The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-21
BOTTOM pAUTs.

DUIIOM EhUlcs
The Republican journals of the country have
so ingenionsly and pertinaciously misrep.
resented the origin and purpose Of the prose
BUTTONS instituted by the authorities o.
CHS State against the members Of the
Returning Board. that q widespread i'm
PRECISION has been created that they
we're instigated by David Dudley Field,
Caov. Tilden. and the "Bourbon" leaders Of
louisiana, In conjunction with Pitkin, Pack
ard and Jim Blaine. There ~ not word Of
truth h This theory. the Returning Board
had no sooner finished Its scandalcus job OF
faIs.fying the election returns Of this State
than the DEMOCRAT called upon tho Grand
Jury 10 indict them and the District Attorney
10 prosecute them for forgery and perjury.
The board published its forged and falsilled
returns about the 9Th OF December, 1876, and
On tho 18th Of that month the DEMOCRAT
called for the Indictment OF It's men,
bers. After quoting section 1913 OF the
Revised Statutes, defining the crime Of
forgery and prescribing its punishment.
we then said: sit III the solemn duty of
the District Attorney and the Gratd Jury to
noe that the guilty parties are prosecuted"
At the Same time, we suggested that, II neces-
snry. able counsel be employed to urge the
Indictment and prosecution OF "every rascal in
the State who has been q party to this dam
nable business of classifying the election re-
turns of this State by perjury and forgery"
We know positively that the matter was
taken up by the Grand Jury at our sug-
restion, and II would doubtless then have
been pursued 10 an ISSUE but for the uncer-
tain and unhappy condition of all publicaf-
fairs In this State.
Acting upon the suggestion of the DEMO-
GRAFT made In December, two gentlemen con-
nected with this paper, two months later on
the organization Of the last Grand Jury, in
formally called the attention OF Judge Whita-
kor and the District Attorney TO the charges
against the Returning board and the statute
agajnst forgery, and the Judge, whether act
ting on tho suggestion Of these two gentle
men or not we cannot soy, charged the
GRAND Jury In relation to tho matter.
This, we sincerely believe, was the origin
of the prosecution. Neither Mr.. Tilden nor
The Louisiana Democrats had anything to do
with 1t. As to Packard apd Pitkin having
anything to do with insigating the proceed
ings, that Is preposteroas. Mad. Wells, Tom
Anderson, Pitlsin, Packard. Jim Blaine and
Beast Butler are dirty birds of feather
and they flock together. Il Is true that Mr..
Hayes retains Wells In u fat Federal
Office, and that he has given the Col
iectorship to Tom Andeson's alter ego,
hut right now Anderson, Wells, pitkin and
Packard are in league to recover their
former power in this State, and when direct
Issue comes they win be found on the side of
The Jim Blaine wing Of the Radical party
against Hayes. And besides this, neither
Packard nor Pitkin Us silly enough TO play with
etired tools. Both these fellows are as
deep In the miro as Wells and An
sierson are In the mud. Packard and
Pitkin would as soon think OF sticking
their heads In the fire as OF instigating
n prosecution against Wells and Anderson.
Do the papers which are circulating this
silly story believe that tho forgery Of the
election returns Is the only crime the Radical
chiefs have committed In this State? Do
they believe that none Of the gang have COM
mitted perjury, falsified election returns,
stuffed ballot-boxes, robbed the treasury
and made up false vouchers, save the four
members OF the board Bah! These fell
lows are bound together In common cause,
by common crimes and by thorough knowl-
edge OF each others Individual rascalities. To
use the thieves lingo, they dare not peach
on ono another.
Let this business rest on Its true basis. Pit
kin and Packard had nothing to do with 1t.
The whole responsibility rests upon the law
makers Of Louisiana, who have declared that
forgery Is crime, and that the grand juries'
district attorneys and courts shall prosecute
those who are charged with it, and condemn
TO the Penitentiary those who may be proved
guilty Of it.