New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-22

THE RETURNING BOAD'

It is very evident that the delays IN ING
completion of the csnvassing and COM
piling of the election returns OF the d,ner-
emit PARISHES OF this State have not been
caused BY the conduct Of members OK 'ne
| Returning Board; and it is equally ev'den'
to all who have watched che proceedings
! OF that body carefully that if blame az
taches to any one in consequence Of Inc
length Of time tina. has been CONSUMED IN
! getting through the work assigned the
board by law, i: is the lawyers and can
I dida.es, who have been contestlng the re-
turns of parishes, that are TO hiame' u
must be Remembered that in the course OF
canvassing these returns protests have
! been entered against their compilation N
q very large number Of the parishes' and
these protests have caused trials to be
! Instituted before ,he board wherein tes;'-
monv had 20 be received from the parties
! Itigant.
The ass: week the board was in session
! i.s time was almost entirely consumed in
| entertaining motions OF counsel and hs-
tening to arguments clearly intended 20
! instruc: the board as 70 its powers and
| duties, but signally failed OF their purpose
! because the very able and eloquent argu'
ments OF counsel presented such conflict
! ing opinions in regard to the vital matters
at issue as 70 puzzle the board for the
time being and cause it 10 pause and re-
fleet before coming 10 conclusion and
rendering decision On the issues thus
made.
After the consumption Of grea: deal OF
time in this way. che president OF the bosfd,
Governor Wells, admonished counsel
that they we're taking up too much time;
that in fact the board stood in danger OF
being overwhelmed with legal opinions If
some restraint was not put upon counsel;
and that in self-dafense they would be
compelled 20 notify counsel tina: these
must be limit to their action before the
board. OF its work would never be accom-.
plished. The gentle EDMONTON thus
given had for q tine the desired effect.
The board was permitted to 60 On with
its labors with NO other delays than we've
necessary to give notice of protests and
have them fled, together with such 'esti.
mony as was available a. the time.
With the delays thus experienced the
board. by holding day and night
sessions. was enabled 60 get Though
the work of canvassing returns in about
four weeks. Then came the most difficult
part Of its work that Of examining the
testimony and determining tho contests
that had been made against the compila.
ton of certain returns, embracing par.
ishes that had been returned Republican,
and others that had been returned Dem.
ocratic. N some u these parishes parti.
san anxiety to win had led to acts and
irregularities that clearly come within the
province O: the Returning Board to cor.
rect; and as, in some instances. these acts
and irregularities have only resulted in
making the contest for Office very close.
it has rendered a very nice discrir,i.
nation on the part Of the board necessary
in order to determine the. contest SO as not
to defeat the will Of the majority in any
instance. These contests. in order to pre-.
vent interruption Of the business 9: the
board, have been determined in executive
session--all but members OF the board
being shut GU: from these sessions.
This work progressed sor some.
time without serious interruption
or dissatisfaction. The contests in
the parishes Of Carroll. S.. Helena and
Sabine were decided. after mature delib.
Grafton by the board Upon VIVA: it con.
sidered, no doubt. just and equitable
grounds, and although its decision in
each of these cases seriously affected Re-
publican interests. we have yet 20 learn
that Republicans have denounced or
threatened the board TO. its action in the
premises. But mark how diffe-en: be.
comes the conduct Of Democrats the mo.
ment the board, actuated by sense Of
Justice, renders decision tina: is ase.se to
what they regard as right.
The decision OF the board in The Satchi.
toches and Avoyelles contests has already
caused pile of Democratic anathemas to
be heaped upon the Returning Board. and
threats of the most damnable character
are freely hurled at members if they dare.
in the further exercise o. their duties. 10
anything that is not held TO be right by
the Democratic party-which. n palmer
language, means that she Returning
Board will be as violently dealt with as
were the Republican voters OF Northern
Louisiana if it dares, in the exercise of
its duties, doing what it deems right, not
return Democratic majority in the Leg
islature and elect Mr.. Moncure as State
Treasurer and return .: Teas: :c1y Demo-
cratic Congressman.
As a means of further delaying the
completion of the work Of the board,
Democratic counsel yesterday made a
motion before the board 20 have the de.
cision in the Natchi.oches contest recon-
sidered. Now, this. in the face Of the no.
torious fact that in a free, fair and peaceable
election, such as the law gives to the voters
of this State, that parish would give a
Republican majority Of FROM twelve 20
fifteen hundred, looks very much like
trifing with the time Of the board and