The morning comet. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1856-1856, 1856-04-23
4 61N6

me- 4lhg Wn0tevef cCuntefspfUtest OF cor
tectichs we might ,leem proper 70 M.
Bells protest, WE had almost abandoned
the idea Of troubling The community. with
the further agitation Of matter, which 80
far as we are concerned, cannot admit Of
any rational controversy.
However, the appearance Of . card owe,
the signature Of Ed. Conisinard, pnjustly
directed against Nc. dives us to the neces
sity Vt some brief explanations:
Mr. Cousinard complains, and doubtless
" feels, that he has been injured BY the
unautho,;zed course Of The commissioners
and proceeds 10 state that he eotld, among
others especie'iy. " contest The election on
the ground that II was held under the pro
visions Of a repealed charter
IN The first place we would d;sabuse
Mr.. Cc"s'nard's mind respecting the cause
Of his injo,y-that il was the It vno.thori.ed
con,se' Of the commissioners. And shcw
bin in The second place, that The position
which he assumes with so much holiness,
ss the esveriot' ground Of ecn'est. is that
which fotu,s The gist Of Mr.. Bells protest;
and is altogether untenable.
1st. What Mr.. Cops,na,d means . v the
unauthorized course Of the commissioners.
is difficult tn determine from any cirrn,n-
stance Or fact connected with the whole
transaction. IN all honesty we though,
and still think or course Authorized from
heglninz t. end. u is 10 be presumed that
every one is now familiar with The provis-
ion OF the new charter, which uvthori.rd
our course !. And we shall only suggest it
as SQUIRE u authority Besides this an
other source Of authority, if it were Al all
necessary was The notice. which each in
nividual commissioner received to convene
on the 18th inst. To decide The tie vote
between Jos Monget and Ed Ccuis oatd
If there was any unauthorized conduct in
The power exercised by the Mayor and
Selectmen in calling ns together, or Unjust
ice IN the provisions Of the charter, which
authorized us TO decide the tie vste, we ate
neither. as individuals nor as commission
PTS, responsible for The errors OF the City
Board. nor the injustice Of The legislative
enactment
We were not nnupthot.ed,t nor are
we afraid TO submit our actions under the |
authority claimed, 10 the scrutiny Of an
impartial public
ID In connection with Mr. Cousin
'rd's special ground Of contest. viz: that
he election was held under The provisions
+ a repealed charter we would respect
lilly refer to he following portion Of Mr.
sells protest
Sd. The undersigned must further solnon1v pro
SET against the forced construction, sought In
@ PLACED upon Vie seventh section, when the
'yth section of the charter was wholly sbre-
sted, and disregard by n majority cf the Com
Ms sicpers
Senti"n Sixth declares. In language fren from
mhguty nr doubt "Thes every free white
male citizen IT the State ri Gcusia M over
the are Of t~entv-cne years. who shall have
Resided one year Within tbe corporate limits
and the last thirty days within the vard in
which hn offers 10 vote. shall he privileged to
vote ~ all elections. and 10 hold office nnde,
this act"
The premise assumed that the sixth sec.
cn OF the new charter was wholly sbto-
ated &c. forms, we say, the eist ot Nh
ellis protest, and yet il is without tile
'ghtest foundation in truth Though Mr.
oasinsfd considers |, an ''e.pee;or' ground
y successful contest Neither was The
ectlon ''hald under HE provisions IF re.
called charter''as asserted Ivy Nj. Cousinsrd
,r did "a majority Of the commissioners
10 proper toabrosaIe and wholly disre.
ard any provision Of the new one" as as
''ted by Mr. Bell. On The contrary we
lien referred to the sixth ssction Of the
sw charter as the test Of ~ oaSs, and in
, case save the one ret1f BY NJ,
ell, did we eve, suffer u ssit;on. of
'e repealed charter to iutsllsS with on,
1actice in this respect. "a nlsjority Of the
dill take the ground that
'e Legislature could not, would not and
d not pass any law impairing the vested
ghas Of electors under the old chsrtey,--
'e commended that no law could have re-.
osct've effect, and that legal and qualified
,fers under the old charter were voters
pder the new.
On this, as on all other points, which
resented themselves for our decision we
rcl 1.e,us1,Ifa.l a. IL I'LL