The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13
BEN. BUTLER,S VIEWS.

BEN. BUTLER,S VIEWS.
Ben. Butler, who was a member of
the Potter Committee, submitted a
separate report in which he says:
"I have chosen to examine only the
ties, their leaders and their manipula-
tors of the election in the State of
where it would seem every |
rage possible to be done in an election
is alleged to have been committed on
one side or the other" The General
concludes that in 1876 there was no
full and free election in the State of
Louisiana, and that the electoral vote
ought not to have been counted in fa-
vor of either candidate for the Presi-
dency.
That if any legal election was held
in Louisiana then the majority of the
votes actually cast in the State were
for the Tilden electors and for Gov
ernor Nichols.
That in case the vote of the State is
counted at all the votes of the bull
dozed parishes" as they were called,
we're within the fair and just exercise
of the jurisdiction of the returning
board to be rejected in the proper ex-
ercise of their judgment with lhe ex-
ception of some few polling precincts
not material to the result.
That in parts of the State other than
said bulldozed parishes, where full
campaign was made by both political
parties, the majority of the votes were
cast for Packard for Governor and a
PARTON of the Tilden electors, leaving
two or more Hayes electors elected.
That such q count and q return
would have given q full expression to
the will of tho people in such parts OF
the State as were not affected by the
coersion and violence in favor of Pack
ard and against two or more of Hayes
electors, which would have given the
Presidency TO Tilden, as would have
been the case if the whole vote of the
State had been rejected by both houses.
The declaration by both houses OF
Congress, under the circumstances that
the State of Louisiana should not be
counted for either candidate would
have been the best possible result to
the country, because it would have
taught lesson to over jealous parti-
sans, that elections can not be carried
either by force and intimid. ion at the
polls or by fraud in returns, so as to
avail the successful candidate, and il
so carried by either votes, would be
rejected by the final tribunal. On the
contrary, under the ruling of the
electoral commission, it they are &C.
cepted as governing Louisiana, every
encouragement is given to reck-
less, strenuous partisans, to carry their
States either by force or fraud.
That the electoral commission, as
constituted, has afforded no practical So
luton of the constitutional difficulties
attending the count of electoral votes
in disputed States, and that an eAigen-
G yagain arising like that of 1876 will
surely lead TO revolution.
That the appointment of the elector-
al commission was wholly beyond and
outside of the constitution, and its de-
termination ought to have no legal
force or effect.
That the appointing of judges Of the
supreme court upon such political for
nation had done great harm to the
cause of justice by impairing the rev.
erence that the people have always
justly had for the integrity of the de-
cision Of that court of causes between
party and party, and in undermining
the popular estimate of the stern im
pa rtiality of the court. That in all
questions it will do equal aud exac,
justice under the law to every citizen,
and in view of it's ill success the ex-
pertinent ought never to be tried
again.
The result has shown that it is
against public policy and tends to
bring elements of corruption in polit-
ical methods of action, to send semi
Official partisans of larger political in
f1uence on one side or the other, or
both, into States, for the purpose of
controlling or advising either in regard
to how its electoi shall vote, or to ad
wise as to the manner in which votes
shall be returned and counted.
That the counting in OF Hayes was
obtained by series of gross and un.
justifiable Irregularities and frauds,
which cannot be too strongly con-
aemned and reprobated.
That if any title to the governorship
of Louisiana resulted from the late
election in that State to any one, it
was to Gov. Packard, who was legally
elected, duly qualified and inaugurated
and had right to the support of the
general government against domestic
violence and insurrection, by which
the State and himself were equally de-
prived of their just political rights.
That the act Of Hayes rs President
of the United States in appointing and
sending the McVeagh commission
down to Louisiana for the purpose and
instruction 10 act under which it was
sent, was an act wholly unauthorized
by the constitution, and not within
the power or scope of the executive,
and especially yreprehensible as its pur-
pose and motive was to carry out a
corrupt political arrangement, agree
ment and compact on his part, made
by his friends with his knowledge and
acquiescence and consent, the fruits OF
which he is still enjoying without
right and without law.
That there neither is nor ought to be
any indefeasable title to any executive
Office which cannot be reached, re,ex-
amined aud decided by proper pr,
ceedings, authorized by Congress to
be taken and heard ultimately before
the supreme judicial court.
The Democracy and the Chinese
Question.
The st. Louis Democratic National
Convention, 1876, gave expression to
the opposition of the Chinese impor-
tation and immigration in the follow
ing language:
Reform is necessary to correct the
omissions OF Republican Congress,
and the errors of our treaties and our
diplomacy, which have stripped our
fellow-citiZens of foreign birth and