New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-14
COLONEL McENERY WANTS A LET.
TER PUBLI.HED.
Governor Kellogg Obii9es Him, and Conn
neafs Thereon.

| utcauSc mdJuE VOcJpcT, WT. 1NCEncTy
secretary. requested me not to make j,
| public. The i.t.er reads as follows:
! N.w ORLEANS, July 5, 1873.
! Hon. William p. Kellogg. New Orleans:
| SIR have been informed by q promi
neat and responsible gentleman of this city
thar very recently you declared to him that
| in order to settle and determine finally the
present political difficulties in this State,
| ynu were willing and would agree to a sub
mi sion Of the official returns TO board OF
| five citizens, two OF the board to BE- desig
mated by yourself, two by myself, and the
fifth pers.'n to be selected by tho four pre-
| Ni0Isly designated.
IL addition to this information nav. oh
served in substance the sans statement
| printed recently in one Of The pubic prints
| Of this city.
am anxious, in common with all good
| citizens, To see instituted III this State gov.
erHment founded on the election, so that
| the legitimacy of the government may BIZ
| questioned by no on-, aud permit me here
! to observe that in my judgment, the posi-
| ton which you now hold, will enable you
| to initiate the necessary measures tor that
purpose.
You can cOnstitute board of returning
officers under and by virtue Of the act Of
November 20, 1872; TO this board the cleo
tion returns caL be delivered, canvass
and compilation made and a result declared.
Now, without consultation OF advice with
any one, and acting in my own judgment,
/ make to you this distinct and plain pro-
position to wit:
That you suggest the names Of two citi.
Kebs.
That I suggest a like pumber.
|! That these tonr citi1eus select the fifth
citixeE
That you commission these FIVE citizens
as returning board. and without delay
will place in possession of said board all
the official returns OF the late election.
And here I wish to observe, that
am willing that the board thus consti-
tnted. shall take latitudinous scope in
the reception of evidence On the suggestion
of fraud and not be confined to the tech
meal and formal restrictions of the election
law, for if las it is alleged by political oppo-
nents). that my election was secured by
fraudulent returns. the quicker it is known
and determined the better, and such a
resuit being shown, no one will retire
with greater CELEBRITY aud pleasure to the
walks Of private life than the writer.
will be glad TO hear a response to this
communication IA early as practicable.
l am, sir. very respect tt,l.y. -yonr obe-
dent servant, JOHN MCENERY.
1t will be seen that Mr. McEnery's offer
tO the does not differ very materially from
my offer TO him, except as to time and cir
cumsrance. But these two points Of diff
ference mark - very wide divergence be-
TIVE, n the offers and fully explain why .
prnp sitien " hich ut one time was feasible
wa. rejected by my opponents, and why .
similar proposition mace at a time when it
va. entirely imprac ticable was not accept
ed ny myself.
w Ell offered threngh my counsel, Mr..
Will an II. Hunt, to abide by the result uf
canvass Of the returns made by five
prominent and d,sinterested citizens-twO
t" he appointed by myself, two by Mr..
McEuery. and fifth by the four-I nam
ing ~ an Indication Of nv fair intentions
III 'he matter such well known ctizrns az
Judge Z II. Morgan and George l.. Bright,
Esq the returns were believed to be un-
opened, ,unrarpered with and intact. Neither
the State nor federal courts had finally
passed upon the question as to who CUnsti-
tuted the board entitled to open and can
vaSs those returns. At this time the snits
p-nliing in the courts could have been with
drawn At any moment, aud the proposed
arbtratOrs could have been constituted nv
mutual consent a returning board generally
acceptable under the provisions of the un-
signed election law which Governor War
moth had then in his possession unsigned,
but subsequently signed and promulgated.
More than fix mouths after. when Mr.. Nc
Enery addressed his very unexpected letter
to mo both State and federal courts had de-
cnied in NY favor. The Supreme Court of
the Stare, IN more than d, zen decisions
had s"lemn'y recognized the legality of
the government Of which was the head;
and the general government had ratified
that recognition. he returns. which at
the time OF my proposal were presumed to
be unopened and intact, had been travelling
about She country for halt year or more in
the hands OF irresponsible custOdians. They
ha,! been banded about from one illegal
board to another, and each board had
canva>sed them with widely differing
results Moreover, the vacancies III
tie returning hoard created by the new law
had been tiled up by the Senate and we're
no longer under control OF the Governor.
Hence The proposition contained il Mr.. Nc
Euery's letter for the Governor to appoint
p.cii.l returning board was impractics-
bic.
In "a .utesviev with Major Woeirer. held
after the receipt VI Mr.. hlcEnery's letter.
stated 10 him that Colonel McEnery vas
nls'nf"rmsd IN surprising any responsible
gentleman lad been authorized by
"si'i"n made by ne some months pre-
viousy and rejected. I endeavOred
Io explain 10 him how mpracricable any
such prOpossl was under the Gu an ge0 con
oinrn Ot affaira, especially as I could now
speak only fer myse f: and after y long con
strs,tiun il was agreed. ~ ! understood, to
let the matter drop aud await tho action Of
Congress.
Mr.. sicKnery all udes b. implication to .
supposed renewal Of this proposition in my
recrnt address Of September 80, 1874
Allow me 10 qnote the exact language OF
that address. / said:
u nm prepared to show before any COM
pettnt tlibuual that u portion of the returns
upon which Mr.. McEaery bases his claims
re forgeries msnuractur+d in this city. ! Am
attic now to produce the judicial officer be-
lore Slom y r ion of the blank tally lists |
and returns were .wor,,-to be subsequently |
filed up here in This ciry. and palmed of !
upon the public as the genuine returns Ot |
~n lection held in strong Republican par |
shrs tar silsfan5 from rhis cily. Even Sena !
"f tarpen'cr. in his speech in the Senate
~ The fourth of March. sad. 4 do not
max h'c merry ~ss la tact elected. though
set returns shov that BIZ was.' l hold my
sci: h"w ready to im,-ach the retrrns
Nli-" upon bH the Fusion boards AS altered, |
it'N e" ''ii" IN 'one instances forged out |
ish' chatge tnoIe.vsr. that the returns !
I'm In"rIlilt-. ~. James, Terrehunnp. ST !
Martin and other L publican uarish.. were
brown Z" b., thr Fu.lu.. yet.,r,.;n, boards
or ne just 1es."n. "u. because thew gave I
iI-A Il .ni 'he H-pubicap ticket q beavv
majority; and assert tha: by .h. peruins
ctu,EA. counting 'h. ectes actually casi.
~ elected by veraI Thousand ,s,ajorirv
~ npou Chi. issue am ready 10 stand Or
~"
I can nov. " course. oniv sneak
~ M.seit. but would even now