Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-07-13
:The New Political Excitement.
THE ARREST OF THE LOUISIANA BOARD
WHAT PRESIDENT HAYES THINKS OF

THE AhhES1 Of 111L AOO1SlANA DOAhO
WHAT PRESIDENT HAYES THINKS OF
IT,
&C., &C., s..
An unexpected event has come into the
field Of national politics. Every member
of the infamous Louisiana Returning
Board has been arrested and is to be
tried under the State law. for corruptly
altering the returns at the presidential
men, Wells and Anderson, are likely to go
to the penitentiary. but the general opinion
is that the two negro members will turn
States evidence. A great deal of interest
all over the country has been caused by
this arrest, and speculation is rife as to the
result. Some OF the Blaine stripe are
claiming that it is a violation of the agree
memt by the Nichols government, that
there were to be no political" prosecu-
tions. The fact is there was no agreement
at all as to their crimes, and could moi
have been without compounding felony
The Washington correspondent of the
Baltimore "Sun'' gives the view of it held
in Washingl on:
The interest among all classes here in
regard to the initiatOry proceedings
against the Louisiana returning board at
New Orleans is ON the increase, as it is ad-
mitted on all sides that the most momen-
tous consequences may be the result. AS
is always the case in periods of public ex-
element sensational rumors are hourly
circulated, and lind ready believers. At
the same time there is an undoubted con-
seriousness pervading administration circles
that the situation is exceedingly grave, and
as will be shown below, it is within the
range of pl disability that the outcome may
be the voluntary or the involuntary retire
ment of President Hayes from the White
House. The president, whatever may be his
inward convictions as to the personal bear
ingS on himself on the proceedings at New
Orleans, has made no allusion to that
branch Of the subject. He contin ues free
lY to comment upon the prosecution as a
violation of what had been understood all
around. But he certainly has given no
one the right to say that he considers that
he personally made any bargain for the safe
may have been done by his friends.
The President realizes very well that
should he put himself in such a position
as this it would be a concession that he
knew he was not elected, knows it now,
and therefore fears to see Wells and An
derson brought to trial. Therefore it is
manifestly impossible that he should ap-
peal to Senator Gordon or Lamar, or ask
the members of his late commission to for
mally announce that there was any agree
ment on this subject. In fact there was
no such agreement as is alleged, unless it is
included in the memoranda of Major Burke,
al DIV chnyun If On
ment was known only to the half-dozen
who made it, and WHO of course had no
authority to bind any one but themselves.
1t may be settled that the prosecutions are
to go on to the end, and it may be safely
assumed that the secret history of the
manipulation of the electoral vote of Lou
isiana will be brought to light. Although
| the two colored members of the board have
| been included in the suit it is well under
stood that there is no desire to punish
them for the wrongs i'll which they were
| no more than passive accomplices. and it
is Thought the opportunity may be offered
them 20 turn States evidence. When the
| evidence that the electoral commission
would not receive is given to the world it
| will inevitably produce IA sensation.
| 1t is very true that, as has been stated
| the proof that Tilden carried Louisiana
will not invalidate the title of President
| Hayes. This is the legal aspect of the case,
| but it is the moral features that cause aps
prehension just now to the close friends of
the President They say that with h S
strong religious convictions and the con-
victions of his family his head will not rest
easy in the White House one night after
he believes that he did not receive ma
J jority of the electoral votes, and they ex-
| press the opinio that III this event he will
| rndnnhtn61U ah6ipatp biC tinnc
Friends Of Mr.. Wheeler, to whom this sup
position has been communicated, aver that
he is made of Sterner stuff, and that if
| Hayes drops the sceptre he will immedi-
ateIy take it up without waiting to see
what Tilden will do. In regard to the al
legations about Mr. Tilden prompting tIl-
prosecutions, it can be stated ON the au-
| thority of information received direct from
New Orleans today that neither MI. Til
| den nor any one else outside the State of
Louisiana had anything to do with it.
| Neither is there any authority for the
rumored proposed Indictment of Messrs.
Sherman Such is the current gossip in
New Orleans as in Washington, but there
is no such purpose at present entertained.
| No one familiar with affairs in New Or
leans from the 18th Of November until the
day when the electoral vote was declared
conld possibly have any doubt that Wells
and Anderson were upheld in everything
done by them, and in numerous instances
actually advised by MeSsrs. Matthews and
| Sherman. These two gentlemen were
| equally responsible, morally and legally,
as Wells and Anderson. They went to
| New Orleans for no other purpose than to
| do their part toward taking the vote of
| Louisiana away from Tilden, and it is his
tory how faithfully they kept to that pur-
| pose. Notwithstanding this no good OBJ
ject could be subserved by indicting them,
and the legal authorities of Louisiana
doubtless understood this very we'll. The
exposure of'their completely with the great
e political crime of all history will be all
that is sufficient, and the outraged people
of Louisiana can well afford to let them
rest on the pillory of Indignation on which
they will be suspended by the whole coun-
try.
A TRUE HERO.-In one Of the holly
contested fights in Virginia during theSwar
a Federal officer fell wounded in front of the
Confederate breastworks. While lying
there wounded and crying piteously for
water. a Confederate soldier James Moore
of Burke county, N. CO. eclared his in
tention of supplying him with drink. The
bullets were flying thick from both sides,
and Moore S friends endeavored to dissuade
him from such hazardous enterprise
Despite remonstrance and danger, howev-
er, Moore leaped the breastworks, canteen
in hand, reached his wounded enemy and
gave him drink. The Federal, under a
sense of gratitude for the timely service,
took out his gold watch and offered it to
his benefactor, but it was refused. The
officer then asked the name of the man
bo bod hpaxy cnoh dnnuor n G N i'm
The name was given, and Moore returned
h; hob