The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-03-08

these crimes are treated as real homes
property which they have right to en-
Joy. What was done down there as W
claim, and as evidence shows abundant
ly that II is simply under the laws O
Louisiana, TO deprive them Of the fruit
Of murder and crime. To give an ex
preston TO the honest vote and to III,
honest majority Of the people Of Louisi
ana, constant reference is made TO III,
introduction Of the army, as II that was
crime, while no reference is made 10 III,
causes which brought the army into III,
State OF Louisiana. No reference Is mad,
to the crimes, to the threats, TO the dan
ger and peril that caused that army to b,
sent there. 1t was sent there for The
highest and holiest purpose. The pro
lection OF life, liberty and human rights
The sending Of the army for these pur,
poses is treated US u crime, while the
great crimes that took the army there art
ignored as II they never had existed
The Returning Board has been the sub.
ject OF constant denuuciation, and even
the very existence Of the Board is treated
as crime. Mr.. President, there is a
Returning Board in every State in the
Union OF some character. Every State
designates some officer or officers who
are deputed by law TO count the votes,
there must be. In my State there are
several OF them, all State officers, in
some States single officer, and in others
two officers, and in some States, like Ne.
braska, the Legislature count the votes;
but there must be somebody, some tri.
bunal or authority in every State to count
the votes. In most States these Return.
ing BOatds have only ministerial powers.
They have no discretion or judicsal
powers, They have no power 10 take
evidence and TO throw out votes on ac.
count OF fraud or violence, In other
States they have some judicial powers,
and these powers are greater or less In
different States, according to the condi.
tion and demands Of the State. In
Louisiana there is no protection for the
people but in a tribunal that is clothed
with power to take testimony and 10
thFow out fraudulent returns, or returns
obtained by murder and crime. Where
White Leaguers take possession Of a
parish, all polling places have their own
officers and they make all returns lawful.
On their face the papers are unobiec.
tlonablc, and the crime will succeed, and
the authors Of it will enjoy the fruits Of
crime, unless there be some tribunal
where there can be evidence taken. the
crime proved and il established, the
fruit OF crime will be rejected and dc.
TWAS this necessity that called
into existence the Returning Board of
the State OF LOuisiana-no sir, the Board
is not the crime, but the condition of
the State and the political necessities Of
that State are the crimes which called
that board into existence. am not here
to-day to discuss the past records and
declarations OF Senator's and others, |
merely occupy the time of the Senate
briefly in calling attention to the law,
but il this discussion continues | shall
ask the indulgence Of the Senate to 90
over the record Of the last campaign in
Louisiana 10 show where fraud rests,
where it began, and what it accomplished,
and l shall undertake to show that the
OF lS7Gwas simply repetition
OF the terrible crimes Of 1866, Of 1868,
OF 1872 and 1874. Enough, Mr.. presi.
dent, for the present.
Mr.. Mitchell presented to the Senate
several petitions from citizens Of Oregon,
objecting to the seating OF Grover and the
petition was then read.
Mr.. Sargent moved. that the petition
be printed, but Davis objected.
Mr.. Bayard's substitute for Blaines
resolution, viz that the case Of VIM. p.
kellogg, claimiEgto be the Senator from
do now lie on the table until
the appointment Of the Committee on
Privileges and Elections, to whom they
be referred, was adOpted-yeas, 35; nays
%.
The Oregon and South Carolina cases
we're also laid on the table.
Mr.. Bayard submitted resolution that
the credentials Of John T. Morgan, OF
be taken from the table, but
pending the discussion OF the resolution
the Senate went into executive session and
when the doors were rc-opened the Sem
ate adjourned.