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THE RETURNING BOARD OF LOUISIANA.

The returning board of Louisiana, under the laws of the State, was clothed with the power of rejecting such parishes as were controlled by violence or fraud. The only question to be determined is, did the board reject any votes without good reason for so doing? To answer this question correctly we must examine the evidence upon which the board acted. This evidence shows a condition of affairs in certain parishes disgraceful to the nation, and a blot upon our civilization. We have but to apply the same method of securing majorities to Northern communities to fully understand the situation in Louisiana. Imagine a county or a congressional district so controlled by the rule policy that a Republican was continually in danger of his life because of his opinion's sake. Imagine armed bands of Democrats riding around, both day and night, threatening, whirling, killing Republicans, in order to prevent them from voting. Imagine the roads leading to the polling-places picketed with armed ruffians to prevent Republicans from going to the polls, and an armed mob in possession of the ballot boxes, killing on sight any one who dared to differ from them, and a fair picture may be had of certain parishes in Louisiana, whose votes were rejected by the returning board in accordance with duty and law. Does any one believe that such a district in the North could have its vote counted? We venture to say that no intelligent Democrat can be found in any of the Northern States who would justify the counting of votes cast under a system that crushes the opposition by violence and intimidation. The following is but a sample of the cases before the returning board. Some of them are sickening in their details, and unfit for publication. The recital of these outrages perpetrated in the interest of the Democratic party is simply horrible, and should bring 'the blush of shame to the faces of all who are in any way responsible for this deplorable state of affairs :

"Ellen J. Dunham, being duly sworn, says: I live in the tenth ward, in the parish of East Baton Rouge." On the night of

the 12th of April, 1876, I was at the house of my mother, in company with my husband: at about 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning we heard a noise in front of the house; my father, Jerry Myers, went out to see what it was; I heard some one say to him, 'Halt, you damned old Radical nigger.' My brother, Sam Myers, jumped out of bed and said it was the bull-dozers; my husband jumped out of bed and ran out the back door, and I did not see him again until an hour after the sun was up. My brother ran out the front door and toward the woods, the bull-dozers, who were ten or twelve in number, began shooting at my brother; he ran about one hundred yards from the door and fell down dead, and when I saw him after he was carried into the house he was filled with bullet-holes. While the bull-dozers were looking at my brother running my father hid himself in an old potatoe house, and when they turned around again they halloed, 'Hunt the damned Radical nigger;' four or five came into the house. When mother and I were crying, they told us to shut our damn mouths and get the guns and pistols belonging to my father and brother; they found a pistol and an old musket, and said they wanted my mother to find them another shot-gun, but mother told them she did not know anything about it. They by this time found my father and dragged him out, and halloed, 'Get a rope, boys, we have got the damned old son of a b-h,' and said to father, 'You got away from us once before, but we will fix you this time.' My mother and I began to scream and halloo; the bull-dozers told us to take a last look at the old man, as all you can do is to pray. The bull-dozers then took my father about a mile from the house and hung him to a tree on the side of the road. I think I recognized the voices of some of the bull-dozers, although they had their faces blackened, striped, and covered with banderjeebs. I think one of the bull-dozers was Henry Kew; I think two of the other men were the Watts men. My father, brother, and husband were all Republicans, and would not join any Democratic club, and I think that was the reason they came to our house and killed my brother and father."

STAY HOME, GENTLEMEN.—If one hundred thousand "unarmed" conspirators march into Washington for the purpose of bull-dozing the Senate, it is safe to say that some of them will be "unlegged" before they leave. Stay home, gentlemen. What Watterson's tongue cannot do your unarmed or armed legions cannot accomplish.

A L.

The old, musty records of the Republic are being in these times of Democracy. From the Senate and House of Representatives in the States, the elected for the sole purpose of certifying and counting the electors of a President and Vice-President of the United States, and that in ready, in the Senate Chamber, in the presence of the House that duty; and that the Secretary pointed one of their members to the Clerk's table to make a list of them, shall be declared; and so will the wisdom of the House to more of their members for the purpose."

"The Senate proceeded to the choice of a President for the first time of opening and counting the identity of the United States."

"Ordered, That Mr. Eliot, of the House of Representatives in the Senate, be formed; that he be elected for the sole purpose of certificates and counting the electors of the several States of a President and Vice-President of the United States; and that he be ready, in the Senate Chamber, in the presence of the House that duty; and that the Secretary pointed one of their members to the Clerk's table to make a list of them, shall be declared; and so will the wisdom of the House to more of their members for the purpose."

On the same day Mr. Eliot quently reported that he had received a message. Then

"Mr. Bondinot, from the representatives, communique verbal message to the Senate."

"Mr. President: I am a member of the House of Representatives. I am a member of the Senate that the House is to meet the Senate to attend the counting of the votes of the President and Vice-President of the United States."

"And he withdrew." That shed no light on the "Speaker and the Representatives that the House is to meet for the purpose excepted." delivered by Mr. Ellsworth at the time withdrew.

"The Senate then passed to the choice of a President pro tempore. John Langduty elected."

"The President elected of counting the votes declared in the Senate and House of Representatives."

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