The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-06-09

William r Kellogg takes his recent
Indictment at Washington as personal
persecution and as an act of base in
gratitude on the part Of the Administra-
ton. He claims that he sssayed the
Republican party in 1876'' by issuing
certificates as Governor of Louisiana for
eirht electors, all of whom had been de-
feated by large majorities.
In an interview on this subject, re-
ported in the Boston Herald, Kellogg
| asserts that Chandler tclegraphed him
that unless Louisiana could be held all
was lost. Thereupon he excrted his of
icial power to prevent the impending
catastrophe, and with success.
This confession reveals only apart of
the conspiracy by which the Presidency
was stolen outright in 1876. That con-
spiracy was Matched by the present
Secretary of the Navy, who sent out the
first false telegram, in the name of Zach
Chandler, claiming one hundred and
eighty-fiye votes for Hayes. This was
after Tilden's election had been pro-
claimed to the world, and after Hayes,
| in public speech at Columbus, had adj
mitted his own defeat.
The conspirators dreaded the pres
ence of Mr.. Tilden in the White House.
] 1t was sure to result in an exposure OF
the corruption in the departments.
They had possession of the Government,
and were determined to keep it, even
10 the extremity of provoking civil war;
The scheme of sending visiting states
men, as they were called, to Louisiana,
South Carolina and Florida was invent
ed as convenient cover for the iniquit-
Gus designs of the conspirators. That
plan insured divided report, by which
| doubt might be raised in the public
mind and the partisan spirit enlisted on
the Republican side.
Behind the authors and managers of
this foul. work stood Grants Admins
tration, threatening to meet re-
monstrance with force, and menacing
the peoples representatives with arrest
and imprisonment for defending an
honest election. General Sherman sum-
moned picked troops to Washington
from frontier posts 1000 miles distant;
and the Capital was garrisoned as if in
preparation against a foreign enemy.
John Sherman, Garfield. Stanley Mat
thcws, aud other Republican chiefs went
to Louisiana 10 organize the fraud for
stealing that State, which had given
Tilden a clear, fair and positive major
ity of about eight thousand votes. Their
acts have become a part of the political
history of the times, and are familiar 10
the country.
Despite the rank perjury, the for
geries, the frauds and the destruction
of returns, Wells, Anderson and Their
associates in the Returning Board,
| found the task of overcomingshe large
and lawful majority for Tilden difficult
q and dangerous. They determined to
seize the opportunity Tor agreat specu-
lation, and to sell the votes of the State
to the highest bidder.
An overture to that effect was made
to Don Cameron. tiien Secretary oil
War. with modest demand for mill
ion of dollars. He declined the offer
Mr.. Hewitt, then Chairman of the Ma
ltional Democratic Committee, was mex
approached by an agent of Wells with .
more moderate offer, but he refused alb
solutely to entertain the proposition
upon any terms whatever.
After long and unsuccessful huckster
ing, the time drew near for a final ac
ton. On the eve of the return, Well.
proposed to Duncan F. Kenner, recent
" member of the Tariff Commission
to give Tilden the vote that belonged t.
him for two hundred thousand dollar!
down. ihss attempted negotiation
failed, and Kellogg, as Governor, cert
fed eight Republican Electors from
Louisiana. every one of whom had beer
beaten by majority of thousands.
The act of March 1. 1892, provides
that
"The Electors shall make and sign tire,
certificates of all the votes given by them
distinct ct lists, one Of the votes for Presidcm
and the other OF the votes for vice-President
and shall annex to each of the certificates on
of the lists Of the Electors which shall hay,
been Furnished to them BY direction OF tn
Executive of the State.
" The Electors shall sedl up the certificates q
y then hen ons certify sSc SpS s each sss a
President, and Of all the votes given for Vice
President. are contained therein"
These certificates are disposed Of a
follows: One set is given in charge t,
special messenger-who in this cas-
was Anderson of the Returning Boars
. Ito be delivered to the President of tn,
Senate, before the first Wednesday il
Y
january then next ensuing; the secont
set, with the contents superseded OF
the envelope, is addressed to the Presi
dent of the Senate by mail; and tn
third set is delivered to the Judge of tn
District in which the Electors shall
assemble.
The same act declares that Congress
shall be in session on the secon'
Wednesday in February succeedin,
every meeting Of the Electors, and tina
the certificates, or so many of them a
have been received, shall then be opened
and the votes counted.
II 1t is thus seen that the certificates ar
sealed when delivered to the Presiden
of the Senate before the first Wednesda
in January, and they cannot be legal,
opened before the second Wednesday h
February. Thomas w. Ferry at tina