The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-02-01

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-TheL Louisiana
investigation was resumed this morning
by the Senate Committee ON Privileges
and elections. MI. Morton called fol
the official returns Of the election, which
were produced by B. r. Forman of the
"FOrman" Returning Board, who was
sworn and examined by Mr.. Morton.
He stated that the returns come into his
possession on the nth of December,
that they delivered to himself and
colleagues by Mr.. Bragdon, the seere-
tary of the previous board. Some of
the returns had been opened: can
vassed all the returns received. There
were three of the parishes thrown out.
The returns have been in possession of
the board since the canvass, under lock
and key. Did not examine the vote for
President and Vice President. Reject
ed a few of the returns. Poll of the
parish of Orleans, and No. 10 of
the parish of Jefferson were thrown
out, upon the evidence that they
had been stuffed by Fusionists. The
whole vote of Iberia, ~ st. James
and st. Michael Were thrown out, on
account OF the intimidation practiced
during the vote.
Mr.. FOrman, was questioned as to
| tIlC pOAIlASLkA SO1AAD1TA1Ou Ol U1LC parishes
thrown out OF not returned, but
could not speak positively, though he
| thought most of them were Republican,
Gov. WaTmOth was sworn and ex-
amined by Mr.. Morton. As Governorh he
did not make any certificate of the cleo
ton of electors. The law does not re-
quire it. He made q certificate of the
result Of the election which showed
| who were elected. Sent copies of these
certificates to the parties elected. These
were the Greeley electors. Issued the
certificates on the 4th December. No
canvass had been made by any Board
of Canvassers. Were issued on the re-
port of Mr.. Woodward, Assistant Sec
rotary of State. Mr.. Woodward gave
| the figures of the election. Mr.. Wood
ward had no authority to countthe vote.
Had returns from all the parishes but
two. These returns were opened by
himself on the I'd of December, in the
presence of the Wharton Board. The
returns put into the hands of Mr..
BragdOn, the secretary of the board,
who vas directed to employ clerks
enough to make a calculation of the
vote of the entire State. The board
was then enjoined from counting OF
~canvassing the returns, and no canvass
| WCES nlOtOC 41C FOtS Was thDIlHIbtN.
| No votes were thrown out.
John Lynch sworn and examined by
Mr.. Morton. His name was inserted in
the original act creating the Board of
Canvassers; was not present when any
returns made direct by the Governor
were opened; was present until Mr..
Wharton came in. The witness and Mr..
Heron voted for Longstreet and Hawk
ms. The Governor voted for Da Ponte
and Hatch. Did not hear Wharton.
Heron had been removed by the Gov
ernor before the vote was taken. The
board canvassed the votes for President
and Vice President before the 4th of
December, and gave certificates to
boards elected on the morning of the
4th. S%entthese eer~tiicatestO Mr.. Bovee,
Secretary of the State. When the vote
for Electors was counted the Board had
before it, first, returns from the Uni
ted States Supervisors. q. Returns from
the State Supervisors. 3. Afidavits from
certain individuals in certain parishes.
Had returns from the United States
Supervisors from all but two or three
parishes. The evidence before the Board
showed that the Supervisors had been
driven from the polls in places. In
New Orleans, comprising about one
fourth of the vote of the State, the
tally sheets agreed with returns Of the
Supervisors, and were sworn as correct
by the Supervisors. These returns were
received from the Registrars who were
appointed under the laws of the United
States. TheState Supervisor Of Regis
tration issued instructions that the Su-
pervisOrs should count first the votes
for presidential electors and members of
Congress. In many cases these instruc-
tons were not carried out, and full state
ments of the entire vote were sent to
the United States Supervisors; think
this was the case in about half the par
isles outside of New Orleans. From
the parishes only abstract statements
of the result We're sent. From the q
ishes OF st. James, Tensas, and several
others, the board had full returns from
State officers. Did not generally have
full statements of the results from State
Supervisors. One of the supervisors
submitted to witness the returns
he sent to the Governor, of these
papers witness made an abstract
in the presenceo of the other members of
the board. Thinks the board did not
have reports from State Supervisors
from q majority of the parishes. There
were a few parishes from which the
board had returns from neither State
nor IT. s. Supervisors. In some in
stances parties came before the board
and made statements concerning the
returns. These. statements were gene
rally reduced to wiring, and sworn to
before the proper officers by the parties
making them. In some cases the board
acted upon information which was not
sworn to. These afidavits were some
times as to the result of the vote, and in
some as to the reason why no returns
We're made. In eases the parish as a
whole was thrown ont, and the board
counted the votes of persons who sW0re
that they had been Illegally deprived of
voting. In Bossier parish, 1859 such
votes were counted. Some of the par
ties who sent the afidavits, which were
counted as votes, were not colored.
Some of the cOl0red men so voting did
not swear that they had been deprived
of voting on account of race, color or
previous condition. Some of the aft
davits were in the form of printed
blanks; most of the a6idavits were
printed, and it made no reference to
the color OF the party by whom it was
presented. The witness awaited HIM
self of all the means in his power to OBJ
tain the information; did not pretend
that results reported were technically
correct, but believe they were in the
main. The whole vote OF Natchitoches
parish was thrown out, and 1860 votes
Were counted upon affidavits-all for
the Republican ticket. Thinks that
votes were counted by affidavit In some
parishes where only q portion of the
votes were thrown out. In some par
ishes from which these were In returns,
the board estimated the vote at about
what they thought it ought to have
been. Witness opinion is hat the
whole number of votes thrown out did
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