Year: 1877

parish Wnere tnere were no murder ana
intimidation Of blacks, the Republicans
made gains-gains that would have car
ried the State in triumph for Hayes had
the same percent. held good in the five
bull-dozed parishes. But, behold in
these five parishes where there was a
reign of terror the Democrats made a
net gain of about nine thousand. That
! is, they turned the usual four thousand
five hundred Republican majority into a
Democratic majority of about the same
amount. This is tohdt gipes the State TO
| Tilden on the face of the returns. Please
keep that in mind when rejecting about
the Louisiana case, and it will help
you to see through the muddle at glance.


The Associated Press has been indus.
triously sending over the country the
testimony before the Democratic House
committee, showing how this, that and
the other Democratic darky was threat
ened" by those of his color for voting
the Democratic ticket But you will
observe that there was not a single muir
der of Democrat, whether white or
black, while in the parish of Ouachita
alone the rifle clubs killed a dozen in the
process of carrying the election. In that
parish there were five armed rife clubs,
who rode about killing, wounding and
whipping Republicans, breaking up their
meetings, and instituting reign of
terror for campaign purposes. The evil
dence is overwhelming. doubted until
could doubt no longer. But did armed
bodies of black rife clubs 60 about kill-
ing black Democrats and breaking up
their meetings in Orleans Parish or else
where? No The simple truth is there
was not sufficient intimidation of black
Democrats to make any difference with
the result; for, mind you, right in Or.
leans, where the House committee is
finding that so many black Democrats
were " threatened" and which testimony
goes to the country daily by the Asso.
Grated Press-right In that parish the
Democrats made immense gainsl But
in the five parishes where the Republic.
ans were murdered whipped and ter
rorized, the Republican vote fell off
tremendously. In East Feliciana, where
they usually poll near 1000 votes, there
were but three cast! Now if the House
committee can show any such falling of
as this in the Democratic vote where
the black Democrats were abused and
threatened" by those of their own color,
then will they make out a fair case of
set-Off. ..
know the negro is natural "intimi-
dator." They are more proscriptive and
| intolerant toward one of their race who
acts with the Democrats than are the
whites. If they dared they would make
short work of what few black Demo
Gratis there are in the South. But there
are so very few of this class that, should
the black Radicals kill them all, it
would make little difference with the
| general result. -


But it is of Louisiana alone that we
are speaking. The case there is simply
this: The white rifle clubs murdered and
intimidated in five parishes enough to
change the result, whereas all the intim-
idation of blacks by blacks in Or
leans Parish and elsewhere did not make
the difference of hundred votes. be.
cause, in the very parish of Orleans,
where the blacks are most bold and
proscriptive and where we have the de-
velopments of black intimidation before
the House committee, the Democrats
make large gainsl Now, compare the
vote of Orleans Parish with the five bull.
dozed parishes and you will see where
the intimidation was and its effect. The
! figures tell the story, even was there not
word of other testimony.


| 1t is true that the blacks are intolerant
and proscriptive toward those of theil
own color who, from choice, act with the
Democratic party. The reason that thii
does not affect the general result is be-
cause, where the elections and campaigns
are perfectly free and fair, there is moi
to exceed one in two hundred of the
blacks who will Of their own accord act
with the Democratic party. OF course
their abuse and intimidation by these Of
their own color is crime, but it does
not affect the general result of elections
In all Louisiana there are not one
thousand colored men would freely
ass66 as6 qdr qGdrathsir escfprd lyH vote fi89G TIL
both sides, and no means used to con
vince and convert them other than arr
used in Ohio.


You will observe that it is only fey
of the parishes about which complaint


made. Why not hold new election il


these parishes, with such safeguards a


will absolutely secure the free exercis


of choice by every mani II necessary


take a week for the business and see t


it that there is untrammeled choice


That would settle the question. Whe


the vutes were counted out it would tel


the story-tell it better than the ms


iority and minority reports of the CON


mittees can possibly tell it. The ballot


would be "report" from beadquarteT


that we would all be bound to belieV


and respect.


The country will get little real benef
from the committees now at work i
Louisiana. There will be a majority an


minority report from each, and you ca
pay your money and take your choice
1t will help the country to a compreheI
sion of the Southern complications ger


erally, and benefit the blacks in settin
a higher value upon their life and rights


So much investigation as TO the rights
man is certain TO result In larger al
probation of those rights.


But new election, particularly in th
/, five disputed parishes, would let .hoo
) of light into the case. Argument An


testimony and affldavits will not col


vince a man who don't want to be col
! vinced, and who looks upon the who
| of it as a batch of Radical lies, p" b'
, he will believe figures. The returns
l a fair election-snd men of both parti,
on hand to certify to its fairness-wou
, convince the country.


venture the prediction that with
e perfectly fair and free campaign al
q election in the five bull-dOzed parish
y they would give majority Of over ., On
i for Hayes. AT present the Democra
!. claim nearly that majority there, Al
s thus they happen to have majority
n 8, 900 or 1000 "on the face of the !
:, turns" Give those parishes u new ele
|. tion, an election with all the ssfeguar
}. against fraud and violence that Anne
q can ingenuity can suggest, and the
+ suit win be worth the reports OF for


committees. ... ...
d Perhaps a new election in q portion
l the State might be triiing violation
"a the Constitution, or some old law son
IL where, but we can better afford to v
.e late the Constitution a trife In the cau