The Louisiana Outrage

Soon after tho Inte I'reaidontial oloction, wheu Don:03ratic rojoicing was exchaugcd for the chilling approheuaion of dufoat aud diaastorthrough tho action of tho Louiaiana lïetmniag Doard, tho Okairrnan of tUo N itional Democratie Commiltea reqnested i-undry gentlemen of tho Northoru Statos to repair to the cily of Now Orleaus in the intore&t of " poaoe, and a ftir aud liouest return" of tho voten cast in that State. Tho Vrenident of the United Statto crJerod the prcaenco of au imposiae military f orco "to prcBerve ])Oi.co and good order, aud to uoo thut lli9 proper aud legal Boards oí Canvassers aro unmolostcd In tho performance of their dutioa." Ho deolr.rod, in thin military ordor, that "should thoro be acy grouud of RuHpirion of a írau(íu!eut oonnt on eitlier n'.do, it vhonM bo reportod and denounood at once," aiid that "no man worthy of tho oflico of Troaidcnt nhcu d bo wiiling to liold it, it oonnted in orplacodthereby fraui." Ho alío appointcd a iiumbor of prominent public charaotors and rtpioeentativo men in the party with whioh Ho is aasociated to visit tho State of Louiaiaua, " to ece that tlio Board oí CanvasaErs make a fair coiuit of the vote actnally cast." and expresutd the hope that " fair men of both psrtios " would attend to this duty. The Keturniug Board itaelf bo far rccognined tho gravily of tlie ituation aud the wideepread ijiotruat of its integrity, that an oflieial invitation wa extended to tho viaitora from diatant States of the ÜQ'on to attend ita aession, wl iUi Oinvaaelüg tho returns and aícertaiuing the reBult of the Tresidential election in Limittiana. TKE BBMrONdlBUTTÏ FOR THFSK TRÓCELES. Tncso aro very romarkablo proooediugs. i 'hov have no precedont in the history of .roerican politie, imd thaybenr witnoes to the , earful doeay of public virtne, and tlio : ng drift of public alïiirs toward abnormal and , ovolutionary metbooB. At wlioio door lies lio .iuat rojpomübility? Who ia to blam for ,bo atmosphore of suspicion whiclt now covera lie land, and the feoliug of national ptnl vbich reoaila bo painfiilly tbo opening of the vear 18G1 ? The atswtr to theao questiona is not uukuown to tho people. Tho present government of the Btatoof Louioiana was founded m flagrant usurpation and barefaced fraad. t was conooivcd in tlie ïllegal order of druiiken aud coirupt Federal Judgff.and midwifod by tlie politioal knavoa and traders who contr Hcd tho Nütional Adminiatration fonr years, a thoy contral it today. Wbile the looplo of Louifciana have boen proetrato and K-lplPBB under tho heel of Federal tyranny, the Returnicg Boaid hae beeu the vile inatrument oí that tyranny in tho furtherance of its aleful purpoBOü, which it bas eoaght to drapo over uuder the forma of law. It U tho creatare of the eame organi'.ed poütical rapacity whicb haa tramplod down law aud iusultod decency in the otates of tho Souih during the past eigbt yoarí. Under the ct tbii board, it mombera ho'.d their pUc;a for life, with powir to appoint their (KeiHuore. There is no appeal from thoir decisión, whatever It may be, according to tho ru'iog of tho Supremo Coutt c f the State, and no acconiiUbility to che people for their acts. dlthough they are a tri bunal cf special and limited juriadiction, and their acte, whether ministerial or judie ni, are to be coDHtratd Iriotly, and are abaolutoly void if uot authonzsd by the law from which they derive all their piwer, yot, aceoi'Jing to the authority cited, thero ie no redro? Kgiint their rulingp, LoTevev defiantly they may tranacend thoir jorifldiction er (rampie juBtiee under their feet. For any reason or for no reaaon at all, thoy may count in or couut out the vote of any parish or preoinct in tne State, and thus arbitraiily determino the character of the QoTernaieut uuder vrhioh her pcop'.o are to live, contrary to tlipir ohoioe, aud the character of the National Adminiatration for four years, should it depend on the vote of the Üiate. Wlula the guilt of the board in an act 80 