New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-10

VOLUME Vl1I---NO.
TIE Reauvning Beard.
The board yesterday was called to order
os eleven O'Clock by President Nells, and
proceeded TO canvass the geturhs lrom tbs
parish Of St. Tsmmany.
The supervisor Of registration for this par.
oh protests against che returns from poll
three ON the ground that the tally sheet
and other returns thereof were made up by
enc Thompson, who was not q commissioner
Of election and DOT authorized 20 make ont
eeturns; and IN addition, being q candidate.
~as an interested party. and should not
Aave been permitted to handle the returns;
furthermore, that the returns nnde up by
aim and before tho board WeCe not made at
Che proper place.
1t 10 asserted that Thompson was . can.
didatA for parish judge. and that the re.
sufns from poll three were prepared At
CoviDetOn by him. some twenty miles from
Che polling place. Protests have also been
filed against the geturns from OtheS poils in
ehis parish.
The result Of the canvass Of the st. Tam.
0sny returns by the board show that Mon
euro, for State Treasurer. received 800
votes and Dubuclet 3sl; Moncure's major.
1ty l9. These figures show that the contest
n the parish has been very close. and this
fact some persons might be uncharitable
enough 70 think. accounts for the necessity
Of the returns from poll three being pre-.
cared in Covington by Mr.. Thompson,
Democratic candidate for parish Judge. In.
stesd of being made ont at the poll where
fhe votes we're cast by the proper returning
Sfiicers.
The returns from the parish of st. Helena
were next taken up and canvsssed. The
4gures in the returns give the Democratic
ticket small majority, with the exception
Of the candidate ON that ticket for the Leg
islature. For State Treasurer MOncure re.
Seived 622 votes and Dubnclet 536. The
Republican candidate for the Legislature is
Geturned elected il this parish.
Aessrs. Whitaker and Zacharie, of Demo.
cratic Conservative counsel, charge. how.
ever, that the figures in the returns have
1eep changed SO as TO effect this result, and
apoh ihs ground Of fraud have entered
their protest against the complement Of tho
eeturna in so far az the election Of member
Of the Legislature from that parish 10 con-
cerned.
Colonel Lowell gave notice that il q pro.
sese was entered against the election Of Mr..
Floyd to the Legislature from Sc. Helena.
% would ask that Tho ballot boxes Of the
polls where returns are thus eubjected to
contest be sent for and brought before the
board. Counsel on the other side did not
object to this.
The seturns from Union parish were next
eaken up and canvassed. There werc some
6nfofmalities in these returns. but kepubli.
can counsel did not deem them Of sufficient
opportance to cause a protest TO be entered
against them: and as the parish went Dem.
ccratio by a handsome majority, Democratic
counsel could hardly be expected to do SO.
Noncure's vote in this parish was Il62. Du.
buclet's a32; Moncure's majority $50.
Tue returns from Vernon parish were
4ext cahyassed. and the result showed that
Noncurs had received 7l2 yotes. Dubuclet
aOne.
Mr.. Ray, counsel for Republican side.
gasa notice that he would enter a protest
against the complement Of these returns.
MI. Whitaker asked upon what ground.
Ar. Ray replied upon the ground OF sin.
Umidafiou."
The board next cauyassed tho returns
from vermilron parish. The result shows
chat Moneure received 692 votes and Dubu.
elet 22s. Moncure's majority 46s.
1r. Ray gave notice that he would file .
protest against compiling the returns from
this parish.
The board on motion adjourned until ten |
o'clock this morning.
Mr.. Ray yesterday dled the following !
answer Of Republican counsel to the objec. |
sion of the Democratic counsel to the pow. |
ess Of the returning officers:
fs is contended in the brief of the Demo.
cratic counsel that the returning officers
can not inquire into any ''riOt. tumult, acts
of violence, intimidation. armed disturb
ance, bribery or corrupt influences which
prevented, or tended to prevent. fair, free |
and peaceable vote of all qualified electors
entitled TO VOTE" unless the facts are pre-
scented on the certificate Of the supervisor
Of registration or commissioners Of election.
verified by the affidavit of three voters.
These learned and astute attorneys at
tempt to draw a distinction between The
effect Of the above provisions, and the effect !
of the provisions Of the same law prescrib
ing the form of proceedings in conducting
elt ctiOns; for instance, they contend that
She omission to keep list of the voters,
and sign and swear to it, the making
statement Of the persons voted for and the
0umber of votes received by each. and
aigning and swearing to it, and tally sheets
Of the count of the votes, are not essential
20 the validity of an election, although ex-
pressly required bv law in such
Germs a. that "it shall be the duty,
etc." they have satisfied this board
chat the failure to comply with some Of these
SeQuisites. where there ia no suspicion OF
fraud, aud where there has been sufficient
Of the forms complied with TO show q sub
stantial compliance with the law. that the
board will not consider literal compliance
absolutely essential. ss had they done
otherwise there would have been q failure !
of our election in this State.
Now, these attorneys are not willing to
apply the principles contended for above to
the sscertaining of the facts OF intlhida.
tiOn. etc.
We contend that the law on this point
goes to this extent, aud that such was the
intention Of the law makers, that the re- |
turning officers were vested with the gen
oral power Of iD4uiring into any riot.
tumult, acts OF violence, intimidation,
armed disturbance, bribery or corrupt in
lences which prevented or tended to pre-
vent fair, free and peaceable vote Let