The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-08-17

IMPORTANT LETTER FROM SENATOR WE;

The Federal Election Law.
IMPORTANT LETTER FROM SENATOR WEST
The following interesting c0rrespon-
dence between Col. Penn and Senator
Westis published for the information of
the voters of the State:
HEADQUARTERS LIBERAL PARTY OF LOUISIANA
New Orleans, August l, 1872. )
Hon. ]. R. West:
Dear rSir-Theumdersig gned are anxious
to ascertain your views Of the practical
operation of the bill offered by Senator
w. P. Kellogg, in the Senate Of the
United States, respecting elections in
Louisiana. Will you do us the favor to
inform us whether, in it's practical opera
ton, it was intended to affect the cleo
tion Of the State ticket, as contra
distinguished from that of Presidential
electors Your prompt reply will great
ly oblige your friends and fellow
citizens. s-.
BY order of the Committee. 7
se D. B. Penn, Chairman.
= ~ NEW ORLEANS, August 5, 1872.
Colonel D. p. Penn, Chairman Committee Lib
eral Party: .-....-:
Dear r-Ihaye the honor to aelnoWl-
edge receipt of your note of yesterday,
soliciting my views of the practical
operation of the bill offered by the Hon.
w. p. Kellogg, in the Senate of the
United States, respecting elections in
| Louisiana, andinquiring whether it was
intended to affect the election of the
State ticket, as contradistinguished
from that Of presidential electors.
| reply, beg leave to state that Mr..
| Kellogg introduced and Congress passed
one act relating solely to- the time of
holding the presidential electionin Louis
lana. As by our State constitution, the
election for State officers would be held
on the next day preceding the presi-
| Dental election, it was thought to be
wise to have both elections held on the
same day, thereby avoiding expense to
the State and second days loss of time
to the voters.
| Under the provisions of that act Louis
! lana will vote for presidential electors,
members of Congress and the entire
State ticket on Monday, November 4,
thereby voting for President one day in
advance OF any other State in the Union.
| This measure has no reference to the
machinery of elections either Federal or
/ State, but my colleague did introduce a
/ bill, which did not pass, however, ex-
/ tending the epfQpce ent acts Of May 81,
/ 1870, and February 28, 1871, to all yot-
i ing places in the United States. This
project of Mr.. Kellogg was referred to
the Committee on Privileges and Elec-
i tions, and was reported back enasculat-
i ed of most, thongh not of all, of its OBJ
iectionable features. .-.
/ Although, as ! have remarked, this
| bin did nof pass as "a separate measure,
/ an amendment to the sdndry civil SER
vice bill was carried, with the design of
/ aeeamp plishing the same object, and,
! perhaps, gQuE question can be best an
sWered by quoting from the lazy Itself,
. as follOWst -. -. =
i i" For defraying the expenses of the
courts of the Unitod States, including the
i District of Columbia; for jurors and wit
i nesses, aud expenses of suits in which
i the United Statesare concerned, ofpr0se-
| G4tiGn for offences committed against
the gnitea States for the safekeeping
of prisoners and for the expenses which
may be incurred in the enforcement of
i the act relative to the right OF citizens to
vote, of February 28, 1871, or any acts
I amendatory thereof or supplementary
/ thereto, s3,2D0,0 900; of which sum $780,
900 shall be available far the expenses
incurred during the present fsCat year,
the said act being hereby supplemented
il and amended SO as TO further provide as
| fgll9Ws: hat whenever in any county
i there shall be ten 81 tSgeIls bgiete0f of good
OF voters for an election for Representa-
i tive in Congress, or prior to any election
/ at which q ReDEeseptatiye in Congress
is to be voted For, shall he made known,
1 in writing, To the Judge of tile Circuit
i Court Of tile United States for the dis
/ tEict WAeEeil such county or parish is
situated, their desire tQ have said regis
i Iatiap or election both guarded and
Iserutinized, Ii aliaI be the duty of the
said Judge OF the Circuit Court. WitHin
mot less than ten days prior to said reg
Eistration or election, as the case may be,
1 to omen the said court at the most con-
i venIenb point III said district: and the
said court, when SO opened by said Judge
shall proceed to appoint and commission,
from day to day, and from time to time,
i and llndaa the hand of the said Judge,
and under the seal of said court. for such
i election district oil voting precinct in
saia Con gressi0nal district, as shall, in
the MANNER hepeia ppesGri bed have been
applied Tor, and to revoke, change or
renew said appointment from time to
time, two citizens, residents OF said cleo
i tiQa district or voting precinct in said
county oF patisl, who shall of differ
ent political parties, and able to rea0 aud
write the English Ian guage, and who
shall be known and desf gnated as super
Visors Of election and the said court,
when opened by the said ind as Eeqtlis
i red herein, sllln thereffOm and thereaf-
Ter, and up To and including the day fol-
lowing the day gE election, hg always
open for the tran nsaeti0n 0f business un=
der this act and the powers aud juIts-
dietion hereby granted and conferred
shall be exercised. as we'll in vacation as
1 IN term time; and Judge sitting at
4 and Jurisdiction, including the power of
I keeping order and Of furnishing amy con-
tempt Of his authority, as when sitting
in the court; provided that no coEnpen-
satian shall be allowed to the sUperEi-
sors herein authorized to be appointed,