lieaveu-daring would be multiplied by the millions whO'O voices it would atillo, tiiopi) millions would bontterly without remedy, even in the CougreaB of the nation, according to the lcaaers of the Republican party. THE RETDBNIKO BOARD. And who are the men cone.itutiug this autoeratio if not oninipoteut ii.Htilution of the Kepnblican party in Loui-siana, conoocted in the worat dajs of carpel-bag government, and for tlie most nefarioub purposee ? Two of them ure white inen and two colored. Thoy are the aamo men who sat upon the board in 1874, and af ter the eloctiou in that year took the niajority of votes away from ono Bide and gave it to tho otherby "up jast, arbitrar}', aud Ilegal actiou," aaadmitted by a Republicau.Congrefisional cjmmittee, of which ono William A. Wheeler waa a member. They are ali membern of the llopubliotn party, and ote of thcin held a custombou 8 office ond:r the apoils-huntingayetem of the proeeut aaministration. J Madiaou Wi 11 . tlie Treeident of tho board, who was elected Goveruor of XjOuiBiana under the tiou; o icyoí.Presidtut Johiison, waa aummarily pj'.c.ed fiom that oilico ia 18C7 by Gen. Sberidan, fcr violating &n act of tho Legislatura rcapccting tho repair of her lovios, aud aecking to prostituto llie funda of the 8tato to paitiaan purpo es. Gou. Sheridan brauded hini as a " politic&ltricksterand adiehonoredruan." and charged him with. "Bubttrfuge and political chicanery." He declared that "bisconduct had been as ainuoua au the mark lef t in the duflt by the movement of a Bnake," and tbat "he had not one fiiend whoiaanhonestman." Af ter a stay in New Ürloaus of over three weeka, and mingling freely with the people when not engaged in watc&iDg tbe action of tho Returuiug Board, I have no boi'.aüon in imlon-iníí ihe statement of Gen. Sheridan as trae. Gov. Wolis is not only a journeyinan aud expert in rascality, through long yoars of training and experionce, but he ie a acoundrel aboriginaily; and in aaying thia I believe I isimply givo expresaiou to the general entiment of the State. Anderaor, tho other wlr.te man on tbe board, ia not quite bo vicious. The element of humauity is not sa fatally left out of hia componition. He íh not o ooldblooded. If placed in oommand of a pírate snip he might f alter in some emergency which his more iutrepid and aatanic oompanion on board would enjoy as a luxury. Dat lie ie not wanting tho qualitiee wliioli have made tho Returtiing Board famoua, for he ia a thoroughly aosomplished knavo and swindler. He eouiiUj well, and is, in a word, the fit companion and asuociato ia ouice of the Preaident of tho body. Caasanate, one of the colorod members of the board, h an nndei tdker by occupation, snd waa a Blaveholder before the war. Ho ia a man of iimited education and iutelligence, and not at all qualified bycípacity or training for the poaition ho ououpies. Ho ia a very atrong partisan, bnt ia regarded as a kmdly, well-dUpoaed flort of man, whoao worst misfortuin: is tliat tho thoroughly unprincipkd meu on the Iward nao him astheirtool. Thi must be regarded aa certain, in the abienoo of any preof that he has ever oppoaed the con f oaeed illtgality and fraud of hid associatea. Kemi' r, the other colorod man, and junior member of the board, ia a very im:1, light ruulatto, quick and aprigntly ia bia r.iovoincuU, but altogcther uijfitted by talent, education, or experience, for o roaponsible a poaition. Ho is a gamller aud grog-BOller, a very low fellow, and a few yeara ago was kicked out of a saloon in New Orleana for xtealing the money of hia eaiployer. A CONKEItENCK PK0P08ED AND RÏJECl'EDTIIE 11EASONS. Bepreeeutativo mon of botli political partios had reached the theater ( f trouble, as tho avowed miHbionarica of poace and fair doaliug. The mon who represontcd tho Democratie aide of the controversy, fully appreciatiug tho aoriouanoasof the situation, addressed a brióf letter t Stanley Matthows, John Shorman, and other representativo llepnblicaua who had boon deputed by the President, proposing