New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-31
THE ABsTRACTED TESTIMONY.

self TO Gscertalnlng the nature 81 'Ao 0'f
d.nce upon which it based Its decisions
This we understand 20 be virtual aa- J
mission bv the distinguished Senator tha'
the discretionary powers OF the fetuFnlne
board can not be examined, 'u' 'H''
PARTIES feeling themselves aggneVeo fn"0'
nroance better evidence for their case than
was forthcoming when The eanVaSse's
made .hei, return. Nov, there - Ao
doub: tina. the reports Of the state 7u.cl'
,,;sors If they had been forwarded as the
law REQUIRES. and placed before che board
vo,ls have been accepted as the best eV!-
denc. nj hand. But 1t by no means loi'
lows chat these reports, II correctly
made. would have contradict" the 'e''!'
mony given by the United States 'nspec'
tori. A. all events this testimony was
withheld. and for what we know to the
contrary may have been 'os: OF destroyed
Thre. citizens Of New Orleans have
recently appeared in Washington, each
with trunk full Of papers purportlng 20
be returns OF the late election III TINS
State. but grave doubts a'e en-
.ey.ainel as 90 their being genuine.
Il is probable tia. the committee
will decide them TO De quite worthless
because they have been taken out o! the
custody Of the responsible o'llcefs ana
committed 20 the care OF irresponsible
parties. Who have had ample time, " the:
were so inclined, 10 :amper with them 70
the extent o: changing their entire char
acter. Fox all practical purposes OF De-
Gliding our contest. these simulated returns
are 50 much waste paper. Ihey have
passed through too many hands to be de
pended upon; they belong IN LOUISIANA
not in Washington: they should have been
presented q, che frope, time 20 the leSa!
returning board, no: committed 20 MesS,s.
Mitchell. Eorman and Southmayd, to be
sent ont OF the State. Doubtless Slr. Mor.
ton is very:much astonished 70 hnd III"
committee called upon to perform the due
ties of our returning board, TO count oVeG
more than 8 hundred thousand ballots,
containing seventy or more names each,
and upon evidence going 20 show that %
LARGE Der centage of the ballots We're put
into the trunks since The day OF election.
If the Committee on Privileges and Ilec-
sions were an appellate tribunal, with
rowas 20 revise the decision OF the return
ING board il would doubtless De justified
in remanding the case back TO the inferior
tribunal with directions to examine ana
weigh the new testimony thar has recently
turned up in Washington, unless II dee
cided THAI the parties ia in'eres: having
failed to produce the evidence az the
proper time and place, can rot now be
| permitted to offer it at all.
The fatal defect in this testimony IS tha!
! it has been prepared by interested parties
and never submitted to the scrutiny OF
competent judges. On the contrary, It
has been foycibly withheld in diSobedlence
Of The state laws, and in defiance o. Che
orders Of the United States Circuit Sous'
i'&e parties wac nov wish to ;svaaS 'hen'
| selves OF il have been detected il @ son'
spiracy TO defraua, ana il ha. been ruled
repeatedly tina. parties who place chem.
selves ia 31scIl I'D attitude, shall not esem
! have equity. IN the So,d5 Of sistin-
a-sisheCs coUase0oy, sheiS whole course az
: actiop IS SO tainted with evasion, and
! aetemY. az fraud, and their statements 50
| saturated with smprobabili!y, that 40 e.
, lance whatever can be placed upon :hei.
! ayer.nen.s OF IN theiy documentary evl-
. dence. Thus i: happens 'hat testimony
which might have produced different 'e-
! sui: IN The decision Z offered at :he prope!
| time, having been destroyed by thoS"
| charged with its custody. can &c: nov
avail on a;:he. side IS it is }eo" est.
it's plainly M. Aorton's intent 20 find
, cu.. ii possible, that the returning board,
who are the proper Judges Of the election,
| had in their possession such secondary
! evidence as the national law presided for
! IN Just such cases !. has already been well
tIlitt III b!coL NttHOD - 1ts1
! tina. when that was wanting, it proceeded
upon the best testimony i: could summon.
! Ny. Trumbuli remarked that il was no:
| .he duty Of the returning board 90 coun:
the votes. but 30 proceed upon evidence
Of The certificate. Of officers appointed b.;
! law 70 conduct the elections and count the
' -. 10 .,.t "a MI U
/! failed 70 discharge 'hei: duties. the board
was compelled 20 rely "pon the testimony
| Of the federal ''off!ciai witnesses. This
! view Of the case rules on: Nj. Norman ,
three trunks full of papers, AID reduces
them 20 .he value thas may be SET upon
them b: dealers in paper stock say two
cents pound. They are not likely to be
| counted. They can not be proved TO ,.
genuine. they are doubtless spurious,
and both Nessrs Morton and Irumbul
appear 90 be vel! aware Of their full value
:: was no: worth while TO so 70 the trouble
and .xp.ns. o. gaking them 50 FAR. as the:
vii! neve, pas, under official Inspection
il Washington. one Senate: EVIDENT!
thinks hey are %: no consequence, an
another says the returning off GERS have
no nigh. 20 count votes. Evidently this !:
% case where the law iayors the sigIlan'
10. the report. .: the United states IN
|, specto,s. which were laid before the re
turning board III gOc.s season, were anC
81 ,..1., ~