The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-02-08
THE LOUISIANA CASE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 81, 1873.

issaCtOfy. Mr.. Lynch, MI. BOVee and
Gen. Longstreet, members of the KEEL
logg Returning Board, have testified
before the Committee. They admitted
returns ON the evening Of the 9th Of
December, and on that night, without
having received them or any reply
from me, they made up and promulga-
ted in the official journal, Of the next
morning, the 7th, tho composition Of
the Legislature which was on the 9th
assembled at the Mechanics Institute.
That the evidences of election on which
they acted consisted as follows:
l. Ofstatements of one OF the uni
ted States inspectors appointed for each
poll in some parishes and in none of the
statements signed by both the inspec-
tors, except in New orleans, where the
returns of both boards arc substantially
the same.
2. or affidavits of persons alleging
that they were prevented illegally from
voting, signed In every instance with
the cross mark of the persons signing.
3. OF the afhdavits OF citizens gen
orally representing frauds perpetra-
ted.
4. Ofletters from individuals not
sworn to or otherwise attested.
s. OF verbal statements Of persons to
the same effect.
8. OF newspaper reports.
7. According to Mr.. Lynch, Of what
in the opinion Of the board should be
the returns.
6. AS by Mr.. Bovee's statement,
that they were determined to have a
Republican Legislature. None Of
these evidences on which they declar-
ed they acted have been received or
presented to the committee, nOtWith-
standing they were directed to bring
them before the committe, and it is be-
lieved they will not be brought. They
say they used due diligence to obtain
the official returns in the possession of
the Governor, but failing to get them,
ignored them entirely, and proceeded
to declare the result upon such data
Or evidence as they could obtain. Mr..
BOVee, in his testimony, swcara that
under the ruling established by this
same board in the canvass of returns of
the election of 1870, that none Of tho
evidence on which they have acted in
this case, would have been considered,
the ruling being that under the cleo
ton law no evidence of irregularity or
fraud in tho election could be consider
cd by the board unless it was first pre-
scented by the affidavit or report of the
State supervisor or registrator COM
missioner of election appointed by the
State authorities. This ruling was en-
tireiy ignored by his board. If the
canvass and compilation of tho results
in the possession of the election of 1872.
1t is also stated by this witness that the
only evidence OF tho election of Cover
nor and lieutenant Governor which
WAS laid before their Legislature in ac-
cortlance with the article of tho Con-
stitutiOn of tho State which declares
that the legislature shall count the
votes aud declare the result of the elcc-
ton for Governor and Lieutenant Gov
ernOr was a duplicate return MS made
by themselves that evidences of the
election on which they acted were not
ut that time in tho possession of the
Secretary Of State, who by law is made
the custodian of them, but We're in the
hands of Mr.. Wooltiy, the United
States Supervisor for the State, and
were not laid before tho Legislature as
the constitution requires. It is also
shown that Longstreet was appointed
ny Pinchbaci< to tho office Commission
er of Sewers, with II salary OF $4,000 per
annum; TINT Lynch's son, absent in
Texas, was appointed by PinchbacIS
Inspector of Live Stock, under the
Slaughtcr-house act, said to be worth
$1,000 per annum; that Hawkins, anoth-
or member, was appointed by Pinch
back Judge Of the Superior Court,
which recognized tho Kellogg Govern
mcnt and has exclusive jurisdiction
over all questions of office, with Il sal
AIRY of 5000 per annunl, and that Her.
ron was appointed by PinchbaclS to
the office Of Recorder of Mortgages,
worth from $4,000 to 81, 700 per an
mum, and OF whicl, he asked rs il con-
dition of McFncry to count the returns
in his favor, and which was declined.
These appointments were all made
about the same time, and just after tho
work OF making returns was completed.
On the other hand it is shown by the
official returns made and sworn to by
the commissioners of election and SUI
pervlsors OF registration appointed UNI
der tho State law, which arc now in the
possession of tho committee, and under
consideration by them, that the persons
returned elected by the deficit board,
and proclaimed so by tho Governor, in
his official proclamation of tho 5th of
December were duly elected; that the