The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-02-15
THE FRAUDULENT COUNT IN
LOUISIANA

feSuldT lOFIl, anu therefore legal.
Whatever partisans may declare,
who are only looking after results
regardless Of methods, we presume
there yet remain some fixed stand
ards of law and justice. And it is
both law and equity that fraud viii
ates all bargain, all agreements, all
contracts, between man and a
We should like, therefore, remarks
the Sun, to know how it happens that
fraud does not also vitiate an cleo
ton count, into which it enters as a
chief ingredient. The idea is mon
strous that official s%coundrels may
manipulate election returns so as to
count out those candidates who are
chosen by popular suffrage and elect
minority candidates not chosen at
ALL provided forms of law are observ-
ed in committing the villainy. This
is TO reverse the true and ancient
maxim which declares that fraud in
valida les transactions, and to assert
that if cheating is done according to
certain forms it must stand.
The commo on sense of mankind re-
iects this notion with adherence.
1t is such a manifest ~perversion of
honesty and justice, that every hon
est and just man spurns the senti-
ment with scorn and indignation.
No form Of language used to palliate
the essential villainy of the doctrine
can'disguise its enormity to the ave-
rage understanding. Yet, all around
is heard the parrot cry that if legis-
lators and partisans do but cheat
within the established forms of leg
islative enactment, the defrauded
public must submit to the indignity
and iniquity! The acts of the Re
turning Board of Louisiana must be
accepted because we are told they
are literally according to a law of
that State. The fact that they are
grossly fraudulent, is to be over
borne by the fact that the villains
who have perpetrated the fraud have
not, as it is alleged, technically VIC
lated the statute under which they
have acted.
We condemn and denounce this
doctrine in whole and in part, in
bulk and in detail, as indecent and
infamous. 1t is an insult to common
honesty. 1t is an affront to the ever
lasting principles of justice, and is
calculated to bring public men, pub
lie affairs and the public administra
ton of affairs into universal con,
tempt. If the villains of the Louisi-
ana Returning Board, under the lead
of the villains elsewhere, are to be
permitted to consumate their iniQui,
ty on such grounds-and we are
ashamed to say there is danger that
they Wilt is easy to say and be
lieve that it will RESULT in the Repub
licans being expelled ignominously
from power at some subsequent cleo
ton. But how? The people vote
in vain if their votes may safely b.
miscounted by unprincipled scoun
drels who have charge of the ballo
boxes. 1t is the first step that de
termines all the rest. If the peopl,
allow themselves to be cheated nov
out of the election why shall not til,
fraud be repeated again and again
We do not believe in submission t.
such an outrage. A way must b.
found to foil and defeat it or GU,
boosted government of popular suf
frage will be converted, almost before
we know it, into a government o
violence and usurpation. And thi'
must lead directly to revolution anC
to a new and we know not how DIES
perate a contest for popular rights
Is the Republican party to be al
lowed to drag the country to- tn
verge of this dangerous precipice
Does it only exist for such a treas
enable purpose? Is the country t.
be fretted and excited and agitated
NOBODY knows fcrhow long a period
merely that a band of conscienceles
and reckless Republican politician
may maintain themselves in powe
against the votes of the people?
The Eaton DaDerS ora in a STOW