimidation of the
most frightful character, during which it is
officially stated that two thousand people
were murdered. The general statement of
these historical facts is contained in many
reports to each House, and notably in the
report Of Mr.. Hoar already referred to.
and in speeches by the Senator from Indians
mir. Mortonl. In 1872 the confusion and
uncertainty about the election were so great
that comnittee of this body recommended
that the whole election be set aside, and that
fair election be conducted under the au-
thority Of the National Government. vot-
ed Tor that proposition, and no- deeply re-
gret that the policy recommended by that
committee was not acquiesced in by both
parties, so that we could have tested once
for all whether it was possible to hold fair
and honest election in Louisiana. 1t may
be said that for thirty years election frauds
have been the rule and not the exception in
some places in Louisiana. Nowhere were
the Ku-klux outrages more violent. The
events with which we are about to deal are
but a part Of the same general intimidation
known as the ku-klu1 outrages. and more
recently the mississippi plan 1t was
this state of facts known to everyone that
cause.-the Legislature Of Louisiana to inyestin
their returning board extraordinary powers ::
and it was in the light of these historical
facts that they were authorised to reject the
vote at every polling precinct where intimi-
dation changed the result OF the election.
Nor is il necessary to show that this in
limidation extended to murder and whip
ping, but only that it was sufficient tJ deter
tegal voters from exercising their right to
vote because the law is clear that il these
returning officers felt that the evidence was
sufficient to prove intimidation, sufficient %
change the result or to deter men from
voting, they were bound to exclude the vote
of that polling precinct.
We come now directly to the testimony
taken as to this election. And let me at the
outset correct the impression that this IL a
mass of er pdrte afidavits. This is not true.
for a majority of it was taken upon inter-
rogatories in strict accordance with the law
Of Louisiana, and as if to be used in the
highest courts of that State. The most OF it
is OF facts of public notoriety, not coutro-
ver:ed. Much of it is by officers of the army
whose statements import absolute verify.
Mr.. Sherman then quoted at great length
from the testimony of Lieut.. Colonel Brooks,
of the army, Charles Coleman. and many
others. In conclusion he said:
81 could extend this inquiry into all the
parishes where protests were made and
where intimidation was alleged. In some
of them it extended only to single polling
place or precinct in Others 1t affected the
regularity of the election. Ii varied in de-
gree and nature in each parish. l have al
ready given sufficient to show that the In
timidation in Louisiana Of which the evi-
dence was before the returning board, upon
which alone they could act, was of 50 over
whelming and criminal a character that hon
est men sworn to act upon this testimony
could not do otherwise than az the members
of this board have done. As TO the particu-
lar polls that were excluded or admitted, as
to the details which entered into their tinal
decision, l have no means of knowing but
before God and man, with this testimony be-
fore me, with the knowledge acquired ot the
history of Louisiana in my place here n the
Senate and from my visit To New Orleans, |
would consider any man forsworn who could
say that in these parishes there WAS Tree
and honest election. In this country, where
our institutions rest entirely upon Popular
suffrage; where the freedom ot election Is
the cornerstone of every part of our system,
a crime which strikes ut these foundations
ought to be resisted by every man OF every
party. 1t cannot be denied that OF late
wears an election fraud is not regarded IN the
same light that it was years ago. and that
many men thoughtlessly ridicule and smile
at all complaints against election frauds.
| This is no doubt caused by the success OF
such frauds in Louisiana. notably IN the
case of New York in 1868. and especially
throughout the Southern States. where this
| intimidation now has been organized and
has been successful for plumber of years
| But the very moment this system extends to
! other parts Of this country, and poisons the
! elections in the Northern and Western
1 States, then our government is at an end
| No system like ours can survive the general
feeling that the elections are controlled by
| fraud or force. More or less influence oi u
doubtful or improper character will enter
| into every election. This is unavoidable
from the imperiections of human nature !;
but when this fraud assumes the form Ot
wholesale ballot-box stufhng. or palpahle.
open frauds, sufficiently great to control an
election or worse, when it assumes the
form OF murder. whipping, ylolehee. and
outrage, then the sooner the system Is abln-
doned the better. Llwahiding men and
! property holders would rather submit to u
regular, orderly, despotic government than
to government where the worst and lowest
elements of human society control all the
powers of the government. 1t Is not ques-
tlon that We can evade or avoid; but we
ought, without distinction OF party, with a
firm hand and determined purpose, resist
every organized effort Of fraud. or violence,
or intimidation ut elections. Ii is for this
reason that | would regard the election OF
Mr.. Tilden by the direct operation OF these
terrible crimes as the greatest misfortune
that could belall our country Ten thousand
times better for all of US, and for future
ages. would it be had he been elected by an
undisputed majority and an overwhelming
| A
influence as President; but | do fear the
meals by which he has been elected, 1T elect
ed at all. Ills election by such agencies
will be the beginning of the end for ii he
may be elected by such means, then any
man hereafter, by the use of great sums ol
money. or by appeals to the preJudlccs oil
race, or by the jralousies of religious sects,
or by the natural division between national
ities, may hope by similar crimes to destroy
our country by II war Of factions.
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