The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-09-10
REPUBLEGAN I3GRA1ITUDE 20
0ASANA We.
GuAtave Casanape, the we'll known

REP UBLECtAN LNGRA1IIUOH ~
OASANA We.
Guatave Cssana9e, the ell-knoWn
negro member of the Louisiana Re-
turning Board. has been in Wash
ington for some weeks attempting
to secure money from the Admins
tration to pay the expenses Of a Law
suit brought against himself and the
other members of the Returning
Board for the forgery of the cleo
toral certificates. After his atten-
ton bad been called to the fact that
the newspapers had stated that the
attorneys employed to defend the
board had not been paid, and had
recovered judgment against it's mem
bers, to satisfy the whole of which
his property had been levied on,
Casanave told his story of the whole
matter. and addressed the following
letter to the President:
WASHINGTON, D. c., August 2, 1879.
Mr.. President:
I have the honor to invite your atten-
ton to the following facts, upon which
1 respectfully solicit such relief as you
may be able to offer me. In 1872 | was
elected by the State Senate of Louisiana
a member of the Returning Board OF
| that State. / did not desire or solicit
the Office, and accepted it with great
| reluctance. In 1876 the grave and re
sponsible duty of determining the re
| suit of the election for President of the
| United States deYolYed upon that board
| Its deliberations were watched with
| profound solicitude by the whole eoun
| try, while the leaders of the two great
/ political parties lowered around i
| awaiting the result of its deliberations
with that intense anxiety emily known
/ to eXpectants of the spoils of public
| office. The board found for the Re
| publicans, and the Democrats, disap
| pointed and chagrined, at once com
| menced criminal proceedings agains
| its members, Counsel were employed
| to defend for stipulated fee of So, 900
| which MIR. T. G. Anderson assured m,
| would be paid out of funds TO be sen
from Washington. At the conclusion
of the prosecution counsel demanded
their fee, which not being paid they
instituted suit, and after a hearing il
| court obtained Judgment against all thu
members of the board. A writ of fer
facias, copy herewith inclosed, issued
directing the Sheriff to seize and sci
sufficient property of defendants Il
satisfy the Judgment of $1,000, les
81 ,675. : The Sheriff finding ne property
belonging to Anderson, Wells and Ken
ner, seized my property and now hOldi
the same subject to sale under his writ
If my property is sacrificed under tina
execution it will render me bankrupt
am a poor man and am unable to sus
tain such loss. l have always assum
| ed a full share of the responsibility at
taching to the official acts of the Re
| turning Board, although | have never
| enjoyed any of the fruits resulting from
] its findings, and in this connection l re
spectfully remind you that l hold nj
| office under your Administration anG
| have derived no pecuniary benefit.
| whatsoever therefrom. But, On the
| contrary, have sustained considerable
| loss in my business on account OF my
| identity with the board. Messrs. An
| derson, wells and Kenner, the other
| three members, and their numerous
| family connections, are enjoying lucFa'
tive positions in the employ Of the Gov
eminent. protest against being
mulcted for the cost of the criminal
proceedings against the Returning
| Board while others enjoy the honor and
| emoluments resulting from its decision.
| 1t is neither just nor honorable to i'm
pose this heavy burden upon me. Il
would be more becoming the benetici
aries of our acts to discharge this debt.
Upon my arrival in Washington two
weeks ago, / was assured upon the
| promise of Assistant Secretary Hawley
that the amount required to satisfy tbs
| Judgment would be raised as soon as
the Secretary returned. called on
Mr.. Sherman yesterday and he protfer
ed me a contribution of 800 as the on
| ly relief he could offer me, which was
| compelled to decline out of respect fol
| the great Finance Minister of our Gov
eminent. l expect to take my depar
ture for Louisiana in few days, and il
any arrangements can be made of this
matter to offer me relief, to which, I'M
| der these circumstances, believe an
| Justly and honorably entitled, will be
under obligation to those through
| whose influence 1t may be accomplished
am very reSDectfuilY,