The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-02-22

Hon. Samuel Shellabarger, in closing
his argument before the Presidential
Commission last week, said:
Mr.. Shellabarger next argued that the
Returning Board was legal body and
that the Electors objected to were not
ineligible. l come now, said the coun-
sci, to the real question in the case and
really the only question there is, and
that is the one decided by what you have
Just decided in the case Of Florida, and
that is whether or not IL Is competent
for you to 60 behind the action Of the
Returning Board Of Louisiana for the
purpose OF finding out what happened in
its exercise Of the Jurisdiction bestowed
by statute. Upon the threshold of this
question. / want to say that any intima-
ton that when we deny the power Of
going behind the finding of that board,
we are thereby covering up the frauds or
seeking to escape scrutiny, IL, submit,
unutterably unjust. IL has not even the
semblance Of fairness. IL i'll becomes my
friend to talk to US about this being an
attempt to put a man into the Presiden.
cy Of the United States by fraud. We
hear them saying that the enforcement
in the Legislative, Executive, and Judi
cial. Is complete, and that Congress could
not exercise judicial powers. and the
very next moment that counsel says:
"0h. yes. you have all the judicial pow
ers; you can do the same thing that a
quo cGrranto can do. and because a quo
lrarrant0 can try this thing. you can try
il" Then, in another case, we find these
gentlemen coming up and saying: "0h,
Mr.. Kellogg is Governor Of Louisiana,
Nd he - EfUrfrr nd
then, the next moment, you have them
coming forward and saying: "0h, he is
no officer at all He is not Governor Of
Louisiana, but McEnery is" ! now con-
clude this argument by an allusion 10
what has been the weight and burden on
the other side. IL is in regard to this
alleged outrage in the State OF Louisiana.
Why, gentlemen, can you shut your eyes
to what is now, IL not the saddest, GER
tainly one Of the saddest chapters in
American history. BY actual count,
through the aid Of Gen. Sheridan, IL is
now set down asa part Of your history
that in this blighted and blasted State of
Louisiana 5000 and odd citizens have
been murdered murdered by a plan,
murdered by system, by organization,
murdered for the purpose OF putting
down the right Of the black man to vote,
and that thing has been going on and on
through these dark and terrible years
Ii was my misfortune, gentlemen, to 90
once myself, in 1866. to this State. sent
by the Congress OF the United States.
and took the testimony of hundreds OF
men. and when | was taking il literally
sat with my feet in pools Of human blood.
shed in putting out the free government
of the State of Louisiana, and they did
put it out. Oh right well and efiectu.
ally. Gentlemen OF America-that is a
higher designation than gentlemen Of
the Com mission-remember that there is
on trial ere tonight the question wheth-
er those laws were made in Louisiana in
pursuance Of that lO3d article Of her
Constitution, enjoining it on the Legisla-
ture to make laws of protection Of the
right Of freedmen TO vote, IL you fail TO
execute these laws, you will have stabbed
your country in that place where we are
taught from childhood the life Of the
country is to be found and to reside, to-
wit In the freedo m and purity Of the
ba Hot box.