The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-07-04
A FAIR CHALLENGE.

Secretary Sherman to the Potter Com
mittee.
The letter of Secretary Sherman to
the Potter Committee is, nearly in it's
entirety, as follows
The resolution under which your committee
is acting accuses me of inducing certain cleo
ton officers of Louisiana to falsify and fraud
ulently represent and protest the election of
November, 1876 in East Feiciana, and part of
West Feliciana, as "not free and fair" AS to
the allegation that said election was " free and
fair" and the "protest" to the contrary false
and fraudulent, ask that witnesses (which the
Secretary names1 be subpoenaed and examined
at such time and place as you may order.
The Secretary refers to their former
testimony to show there were crimes
proved Of whipping, threats, raids by
armed Democrats, killing, burning
houses, shooting, intimidation, hanging,
driving from home. expulsion from Of
fee, shooting Sheriff, violence at the
polls, property taken away, etc. The
Secretary adds the following statement
of what he says the records of Congress
authorize him to state as a combined re-
suit of what the testimony will be of his
witnesses named:
/. The prevalence in the parishes above
named as well as in those adjoining, before
and at the time of said election and especially
at the time and places OF the registration Of
voters preparatory to said election, of thor
oughly-organized and executed system of in
timidation of Republican voters by Democrats
This intimidation, forced by means of daily
and nightly raids by armed bodies of men
upon the persons and property of Republicans,
included in these acts of Violence killing
wounding and whipping of Republicans, break
ing into and burning houses and stores, and
other Outrages, by means of which such state
of terror was inaugurated in these and adjoin-
ing parishes that leading Republicans in these
localities were forced to leave their homes and
prevented from organizing for the campaign.
and the rank and file of the party utterly dis
heartened, large majority of them forced
against their wish either to desist from voting
or to vote the Democratic ticket. That this in
timidation was carried to such an extent
that the large Republican majorities which
had appeared at every election after the close
of the war, and prior to the election of 1876,
were thereby suddenly converted into large
Democratic majorities, so that IN some of the
precincts and in one of the parishes, to-wit.
East Feliciana. not single Republican vote
was polled.
2. I expect the testimony to show that the
witnesses of both parties concede the exist
ence of this violence and intimidation, though
the Democrats say it was not political in it's
origin.
8. expect by this testimony to show in the
establishment Of the claim that it was political
and directed by Democrats against Republicans
as SUCH that this organized violence vas so
timed as to precede and ever the time of reg
istration, and to precede the election, and that
it ceased after the election and that the vic
Tins of violel.ce and intimidation were almost
all active leading Republicans and never Demo-
Gratis.
4. expect by this testimony to show, and
will show, as am authorized to state, the fol-
lowing enormities. committed in ttk5 following
parishes, these for political ends abbve-stated.
viz: East Feliciana-Klled, 5; wounded. g.:
hung, q whipped, "a; shot at, "a; expelled
from Office and driven from home, 8: by
threats of violence, s. burnt out 2; threats to
individual persons, IL. In West Feliciana-
Killed, 25 wounded, 1; hung. 8; whipped, z;
shot at, u expelled from Office, ETC., driven
from home, H. by threats of violence, 4; threats
to individuals, 15 burnt out. 13. f So.
I make this appl estion to the committee at
this time because Wish to give the committee
an opportunity to take action thereon before it
shall send part of its members to Louisiana, if
that should be done In case of decision to
SEM such committee TO Louisiana, and that
committee shall deem it imoroper to bring all
the witnesses named to this city. then ask
that this application shall be treated and acted
on by the committee and by the subcommittee