The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-07-06
Secretary Sherman to the Potter
Committee.


of the state of Louisiana to falsely
and fraudulently represent and pro-
test the election of November 18th,
1876, in East Feliciana and part of
West Feliciana as not "free and
fair.n
AS to the allegation that said cleo
ton was free and fair" and the
"protest" to the contrary false and
fraudulent, / ask that the witnesses
hereinafter named be subpoenaed
and examined at such times and
places as you may order. l subjOin
a brief statement Of the mater about
which l expect these witnesses to
give material testimony, and also
refer TO the document and page where
their former testimony is to be found
to the end that the committee may
thereby be enabled more convenient
~ to judge of the propriety Of order
ing the subpenaes asked for. and
also may be to some extent aided in
| the examination of the witnesses.
The names and residence of the wit
nesses are as follows:
THE list, in tabulated form con-
tains the names of nInety-tWO resi-
dents Of Louisiana who testified to
raids by armed democrats, whip
pings, threats, hanging and shooting
of republican voters, ETC., etc.
In order to convey to the commit
tee little more explicitly than the
above statements do, what | expect
to establish by the foregoing wit
nesses, | add the following statement
of what the records of Congress au-
thoriZe me to state the combined
result of their testimony will be : LIST.
The prevalence in the parishes above
named, as well as in those adjoining,
before and at the time Of the said cleo
ton, and especially at the time and
palces registration ofvoters prepar-
atory to said election, Of the thor
oughly organized and executed
system Of intimidation Of republican
voters by the democrats.
This intimidation, enforced by
means Of daily and nightly raids by
armed bodies of men upon the per
sons and property Of republicans, in
Guided in these acts of violence kill
ing, Wounding and whipping of re-
publiCanS breaking into and burn
ing houses and stores, and other ont
RACES, by means Of which such state
of terrorism was inaugurated in these
and the adjoining parishes that the
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 disheartened a
large majority of them forced, against
their wish, either to de5ist from
voting or to vote the democratic
/ ticket.
That this intimidation was carried
to such an extent that the larger re-
publican majorities which had APP
peared at every election after the
close of the war and prior to the cleo.
ton Of 1876, was thereby suddenly
converted into large democratic ma.
jorities, so that in some of the pre-.
cincts, and in one of the parishes, tC
wit: East Eeliciana, not a single re-
publican vote was polled.
Cd. l expect by this testimony tC
show that witnesses Of both partie;
concede the existence of this violence
and intimidation, though the demo
Gratis say that it was not political il
its origin.
Sd. | expect by this testimony tC
show in establishment of the claim
that it was political and directed by
democrats against republicans as
such that this organized violence
was so timed as to precede and cove
the time of registration and to pro
cede elections, and that it ceased afte
the election and that the victims o
the violence and intimidation were
almost always the active, leading re
publicans and never democrats.
4th. | expect by this testimony tt
show, and will show, as am author
ed to state by the records of Congress
amongst others the following list 0
enormities committed in the follow
ing parishes-these for the politica
ends above started-namely:
East Feliciana-Killed, ); wound
ed, 3; hung, 2; whipped, "a; sho
at, 4; expelled from Office by threat
Of violence, 5; driven from home, s
burnt, out 2; threats to individual
persons, IL.
In West Feliciana-Killed, %
wounded, !; hung, 3; whipped,
expelled from Office, &C., by threat
of violence, 4; driven from home
II IT,; burnt out, 10 threats to individ
uals, IS.
| make this application to the com