The New York herald., 1872-11-14
BOARD OF COUNTY CANVAsSERs

The Board OF County Canvassers assembled last
evening in the chamber OF the Board OF Super
vis0rs, Daniel Z. Con0ver presiding. After the
adoption OF several unimportant resolutions IL was
discovered that deadlock was placed on the pro.
ceedings Of the Board, inasmuch as the returns
from several election districts were incomplete.
General CocHRANE addressed those present. He
argued that there were great many obstacles In
the way OF commencing the canvass OF the re-
turns in consequence Of the irregularities on the
part of the inspectors and poll clerks, who have in
many instances failed to comply with the law,
which clearly stated that the inspectors and poll
clerks OF each district should sign their names
across the envelopes containing the returns, in or
der to avoid transferring, and cited the following
section OF the Election law:-''The said Inspectors
shall make tipcate statements OF the result OF the
canvass and estimate OF the votes Each OF the
statements shall contain caption stating the day
and Assembly district and the city and county in
relation to which such statement shall be made.
and the time 81 opening and Closing the polls Of
ment showing the whole number OF votes given for
each person, designating the ofllce for which they
partly written and partly printed, In words at
length, and at the end thereof certificate that
aea Is m a Ger
statement shall be subscribed BY the said inspectors
and poll clerks. II any inspector or poll clerk
reasons therefor in writing, and copy
thereof, signed by him, shall be enclosed
shall be enclosed in envelope, which shall then be
securely sealed with wax and each Of the inspect
ors and each OF tho poll clerks shall write his name
across every fold at which the envelope, II un-
fastened, could be opened, and across the seals
thereon. One Of the envelopes shall be directed
vsors; another to the County Clerk, and the third
to the Chief OF the Bureau OF Elections. Each set
Of ss sh Hs also be ell s sealed
velopes shall be directed on the outside to the
Chief of the Bureau OF Elections and the other to
the Mayor. On the outside or every envelope shall
be endorsed whether 1t contains the statement or
the tallies, and for what election and Assembly dis
trict." In his mind 1t was clear that the attend
ance OF the inspectors and the poll clerks was in
dispensable, but meanwhile he proposed that
they should proceed with the canvass. That 1t was
necessary to have legal advice he admitted, and he
trusted that the services Of the legal adviser Of the
Board Of Supervisors would be called into requisi
tion in order to make the proceedings OF the Board
legal.
The CHAIRMAN then stated that the First Assem-
bly, district, IN consequence OF there being only five
signatures, should by law be ruled out. The
Second did not contain single district the returns
of which were properly made out
standing the Irregularities in question, the Board
ought to proceed with the canvass.
reeryed 70 iY1s hv nn
and said :-If the Board can question the authen-
ticity OF one district he would hEc to know
legal authorities in support Of Ills argument.
1t was, he said, incumbent on the members OF the
tampering with the election returns, and he, as
lawyer, knew they had 1t in their power 10 remedy
the defect, and at all events. as matter OF policy,
1t was wrong to say that the guarantee should
be dispensed with. lie felt certain that, unless
some steps were taken now to put q final stop to
all tampering the inspectors and poll clerks at the
next election would entirely neglect their bnsi-
ness. In one OF the Assembly districts he had
heard 1t stated that a m mbcr claimed there was
something wrong, inasmuch as his opponent had
been elected by only one OF majority, while there
was no doubt the election o! Aldermen would be
very closely contested, and unless the law was
strictly compiled with he, as . lawyer, would be
very glad TO contest the legality OF any
member returned. he therefore thought. in i'm
pressing his views on the Board, he was
but discharging public duty, and he earnestly
hoped they would do nothing outside OF the strict
letter OF the law, for the omission OF the inspectors
and poll clerks furnishes more than sufficient
question Of law.
Several members addressed the meeting, advo-
eating the sentiments OF Mayor Hall, and ulti.
mately resolution was adopted that q committee
OF three In addition to the Secretary OF the Board
Of Aldermen and the Secretary OF the Board OF
Supervisors, be appointed to examine the enve-
lopes OF each district, and report accordingly.
The meeting then adjourned until tnis morning,
at ten O'Clock.
II may be mentioned that Mr.. Davenport stated
that the names OF the Aldermen already published
as elected by the Associated Press and police
figures correspond with those elected by his own
returns. though there are some OF difference
as To the respective number OF votes received.
Something Gone Wrong.