a joint conferenoe "in orde' that such influcuce as they poeaeeöed might bo exertod in behalf of Buch a canvass of the votea a by ite fairnees and iinpsrliality ahould commaud tho reBpect aod acquicacenco of the American people of all partios." I eubmit to all jmt and reasonablo men that tbU was a fair &ud nmuiy proposition. I am Bure it waa made in good faitb, and that not a man who joiuod in it would have been willing to aee Tilden . and Hendricka counKd in by f raad. Wo eimply asked for a fair count, and the superviaion of thü canvaas by a conferenco repreonting bt t'i aidce of the (Haputed qneation. It might not havo aocompiiahed any valuable rcsult, but in ao threatening an aspect of public affaira the effort was certainly to be comtnonded, and could not honorably be dechned. What was the answor to our propoMtion by tho doputies of the lVoDidont and loadera of the ltepublioan party? Tbey Bay in tho outset thut tliey "know of no roaeon 'o doubt tuat a perfecüy honeat and juat doc-larution of the roenlta of tho recont election iuLouibiana by its lawfully constiluted authorities wJi be ncade." Gentlemen, would any of yuu have believcd ;t morally posstblo for Rtanley Mst'hown Johu Bhormau, and their ücpubllcan co-liilwreio in Louisiana to faco the Anorican podl with u atatemeut aci ahcckingly iucvtd ble ? And ytt thcy woro cqual to tho tX'iaordTnary tasU, and tlioy are "all honorable men." 1 UI not he bo uiigor.erom and impohto as to cali in qnwtion the r veracity, but it can only t c duf onrtcd by an impeaohmt-nt tf their iutelligence, aiinoírt M diegrutefol aa lying. No r'aou to doubt tliat a perfectly hoiie-t aud j iet dc!aration of the vote' in LouUiana would be mado hy the iufümoiiH BetUTniDg Board ! Thon tlioy nad mii.g!e 1 fro ly with tno poople of Now Orleuia without tv?r having heard of tho iiOtorion-ly bad o'ihiacui m' three of Ihe four mombers of that board? i Willinm A. Whèeler, two o r ago. prouounctd - it a "ri'graoetocivilization!" Tl ey had never heard tlui,t it wm proved bof oro r üongresáional committeo of Bepublioani", abou'. tlio hhiuo timo, that the Preaidcnt of tliiH bjnr-1 perjoreB hitnaolf in the tfiH'imony ho gave rtnoe ;ting tho election of 187-1! They had nevel Jicnui of the perfeoUy well-known frt that in that your tlii boari! illogally and anjinöv took tho mjoiiyof votea honotly nnd faiilvgivcn to the Democratie tckot, tnd i a on the other rfdt, :i admttted by t'io Conrtna onal cominitto reftirfd to, wliioh wue oomppied ' of tbe politioal friouda of theac surpii8bgl] iunocont and iguoraut politicians, and of t!io mombera of tho board iteelf ! Thoy had uever hoard that Gen. Sheridanhad antnmarily turued the President oí the b ard out of h:s Q abernatorial ofiioe in 1867, on account of hit) nhamoloes rascality and disregard of law ! Who wouM liavo Buppoaed that onr country was alUicted wttli no raro an asBemblago of political Hip Van Winkiea sa tbat which reponed for duty ui NewOrleans uurier tho lead of f ïerman, Qarfiokl au(t Keïlj ? FURTHKlt UKASONS- "THi; ISXOCEKTS AliEOAD." But thOHO Repablican patriota declinod our proposal for a joint conferenco for tho further roaBOn that they wero presout as mrre 'witneuHe, without power or legal influenc;)" ever the aotion of tlie board. They aaid they wcie "strangera without official fur.c'.ionu," and that "it WOUld be amamfont iiitorfcronce witb Stikte righta and local olí govorntnont for ptrrons like ouraelvoi', without oilioiil riglit, to attempt to interftre wilh or control" the actionn of stieh a tribunal. Wiil vronder ïuirec ceaae? John Hheraian and nis oonfodtrate liipublicaue proachmg the goepe! of State rightfl and IooaI titlf-Koverninent in Loui-i.ii'fl. Tho chief apostloa of Federal ueurpation anu the Cliiiaüauity of tbo baionetutriving to hide the vi lainios of a Kepubïicau roturtiDg lioard under the mantel of Tliomag Jeffcrsn. The eanctitios of law invokod by tho aiftussins of a State ! Could anything )e moro sublime'}' impudent or more oWuuHDgty eatan;c ? Thcee emiB&aiies of the Preeident know that the men who proposed a joint coaforouco were DOt Buch idiota os to euppoüe wcu'd possGö any ofiicial power over the legal íuncüons of tho board. When Bonator SUerman pretended not to know thie. the man waa forgotten in the pettifogger. What we hoped from the proaence and oo-oporativo action of leading Kepublicaiw and Demócrata waH the exerciaö of Huch a moral iutlueuco ovor thi.i Bunpeotcd tribunal as would secure pnblicity, impiriidlity and fairnesa in ita msthods oí carivattfiing the votoa aud ascortuining the resnlt. Our purpose was unmiatakable, and it accordod perfecdy with tüo declured wish of the President, that "representativo and fair mon of both parties" would visit Louiaiana 11 to seo that the Bcard of Canvassers ruako a fuir couut of the vote actualiy caat." The presenco of tboso Rspubücau Ioxdeni iu New Orleaiia in responde to tho invitation of their cliiof, waa a olear recognition of tbe very power which tuey aftorwnrd dwclaimed by styling themselvoa "strangera," with no riglit to "control or influenco ny of the otlictraof tbe board as to tlio nmimcr in vihio'a tlioy sliall perforo! ministerial or political dutics." FelFow-citizens, can any of ycu divine what brought these gentlemen to New OrUaue? They roco;l lrora the very lbought ef exeroising auy iuílaence, legal or moral, over tho action of the board, or the method of ïtn proceodings. Tüey gay they kuow of no reason to doubt tuat it would make a perfectly honest and just dcclaration of the result of the cl&ction. And vet here vrere twenty-s'x "eminent ctizena" and "Cbristian utatcsmon" eimultancously leaving their homes for Lou siana at tho cali of the l'roaiduut and atteudiag thesesaions of the Re tui'niüg Bohrd iu ucce-ieive öfjuada till it work was done. What is the muamug of all thiü ? Tbey ay tey went as " Unessen, " but why go ao far to witncös a performance that would undoultedly bo conducted with perfect honoaty and fuiruess? Why make a loug jouruoy for the mero purpaee of boooniug apeotatore of a proceediug ovtr wliich they could cxorciao nuilher legal control nor moral iiiilnonco? These provukiug questioDS are rondercd all the mora so by the singular fact that thia formidable body of "witnesses" which the President dotailod ior duty at New Orleans dieobeycd their orders. The private citizeus ai.d ütrnngtr, vhoee innocent and useless mission waa that of simple spectators of the doings of the board failed even in that duty. They woro in the oourt room in which the coard sat n hile canvassing the roturos and examiuing the papers, bilt with rare aud vory r-light excepUoua they gave no more att6ntion to what was go;ng on, and manifested no more interest iu the proceediuga than if the whole aff air had relatoa ext'luHÍvoly to the dejiizeus of anoiher planct. Their csuödonce in tho board seeraed to ba ao gtuhing aud unreserved that thoy poacofully rsigned tbemslves to their cor.'fcBpoQdence, their nowspapers, nd thoir cigar, while ilio piesecco of a formidable müitary forcé iu thip c.ty to M aee that t'ie membÉM of the bcard were untuolested in the performance of their dmies,' waa probably folt as a superádita solace to their aoiüa. Tiiey may have been " tritnosHes " to Home of the acte of tho board, but if so, it must have been at niglit, in eome appointed gathering of tho politically-elect, into whioh uo friend of Tilden and Honaricks could be admitted. Gentlemen, I delire to do injuatioe to no man. Unfoauded euspieion ie mean and cowardly ; but in tho light of tlio facts I havo stated 1 again ask the queation, why did this romarkable troupe of political pirtisans visit the State of Louii&na? Uid they go to sea tive orauge groves and eugar mili of the State, or the jettitu of tue Misaissippi 't Was it a trip of mere pleasuro, or private buainerti. accidentally happouing at the time the Betumiug Board wie in soseion '; Waa the invitaüon of the President utterly without mtaniog? If thoir mwaioa was politioal, do yoti Lelie