New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-03-05
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A RRIEE ANALYaIS AND REVIEW OF

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A BRIEF ANALYSIS AND REVIEW OF
An Act relative Elections the Parish OF OeansPasssd
by the Houss Of Representatives Of the State Loassna
now pending before The sta:e Senate. II VT
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| The act pronounces an unnatural and false judg-
ment of infamy and degradation against the city Of
New Orleans 1t repeals the power heretofore vested
in her as corporation understanding the interests
and promoting the convenience of her citizens, to de-
gnate and establish proper election precincts within
her limits and thus proscribes her citizens as un-
worthy Of the equal rights and privileges enjoyed in
this respect by their fellow citizens of the other por
tions Of the State
| The Legislature, proceeding to exercise the power
taken away from the municipal government of the
people of New Orleans establishes new poll in the
Seventh precinct, not called for by the people, and
not wanted and thus mutples the opportunities of
fraud and opens the door to public disorder to strife
and bloodshed.
The act breaks up the rule Or custom Of voting in
close vicfnage, which the better ACQUAINTANCE Of
neghbors, with one another, was safeguard against
fraud, while at the same time it was more convenient
ITO the voters and it adopts rule for the voter to
vote by the order of;his name the alphabet, at
poll, in large number of cases at distance from
his home, and from his neighbors and acquaintance.
The new rule works inconvenience, and affords a
facility to fraud, not impntable to the old rule,
The act requires the Register Of Voters to subdyide
the certified lists Of voters into as many Lists as there
are polls But this is additional security against
fraud, and does not do away with the necessity Of
other securities and safeguards.
| The act is dsorganizing and revolutionary It
tranples upon popular rights It overthrows popular
government provisions partisan and tyrannical
It substitutes the despotism Of party for the rule of
the people:
It creates central despotc party power, called
: q the Central Board of Commissioners" The Board
bis to be sepmposed Of five persons four notoriousy
and undeniably partisans, not. properly Democrats
but party leaders or party minions; the Attorney
i General, dur faeti, the Register, and two supple
commissioners. to be named by Gov. Wicklife, and
the fifth, by way Of false show and mockery, as an
insult tothe prescribed and outawed people Of New
Orleans, BY the Mayor Of the city. The Attorney
Genefa God save the mark is to be, cficio Presi-
dent of the Board, and the Board is to have powerto
make such rules and by laws as to them may seem
fit and of course in their opinion, consistent with
q the constitution and laws of this State and Of the
United States for tyranny always has its disguises.
The Board of desp ots, constituted as mentioned is
portant elections in the city, national State and nu-
ncipal 1t is oappont all the commissioners Of cleo
tions in the doomed parish of Orleans
of the peoples elections. But these commissioner.
are to be no longer chosen from the people and upon
the principles of popular choice, honesty and capa
bty The Board Of despots is to choose them to seec
them, twothirds of them trusty creatures from the
party, and the other third from the spirtless and i'm
beetle wretches whom they may choose to denoinatt
hnow-Nothings; for they can find no Americans to
serve their purposes 20
Thus, for the first time in the history of these States
an inquistoral power is to be instituted under The
riame Of a;Centra Board of Co4tnhssio Ting at
torney General of the State Of Louisiana and Iii
commissioners and coadutors are, rirtute ofcii, t,
inquire into the political opinions of their feow-citi
zens-Wheher A is in favor of reform in the natrl
ralization laws, or opposed to any reform whether
bears true and devoted loyalty to the local chiefs
OF the Democratic party and their Central Board oil
Commissioners, or whether he is opposed to those
chiefs and their Board and after due inquiry made
far as possible to select at least one commissioner
from the political party to which the remaining two
may be opposed" at each poll in the city. And all
this to be done in the abused of Liberty and
Law, under the pretext of maintaining popular right
and the public peace and good order ~ ='7.-
Having provided this system Of commissionerships
for the convenient mana cement and conduct of the
elections in the CITY, with view to the easy adms-
sion of party votes the bill proposes increased and
in many instances, undue and dsproportonae penal
ties for disturbances and other offences at elections
for which sufficient punishments have been heretofore
provided e 7''-'.@'i'h -. ..+ &'5. ''s.' .0N5
But this is merely an introduction to the more i'm.
portan part Of the plan for the intimidation of the
! Ia ne NIa,x .'f..I -.-, "a. A
partisans of Gov Wcklitfe and the Attorney General
The chief part of the plan consists of the military
arrangements made to overawe and control the people
at their elections. b, abN " ~
The Governor, with the advice and consent Of the
Senate is to appoint Superintendent of Elections
who is to hold his Office for two years. unless removed
and to receive salary Of $4,000 year. The Superin-
tendent is to appoint four chief deputies, each Of
whom is to receive $1,000 per annum, and to be re.
movable at the pleasure Of the Superintendent. He is
also authorized to employ as his deputies any num-
Der of persons the Governor may direct, and to
the deputies to be equipped in such manner as the
Governor may think proper and adequate to the occa
sion He is further empowered with the consent Of
the Governor to adopt such rules and regulations for
the government and equipment Of his Deputies Chief
and ordinary, as he may think fit provided the same
be consistent with the constitution, ETC., and provided
they maybe altered and abolished at any time by
the Governor He has the direction and command Of
all the deputies on the day Of election. ''%.''
The army of deputies, under the Superintendent
, and Governor, may carry concealed weapons on the
day of election, if they choose to do So or if they
are directed to do so by the Superintendent but the
people shall not have the right to carry concealed
) weapons. The army may consist of two thousand
men. .. ..,... r
Such is the force, contemplated by the bill, to be
subject to the command of the Superintendent or Of
the Governor, if he should think proper to command
{ it, Its object is ostensby to aid the Superintendent
in the performance of his duties. .,- .. s,
The bill declares that it shall be the exclusive d
of the Superintendent to take charge of and superb,
tend to the exclusion of all other persons all elec
ons in the parish of Orleans for officers of the gene
raj, State, parish Or municipal goyernment-to pre-
. serve tranquility and order, etc. etc.. and it con
cludes by clothing linn with the dctatoria authorit
to take care that all elections are 80 conducted tina
the privilege of free suffrage may be supported, ant
the constitutional rights Of the citizens shall not
u