LOUISIANA. 



491 





Tliis statement is based on the vote for Gov- 

 ernor. The promulgation of the result of the 

 election made by the Democratic committi 

 gave majorities ranging from 6,000 to 8,0<iu for 

 all the Conservative candidates for State otliccs. 

 It anuomuvd U. L. Gibson, E. J. Ellis, J. H. 

 Elan, and F. W. Robertson, Democrats, and 

 0. li. Darrall and J. E. Leonard, Republicans, 

 as elected to Congress. 



On the 6th of December, after the promulga- 

 tion of the result of the canvass of the vote, Mr. 

 Nicholls issued an appeal to the people of the 

 State, commending them for their orderly con- 

 duct, and the peaceable spirit they had shown, 

 and urging them to refrain from violence, and 

 "hold every feeling, passion, and resentment, 

 subordinate to the great work of redemption." 

 He added : u That redemption, I feel thorough- 

 ly assured, is near at hand, for the heart of the 

 American people is now moving in your be- 

 half, and in that of free government and con- 

 stitutional right." 



Among the appeals and addresses issued, 

 during the uncertainty of the count, was one 

 dated New Orleans, November 30th, and signed 

 by Hugh Miller Thompson, rector of Trinity 

 Church, G. Raymond, V. G., administrator of 

 the archdiocese, Ant. J. Jourdan, S. J., pastor 

 of the Immaculate Conception Church, B. 

 M. Palmer, pastor of the First Presbyterian 

 Church, J. K. Gutheirn, rabbi of the Temple 

 Sinai, and several presidents of banks and in- 

 surance companies, and other prominent busi- 

 ness-men. It was addressed to "our fellow- 

 citizens of the United States," and set forth 

 the evil results of bad government in Louisiana, 

 and the means that had been used to prevent 

 the people from getting rid of it. The follow- 

 ing statements were included in the address: 



1. It is our deliberate conviction that Louisiana is 

 as loyal to the Union as any State within it. 



2. The people of Louisiana accept in good faith 

 the status in which the war left the colored people. 



8. They desire that the white and colored people 

 should live together in peace and harmony. .That 

 only, they are convinced, is the way to prosperity. 

 The white people of the State have no wish to 

 abridge a single right which the law gives to their 

 colored fellow-citizens. 



4. They believe that the late canvass and election 

 Were conducted as peaceably in Louisiana as in anv 

 sister State. 



5. They know that large numbers of colored voters 

 changed their political associations under the gov- 

 erning conviction that the interests of the black man 

 and white in Louisiana are identical; that the bur- 

 dens of misgovernment must fall on all classes, and 

 finally most heavily on the laboring classes ; and es- 

 pecially were they moved to such change by the 

 embezzlement by those in power of the public funds 

 appropriated to the education of their children. 



6. They believe with the people of the whole State 

 that a largo majority of the honest votes cant were 

 in favor of the so-called Democratic Conservative 

 candidates. 



7. While the people of Louisiana are glad to re- 

 ceive among them the officers and soldiers of the 

 United States army for all constitutional purposes 

 of defense, they deprecate the impression produced 

 on their fellow-citizens, and the great injury done to 

 the business iiitereBts of Louisiana, and especially 



to those of this city, by the military proclamation 

 and the sending hither of troops and general*, a if 

 there were in some contingency dangur of an out- 

 break ; for whatever be the isnue in the present crUU 

 the people of Louisiana will not seek to change it 

 but by peaceful and lawful means. It is nu longer 

 tlu-ir question alone, but that of the whole country. 

 Into the settlement of the question should come no 

 mintuko or misapprehension about their action or 

 purposes. The question now for the Stale and 

 nation is in the hands of an organization self-per- 

 petuating, a close corporal! on, absolutely superior to 

 the laws of this State ; an organization already con- 

 victed of fraud in previous State canvasses, which 

 is irresponsible to law and public opinion here; an 

 organization used for the vilest purposes of usur- 

 pation and misgovernment hitherto unknown in 

 Louisiana. It is for our fellow-citizens of other 

 States who have allowed, we doubt not, with honest 

 though mistaken intentions, such an organization, 

 subversive of all republican government, to be fast- 

 ened upon Louisiana in her distress, who are there- 

 fore responsible for it, and who now find it holding 

 the peace and prosperity of the whole country in its 

 hands, to bring to bear upon it such moral force as 

 will, if possible, secure its honest action in this 

 grave crisis. But in bringing such moral force to 

 bear, we appeal to our fellow-citizens throughout the 

 country to tree themselves from any notion that in 

 the crushed, misgoverned, and suffering State of 

 Louisiana there is any purpose, save to calmly bear 

 and patiently wait the issue under the law and the 

 Constitution. 



On the 6th of December the persons who 

 had been returned as presidential electors, and 

 had received certificates of election from Gov- 

 ernor Kellogg, met in the Executive chamber 

 in the State-House to cast their votes. Messrs. 

 Brewster and Levissee, who were ineligible at 

 the time of the election on account of holding 

 Federal offices, had resigned their positions, 

 and were now chosen by the other electors to 

 fill what were deemed vacancies in the college. 

 Their votes were then cast for Rutherford B. 

 Hayes for President, and "William A. "Wheeler 

 for Vice-President. Mr. Levissee, in giving 

 his vote, said: "I have been offered to-day 

 $100,000 to give my vote for Samuel J. Tilden, 

 but I consider the right to vote for Rutherford 

 B. Hayes worth more than that." On the 

 same day the persons who had been Demo- 

 cratic candidates for electors, had received a 

 majority of the votes cast, and held the cer- 

 tificates of election signed by McEnery, met in 

 the chamber of the House of Representatives, 

 and cast their votes for Tilden and Hendricks. 



The Republicans who had been in New Or- 

 leans at the request of the President to witness 

 the action of the Returning Bonrd submitted 

 a report, dated December 6th, which was pre- 

 sented to Congress by the President. It made 

 an elaborate defense of the character of the 

 returning officers, and justified the law under 

 which they acted, and the discretion which 

 they exercised, on the ground that outrages 

 and acts of violence in past years and during 

 the canvass had produced intimidation of col- 

 ored voters and prevented a fair election. Of 

 the final action of the Returning Board this 

 report said : 



It is a tribunal from which there can be no appeal, 