ve they went as an embassy of peaco, putting party uuübr their feot iu the overmastcriiij deaire to iranijiiiazj the public xtind and enfoice jasttce aud law in countmg the votea of the Stato ? Or did they go as tlio backers and accomplicea of the lleturniDg Board, in the conepiracy to count out the lawfuily elected President of the United States, by wrenching f rom the people of Louisiana f or the third time the pree.oos right cf aelf-government? AnsTver these questions for yoursclvus. after you have foilowed me iu the further dovolopmcnt cf my subj act. TUE VACANCY IN THE RETUBNINO BOAKD- rETTIFOGGING. The board entered on its regiilar duties on the 20th of November. Was it logally conatituted ? The law creating it declares that it sliall cousist of live members, and that all the political partios of the State uhsül ba repreHoi. ted. But there weie but four meinbers, and these alt Republicana ; and jet Sjnatoi Sberman, in the Sonate the other dar, said Li the board was logally constituted." What doe he uiouu by eo reckless a statement? It is not denicd that the actiou of four members would be as legal as that of the whole, so lar as nuinbers ara coneerned; but here is a positive requirement that all politicHl partits nha!] be ropresented ou the boiml. This is jnst as binding as the provisión flxing the number o) the body. A board conaigting of two inerubers oould not act, bccause it would lackthe mimi-rïcal quaUiicaiion preecribed by law, juut as a board composed exclusively of momberd of one political party lacks the political quu-kticatinn proscribed by the same law. The lirst duty of the board, therofore, without wuich I tUink it waa powrlees to porform any other, waa to iill the vacaucy, which the . law expressly anthorized and reqiürod it to do. The counsel for the Democratie latos formally aekod for the performaaoe of this obvióos and imperativo duty, nuggeating the name of a most worthy and well-qna itied ncau for the positioa; but tiie board refustd. It deüantly trampled under foot the two-fold command of the law to iill the vacancy, and to supply the political elemeut which waa wanting. President Wellü, "the plain man," who seeme to ba a great favorito of Senator Siicrman, said the Demócrata had lojt thoir right to a member of the board 1 t the resignation of Mr. Arroya, wuicu 1 thiuk icol; placo a year nul a half ago. He further said that the board bad failed to agree as to the appointment of tho gentleman suggested, as if no ottu-r man coulclbefound among the more thao 80.0U0 Demócrata and Conservativos oí the State. Ho made the furtlier pitiful plea, that when this Iíeturning lioar.l was tirstereated there wasno sucLi orgaulzation as tho Domocratic-Conservativo paity úi the State, as if that faot could f arniah the ulighteet excuse for violating the law to-day Tuis ttiiaeidblo drivel, by the bíJí of whioli the worat forms of pttiifogging bocome rertpectable, is paraded in the tíenate of the United States by Mr. Sherman asa viudieaüon of the board ; wliilo in a recent debate in the House of Ií jpresentativoe, Mr. Hale, of Slaiiie, sought U oxtricate Gov. Wells frota his dcspic.tblo dilemma by saying tbat at tu late session the board had offered tho wicancy to as xnany as six Democrats, wbo auccebstvely declined it. Tbia statement is absolutely untrue. Not a Democratwas offered the poeition, althougli tho board was urged, mcraing after moruiug during ita seíeions, to fill it. Why did it refuae ? Jb'or the perfectly manifest reaaon that a Democratie member would bo un unmanageable obatacle to the work to be done. Ho would have a right to tako part in the oral examination of wituesses. He would havo a share in the work oí canvassing tho roturnB. He would have a riglit to be present iu the Becrot conferences of tho board, during its protracted public seesions. And 1 e woníd bo present at the fiual cookiug of tho returns by which ttic Sta'.e waa to be cheated, and would be tbo witnesH of tho transaction. These aro oxactly tho reasons