Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-02-22
The Louisiana Conspiracy,

The Louisiana Conspiracy.
WHEN the present Administration
was inaugurated and expressed desire
to conciliatc and harmonize matters in
Louisiana, the Nichols Government
met the Administration half way and
pledged its honor to certain conditions,
one of which was that the State Gov
ernment should protect every citizen in
the State, white or black. Another con-
dtion was expressed in the following
resolution, which was passed by the
Nichols Democrats:
DESTROYS of healing the dissensions which
have disturbed the State for years past, anx-
ious that citizens of all political parties may
he free from the fevcrish anXieties of political
strife, and join hands in honestly restoring
| the prosperity of Louisiana, the Nichols Gov
ernment will discountenance any attempt at
| persecution from any quarter, of individuals
| for past political conduct.
Upon this pledge the Nichols Gov
ernment was recognized, the United
States troops were withdrawn, and the
State Government was left as free in the
exercise of its functions as the Govern
ment of Illinois. The Administration has
| kept its faith; the Nichols Government
has not. In the face of its solemn
promises it has proceeded in the courts
against the late members of the Re-
turning Board, and has prosecuted one
of them to a conviction. The mOduS
Operapdi against Anderson shows how
the Nichols Government keeps its
plighted faith. Every step in the trial
of Anderson, from his arrest to his con-
viction, was not only violation of an
agreement but it was an outrage upon
all forms of law and mockery of JUS
tice. Anderson was arrested, not upon
an indictment, but upon an information
"a process which it is claimed is pro-
hibited by the Constitution of the United
States, and, we believe, by the Consti-
tuition of Louisiana, in cases of felony.
The information was brought and signed
by one of the officers of the White
League, who had been identified with
some of the worst outrages of that in
famous organization. The defendant
was hurried off to prison, and, failing
to give the excessive amount of bail,
was denied all postponement and forced
to trial. The jury was packed against
him. One member of it was a minor,
and therefore ineligible. The eXamina-
ton of the jurors showed the strongest
preiudices against the defendant, and,
although challenged, they were sworn
in. The trial then commenced before
a Judge who is defaulter to the United
} States, there being a shortage of about
5000, 900 during his administration as
: Assistant United States Treasurer in
New Orleans during the war.
He was tried upon a pretense, and
the pretense was that he had partici-
, pated in the forgery or alteration of the
, Vernon Parish returns, which changed
less than 200 votes and only affected
the election of some local officers.
= There was not scintilla of evidence to
| support the charge, and yet he was con-
victed upon it. 1t was shown that the
Vernon returns were opened by the Re-
turning Board before witnesses, and
that they were precisely as reported in
| the daily papers. 1t was well enough
known that the subsequent alteration
of one copy of the returns was made by
/, Littlefield, one of the clerks, and that
he eXculpated Anderson from any
knowledge of the alteration. 1t was
well enough known that the alteration
was either a job set up for a purpose on
the Returning Board, or else that it was
a private venture of his own in the in
terest of some local candidates. 1t was
well enough known that there was not
the shadow of motive for Anderson to
make the alteration; that it did not in
any way affect the general result; that
it would elect no one and defeat no one;
that no one who was not hopeless
idiot would commit such manifest,
transparent forgery that was certain to
be detected or the instant and on its
face; that no one would be so fOolhardy,
even if he were malicious enough, to
alter one certificate with two genuine
copies of the original to disclose and
condemn it. And yet upon this absurd
charge, unsupported by any evidence,
Anderson's conviction was procured by
a packed jury. If any evidence were
wanting to confirm the impression that
has heretofore existed, that the Louis
lana bulldozers maliciously set up this
job upon the Returning Board in re-
venge for their throwing out returns,
under the provision of the State law,
that had been procured by intimidation
and violence, it is supplied by the de-
tails of this stupendous farce that has
been enacted in the Louisiana courts.
In view of these infamous proceed
ings, what becomes of the declaration
of the Nichols Democrats that there
shall be no persecution from any quar-
ter of individuals for past political con-
duct? 1t is high time for the Admins
tration to take decided grounds. 1t is
no longer held by the agreement, since
one OF the parties to it has openly and
llagrantly violated it. 1t IS time for
the National Government to bring not
only the Louisiana bulldozers but the
Mississippi murderers also to swift and
retributive justice. If the White
Leaguers have decided to dishonOr their
agreements, and persecute their politi-
cal opponents through the medium of
packed juries, untrustwOrthy evidence
and corrupt courts, then it is time to
have new deal. The Government
has faithfully kept its agreement with
them, and has acted with degree of
mercy and equity to which they were
not entitled in consideration of their
past offenses. If they are determined
to plunge Louisiana into anarchy and
disorder again the responsibility will be
upon their own heads. If they want a
fight, let them have it Chicago Irib-
me.
81 say, Jim, f" said one friend 10 an
other, on meeting: II hear our friend
A Laa Ia, ,o.,nn,.IatiA., haaxftl.r. has .