Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-01-31
The Louisiana IT. ials.

The Louisiana IT. ials.
The trial of members of the Louisana
Returning Board. begun al New Orleans
on the 2sth, promises to be solemn
mockery of justice. The accused men
are fore doomed to conviction by a jury
carefully packed for that purpose. 1t
they endeavored to avoid the sheriff, know
ing that everything had been arranged to
send them to the felon's cell whether
guilty or not, they did only what the most
honest men would do, under such crcum-
stances.
The facts in the case appear in the fol-
lowing report of an interview with Gen.
Anderson, published In the New Orleans
Picayune Being asked if he was will
ing to give his reasons for his course dur
ing the last two DAYS, especially with ref
erence to the execution of The State writs
ia the Custom House, Gen. Anderson said ;
IL have no objection My information
ia regard to the character OF the panel
was such al to convince me that 1t was
organized to convict without reference to
testimony in my behalf, or the absence OF
testimony against me. ! believe that ii /
had appeared on Friday last | would have
been tried and convicted before Saturday
night, not because | am guilty of the act
charged in the iniormsslUn on any eyideuce
duplicating me ia it could be found, but
because il was so determined and be-
lieve, arranged in advance. Look, for in
stance, at this list OF names of persons
comprising the panel. Here Gen. An
derson produced printed list contain
ing 46 names have searched that list
diligently. and can find on it the name of
only one person Mr. Becker with whom
i have any personal acquaintance, bat
am told, and believe II to be true, that
not only does this list not embrace single
colored man. but there is not one Republi
can on it from beginning to end, Does
any iair-mInded, impartial man believe
that before a Jury thus made up could
have any assurance OF an impartial trial
1t is said that Republicans would be sure
To acquit me on the same principles Dem
ocrats would be sure to convict me. In
South Carolina, where political feeling is
as strong as it is in this State. both Repub.
licans and Democrats were placed on the
iuries in the trials OF CardOza and Smalls,
and yet no difficulty was found in obtain
ing convictions. | am willing to submit
to the impartial judgment OF any fair
minded man that this studied exclusion of
Republicans from the panel is an outrage
on every principle of justice, and that it
gives me the right to say that this jury is
organized expressly TO convict. Under
tbaso nj HON itrhf IN oh la ,a
would be OF no avail. have II challen-
ges, and when these are exhausted the
character of the panel would re main just
what it was before. | wish to say here
that | am entirely ignorant of the Vernon
Parish matter. The record will show that
i was not present when the Vernon re-
turns were opened in the presence OF the
visiting statesmen. The certified reports
of both parties show this. These returns
appear 10 have been passed over to the
clerks for tabulation without remark, and
when they were presented 10 me Tor sig-
nature l signed them, as | did those OF
every other parish, as n matter of course.
! had no idea, and had no reason to sus-
pect, that any alteration had been made
in them. | was surprised when the mat
ter was called to my attention before the
Congressional Committee, and testified
then that l knew nothing about it. | had
no interest in Vernon Parish. or in any OF
the local candidates in that part If the
State. The vote for Electors and G vein
or was not at all affected by the alleged
alteration. For reasons that have given
i was determined not to be tried before II
packed jury if | could help it. My coun-
sci will USE every legal effort to avert it,
i suppose that they will ask for change
of venuer