wcy tbe board tubboruly and bmzenly refnaed to fill tlievacancy; an 1 I bolifcve no man will deny it who is acqnaintod wit'i its hitory, except the innocent and childliko Senator Sherman, and the güilolens political babea who played thoiv p.nt as 'Witnotjees" so iuoffensively at New Orleans. Geutleme, tho dofense of such lawlesantsi by liouorablo men in eitber branch of Conm would be a molaucholy fact, evon if this Board had bcea ablo to point to a record oí unimpuiieh'.ible good behavior in the paat. But ito oharacter was bad. in the judgment of all politioal paitiea. It had thwarted tlie will of the pooplo of LoniBiana two years beforo, by making the ballot tho football of Knavery and frami. lts integrity was nuspected by intelligent moii throughout the entiro land, and its actiou m thus violating the principie that no man sbaU be a judgo in his own csse, wai aa shamelessas would bo that of a Judge of one of your own cjurta who should claim tho right to occupy t!ie l:oucU iud cbarKO tho jury ou the tt.ul of bh iudictment agaiunt himsolf, aftcr n lürracr convietinn for the wame offenpe. Ita audaeity in clutching at party machiucry and BQOiitinx tho virtuos of houosty, impartinlitv. aml fnirniss, whilo prooeediug t'i 'Juv.-1'io tho gravo leones nf r State aud r.ati hl 1 1. cl.'ou, is enongh t) provoko the laugh'tr and am-zc-mont ut dcvi!:s. Senator Shermiui defeudfl ir. Ho thiuk Uov. Wells 'the peer of uy man in the Sonate," and he oea nothing wrong in the further fact that hf clerical forco of the board waa also packed with Uoputilicacs. Hi saya t'iete waa m law i equiring a politcal (liviaion of tho clerts. and ;hat Demócrata, whon they h.ive the ónices, do ïo'. divido with tlio Jl jpublicaua. Bat tbla isn very t r.tnparent dodge. The point luis iu volved 8 not ouo o( Inw, but dcctin'y. Tbc toturniiiK Board in covortd wilh public bupicion. lts character i slainol by fraad. If KUt npon furtl-.or rducalitiea it wcul'), of courBC, wai.t a body or faithful cler'cil aculiona, Hkillod iu tho work of Miei; and frauduloutly canvaining aud tabulating tlio votew, and all acting liarmouioualy in the acvvice of heir msator. TIiír. cf ouiae, would be Horirnsly interfered with by the preeenco of 3emocrntfl, while no liarm would be done if jonor aud fair plfty wcro to be the govtrniug irinolple. All thia ia as patpsble a lbo noral l.lindneBB which nii-ili-in Tery dlitln miushod aud honorable gentlemen from ocong it. sece:ï a:.d skui.kino. But Iho boari not only eignalized the botrnilig of i'H work by oj enly violatlDg the aw affoctinif t orAnixtion aid fnnctiona. Out it fitill f urilier conirmed Iho popular distrust of its iutegrity by í x '.hidia tho public from itB HC8KÍ, !■. Judge HpofforJ, ouo of the counsil for tho D.mocra'ic candidstcfl, made a very oarue t aud el qaont oppoal lol publicity. Ho rominded the board that forty roilliouti cf peoplo wore waiciiing ita procccdiagn, and quotfd the langnage of tho Proeidenr, tbat "ahould tht-ro be any gtounda of auepicion of a frauduient couutiüg oú tho othír tiído, it shouli bo reported aud denounced at once." In the name of tho Amorican piople he askcct thit no part of th work should ' be doue in a corucr," aod deci&rcd that tbore waa ''nooall fi r privacy in ap.ilying t'io rnlea of arithmetic." But the bjard refustd to liften to tliia demaud on tho Üimay pretext theit if it waa Burrouodod by a mulü'nde of people it woiüd ba c'iíturbed and del) cd in ita proceedings. Wiiat tho country wanted a j, not only an honcet coutit of tbs vote, but tbat tho proeeedings uhonld be conducted with such evident f úrnons ae to makc 'Ma unquentionablo to the people of all partien. It at nll poseible, anspicou ahould have been entirely diaarmed by invok.ng the fu!l light of day uiou a traiü-action o pregnant with interest, both to the State and the nation. lint " men lovo daikaees ratüer than light became their deed are fvil." The people of Louiuiana wtrenot aJlowed to witneastbe canvass of their owu votoa. The prcss