The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-01
TIE VOTE OF LOUISIANA.

Tie persons who have charge of the can
wasting of the vote of the State at the recent
election have managed, by the attrition Of
official manipulation, TO wear down the
| splendid Democratic majority of As, 000-in
exact figures, a, S3S-to an amount which,
| though sufficient to give the electoral vote
of the State to Seymour, contrasts very ludi-
crously with the vote as actually cast. We
have already intimsted our belief that the
action taken by the State canvassers in this
matter is very unfortunate because it is
plain to everybody that the argument against
their position is quite as strong as the argu-
ment by which they sustain their action. The
opinion of the attorney general was directly
against them, and the attorney general be-
longs to their own party. But he would not
risk his reputation as lawyer by arguing
mere verbal bubble into sufficient legal rea-
son for DISTINGUISHING 25, 600 voters. We ven
ture to say that not lawyer of any standing in
New Orleans viii take the governors side on
this question. On the contrary, legal opinion,
as far as we know il. is unanimously against
him. There is then, arrayed in opposition to
Of the attorney general, the opinions of all
sound lawyers, the opinion of the public, and
the constitutional rights of the whole voting
population of the city of New Orleans. In the
face Of influences which should have been so
potent, what influence can have prevailed +?
1t is useless to say that it was matter of 10
consequence, because the State, even on the
emasculated vote, as returned by the can
vassers, shows Democratic majority of over
1900. If it made no difference in the result
it was superhuous expedient viewed in any
other light than as the development of de-
termination to disfranchise the people of this
city, But it does make difference in the
result. MIR. Hunt, the legally elected candi-
date in the Second District, is counted out
and the certificates are given to Menard and
Sheldon. These persons thus go to Washing
ton with the broad seal of the State, certifying
that they were elected to Congress, and the
broad seal of the State simply certifes to
lie. But beyond this there is probably a
design to furnish some sort of official support
for the attempt which is to be made to pro-
cure the rejection of the whole delegation,
and possibly, of the electoral vote. The |
design of the Republican leaders to diminish |
the vote below majority of the registration |
signally failed. If not man in the State had |
voted the Republican ticket-in other words
if the order to abstain had been universally |
obeyed by the Radical voters-a majority |
would still have voted, and the figures for
Seymour would have shown, as they did show,
a large majority of the total registration. But
the official return declares that Grant received |
27,911 votes and Seymour Al, 35S-a total of
SO, 269, which is a minority of the registration,
and we presume that on this showing the |
defeated carpet-baggers will go to Washington
and claim seats in Congress on the ground
that all votes not officially returned would
have been cast for the Radical ticket. We
repeat that the countenance given to this
scheme by the State officials is very unfortu-
nate at time when the public is fast coming
to regard them not only as usurpers, but as
usurpers who do not even try to represent the
or to conform to the wishes of the
people over whom they pretend to rule.