The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1878-02-15

iY The trial and conviction of Cen
cral Anderson, of the Louisiana Return
ing Board, Is arousing storm of in
dignant protest from many quarters
The following statement of the case by
Secretary Sherman will refresh the
memories of those who have forgotten
the facts Of the Returning Boards ac-
tons. lie said:
Anderson was not indicted. The
grand jury has refused to indict him.
The proceedings against him took place
on "infnrnialon, and were of a char
nctcr expressly prohibited in cases OF
felony by the constitution of the United
States, and o. most Of the states, but
provided for 10y The law of Louisiana.
The information was signed and filed
by man who was an officer of the
"Whitc League identified with all the
numerous crimes of that organization.
The judge, who tried the case, is public
dcfaulter for over SGO0.0D. When
Anderson was arrested he was acting
collector Of the port of New Orleans,
and the arrest was made while he was
in the discharge of his duty at the Gus
tom House, which stands. rs Mr.. Sher-
man thinks, on ground under the sole
jurisdiction of the United States by ces-
sion from louisiana lie was hurried
10, prison, required TO give excessive
bail, and, failing 10 do SO. was kept in
custody. denied all postponcment, fore
cd to trial. convicted and held for SEN
tcncc without the benefit of bail. The
hurry was packed to convict; the panel
had been carefully selected almost eX-
clusivcly--irom one political party and
one race; their examination, so called,
showed the deepest and strongest pre-
judice against the defendant, and in any
tribunal that Mr.. Sherman knows of
nearly every one would have been re-
'iected OH his oath. and yet. though chal-
lengcd, they were sworn III.
With sucli II jury ! am prepared TO
believe the story autographed ihi, morn
ing, that the two colored jurors were
iiicked into agreeing TO this verdict by
an empty appeal TO the mercy of the
court.
The cause Of Ibis excitement against
Anderson aud his associates j., that in
the performance of II public duty. in
plain pursuance Of law and upon ample
testimony, they eliminated from the
election returns in Louisiana the results
of violence and intimidation. Though
this was not alleged in the .'iniorma-
tion,"- yet everybody knew that this
was the gravamen of their offence, and
without it no man on this jury would
have convicted Anderson. It is this
that excited this populacc, heated with
passion, to the highest state of resent
ment.
The truth is, ihc Vernon returns
were opened by the Returning Board
before hosts of witnesses on the ninth
day of the examination; were printed
precisely as they were named, and the
subsequent alteration by Littleticld of
one copy of these returns was done
either Us put-up job by him, or in the
interest of local candidates, having no
effect upon the general result: and
there does not appear to be n single
scrap of testimony showing that Ander-
son participated in ii in the slightest
degree.
There was 10 motive for such an al
teration by Anderson. still hope that
this conviction will not be carried into
execution, but, if it is, rs Il matter OF
course, the deepest feeling of resent
ment and hostility will exist in the
minds of the great mass Of our people,
who believe that these returning Off
GERS did only their simple duty. Moth
! ing has been done pending the trial to
interfere in any way with the course OF
judicial proceedings, but if Anderson is
imprisoned under this sentence, it will
be n mockcry of public justice, and will
bring into contempt all efforts at peace
and terrible commentary upon the eff
forts Of the president to quiet the tur-
bnlencc of Louisiana politics, and
seems to me an act of folly and mad
ness.