reporters, reprc enting tho lcading newepapeis cf the country, were excluded fromtheoourt-roomon tbeir petition tobe admitted. The Í3 iperviaira of Uegialration audElections who desired to witneea the canvaes of tho votes were not al1 jwed to be preaeat, eithor in ïiareon or by tbeir couuHcl. The Democratie cai.d date and their attorneys were alau eicludod, ex cept on the hearing of conttgted cases, a!thouli tbeir preeonco was txcecdingly importanl during the entire proceedinKi", owiug to their familiarity with the different painhi and voting preciucte, and tbeir ability to do ut Kiiy iudications uf frand un t'ie opening of the returns, wliick tbe visiting comtnittee prosent would neecssarily feil to d;soover. The toard, it is trae, so far yiolded to the preïsrtro from without as to permit the presonoj of twopoiiúeal committteen, with a reporter for each, bnt t!i8 wai an excoediugly f rail bairier against secret Dianipultion aLcl fraud in tho returns. Taeee coramittees were compoaed of strangora from dietant States, wholly unfami.iir with tho practical rognery of Louisiaua ofiioials, whilo the exoinelön of the general press report rs, the pooplo of tbe atate. the Supervisor and Begietrara of IJlectiona, and tlio Cindidatew for oftice, wan wholly iodefenaibUs and u'.terly irrecone labls with an honeot purpose to sere the intereeta of truth. It perfecUy accor Jod, liowever, with the action of the board in other repocta. It had oponly violated the law as to ita organization. It hao oxcludod froiu auy aharo in ita deliberaron everj element tliat would not jield uuheeitating obodienca to it baso purooees. It had usurped thorightto ait as final judge of ita owu iUgitious acts. It hnd fully rjcorded its pnrpose to re-onact tlio foul gaoie of Ib7i. It was entirely natural, therofure, that it ehould wrap itself in the maatle of darkness when entering apon tic li aal chapter of its uuuallowed conspiracy to cheat the people of the United SUtee. THE LAWLïSS ACTS OF TUE BOA1ÍD. But let U9 follow tho board m its work. The oouneol for tho Democratie candidatos, at the oatset, prottsted sgainat the right of the board to canvsus the electoral Tute at %11, but the protest was euoiniaril? overruled and no opportunity allowtd for argument. With characteristiê enc-sidednese, the board ruled in favjr of itd own jarisdioliou ; and Honator Sturaian, in lii late letter to the President, declares tLat its atim is "ii.d psndent of State and natio:ial lawa othcr thau thc83 of Louisiauft." and "linally aud eubetantiallT coüc Hive as to the votos caat and candi lates elecfd " Iu suf port of thia posiüon he citee a decisión of tho öupremo Court of Loivsian, woll knowiog at the time thttt Chief Juatice Luicling, who pronouuced that dcc:siou, liad been branded with ' ■ f rand and broach of trut'' by lbo Suprome Coixrt of the Ucitod Btatee, in a case wuioh brought bis oUaraoter in qaetion. But concedinK tbat thore is no appeal trom the decisión of thia board, thcir fiuality cortainly coull not bc admi'.ted as to questions beyond its jurisdiction. It has no right to wander away f rom its appointed work, and pass upon qaestions not cognizable by it, undertho law f rom which it deriven its authorily. Judge Trnmbull and his associates, in tht ir late Louisiana report, have conclusively ahown that the law of 1872 creatuig this tribunal, and under wbioh it acted, makes no provisión as to the raannor of appointing e tora for President and Vice President, whue ït eeems to topeal all other lawa on the subject of elsctione. Thoy show that if the previous act of 1870 renpectmg tho appointment of Preuidential eleotora ia repealtd, there is uo law of the Stato on the aubjoct, nd tho board ia conaequontly without authority to canva-ja the votes for ach offices ; but that if the act of 1870 ia not ropealed, the canvass of the votes for electora must be made by tb.6 Governor in tho prtsenco of the S cretary of State, tho Attorney General, a Judge in the district in which the seat of government may be efttablished, or any tvro of them, as requiredby that act. Tho public hs boen made aquainted with tbia argument, aud I need not repeat it at length, and althongh Mr. Sherman refera to it a'n " au array of tcchnicilitiee," ita soundnesa haa been indoraed by some of the ablest lawyers of the country, and has not been succeaafully impeached in auy quarter. But even if tho board bad the right to canvaes tho electoral vote, it clearly transcended ira legal authority in throwing out votes on account of iutimidation and violenoo. lts implo duty was to eanvaea and compile the re turna aud proclaim the reault, uuless the Comtniat-ionera of E'.ec'ion or the 8uporviaor of Registration impoeed upon it a f urther duty by laying a legal foaudstion for it aa provided for ia eeoiiona 26 and 43 of tbe State Èlection lan-, Ttiat foundation muit connist of the afüdavit of the Sip r. 'ia ir of Iíeg;t t ation or Commieaioners of ElectionB, aupported by the afti lavita of three or more cit zene, ttottiog forth tho faota of any riot, tumult, acta of violoncc. intimidation, armed distúrbanos, bribery. er corrupt inlluencea which preveuted or tended t prevent a fair, free and peaceablo oloction, and showing t'e nnmber of qnalifiod electora de.erred by such precoedings from voting or register m. This statement muat be mada o.it nithin 24 hourt after the receipt of all the returns for tho different pollii g-places, and 6hall be forwardeJ iu duplionto to the Snpecvieors of Ropistrationof the paritOie. If tbis fouudition i not laid, th. board has uo juriediction whatever except to couiit the votea returned. It has no right to attaok tho returim from any poll, ward or parie h in tho State, for any of the caueea frpcifio 1. If tho decisión of Uio board i fiuul, it ie bocause ita procoedinga have trai ked the l&w. and are therefore backed by ita authority. The board has no ex-omcio powar to iostitute eomplaints againat any poll. 'Ihe apeci&l proviaions of tho lawhave anunmiitakabla meaning. Thair parpose is that all the Supeivfors abt 11 e engaged ti nultinoously in thoir sevoral p ,rish s iu completiug their returns and ata'.emenis on the spjt whera the elección waa heli, without cooimunication with each otlier or with peraona beyond the pariah, aud teforo they enn obtaiu iuformation of niiat haa been dono in otlicr puriíhea, or any clear linowledge of the result The design ia to cxcludo frora the consiieration of the Hiturning Board all ex post facto complaints which might be trumped ) a' ti.e lust momeut fordiehonHt pnr o.cü. Andthiewss the decl&red op.iii . of Mcasra. Hoar. Wheeler sn'l F yo, in their famoua report of February, lb75 in hich tlieysay: 'Wo are clearly of opinión that the Remming Board han no right to do anythiug xcspt to canvans and compilo the rt turna which wero Uwfnlly made to them liy lecal ofiicers, cxo'ps in cases whore they were accompauká by the certiüceü öf the Supervisor or CommiHii)i]iT provided in the third 8ection." I bélieve no s:ich foundation for the juriídiction of tho board aa the law requirta wna laid in any pariah of the State, and eertaiuly not in any of the fivo which have been the chiof theater of alleged intimidation aud violenc ■. Tne action of the board, therefore, iu seekiog to dofeat the will of tue people of Ixminiaiia, by difífranchibing moro han 13,000 Democratie votera, waa not only a flagrant usurpation of authority, but a moet unpardonablo sin against 'f the habit of obodience to the forma of law,T' which the viniting committee of Repnb'icanaat NewOrleana latoly solemnly warned ua ' ' ahould be ueduloualy culcated " and that "the resort to extra-conatitutional modee of redross for even actual grk'vsncee honld be avoided nd condemned hh revnlutionary, disorganizing, and teuding to hrtorder and auarchy.'1 A urAD oow owned by a Mr. Dugger, of Granby, Mo., attackeel the log cabin n which the Dugger fainily resided, acd X3r& down one side of it, one of the falling loga striking an infaut6 months old, I uul killiug it. I