New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-14
The Returning Board.


This body met yesterday at half-past ten
o'clock. ALI the members were present.
A large number of letters from the differ.
ent candidates, or their attorneys, asking
permission to be present at the canvasslng
of the returns, were received and read by
the new assistant secretary of the board,
M Charles S. Abel, and ordered to be
filed.
On motion Of General Anderson, the
proposition of the Democratic and Con.
servative State Central Committee, to the
effect that Messrs. f. C. Zacharie. w. X.
Whitaker, +. Fuselier. Charles Cavanac
and Edward Booth be permitted to attend
the meetings of the board az committee
to represent the interes. of the Democratic
party, and the candidates Of the party in
the late election, was adopted.
Mr.. Zacharie asked permission to file
protest against the legality of the Return.
ing Board as at present constituted. He
said the law required that its members
should be taken from ali political parties,
and charged that the law had not been
complied with in this respect, inasmuch as
the Democratic party had no representative
among the members Of the board.
General Anderson was under the impress
sion that at the time the Senate elected the
board the Democratic party was not known
as having life in the State. He felt satisfied
that the Senate had endeavored to comply
with the law by electing as members Of the
board men who were considered representa-
tives of the parties that were then eXtant.
The General further stated that he had not
sought the position, and that he did not
wish to hold it if man more acceptable to
all parties could lie found to fill it; that he
had rendered his resignation upon a former
occasion, and stood ready to renew it when.
ever the public interest demanded that he
should take that course. He concluded his
remarks by moving that Mr.. Zacharie be
allowed until to-day to write out and file his
protest.
The motion granting tina was adopted.
Mr.. Casanave and other members of the
board also stated that they had expressed a
willingness to resign.
On motion of General Anderson. the re.
quest Of the State Central Republican Com.
mittee. to the effect that committee repre-.
senting that body be permitted to attend
the meetings of the board. and defend the
interest Of Republican candidates, was
Ray and 7. B. Stamps were then announced
as the members of that committee.
Mr.. Kenner offered the following resolu.
ton, which was read and adopted:
Kesolped. That the Secretary of State be
requested to furnish the Board of Return.
ing Officers with a certified list Of all clerks
OF district courts and sheriffs of the State
commissioned by his Excellency Governor
William p. Kellogg. with the date Of each
commission.
Tho chairman Of the board. ex.Gorernor
Wells. then su uggested that the board pro-
ceed at once with the canvass ct the city
returns.
This suggestion was objected to by Mr..
Zacharie. That gentleman stated that
after consultation his party friends had de-
termined to favor the counting OF the State
vote ti:st, taking up the parishes alphabet.
ically. lie also added that the candidates
Of the Democratic party for municipal and
| parish offices in the city OF New Orleans
! and parish of Orleans had pledged them.
selves not to be indicted into office until
] the Board Of Returning Officers had can.
yassed the returns of the W hole State.
Mr.. Kenner thought that that fact was
not Of sufficient Importance to the board to
influence its course. It was a matter with
which the board had nothing to do. and he
thought members should not allow it to
contro, their action lie favored the can.
vassing Of the city returns fret.
General Anderson also spoke in favor OF
this course being adopted. lie said that
many Of lis Democratic friends favored
this course. and though: it would give gen.
e-al satisfaction.
Mr.. Zacharis again arose and said he
should protest against the board canvassing
the returns. on the ground that the law
creating the board was unconstitutional.
Ex-Governor Wells said the constitution.
a!ity o: the law was matter tina: courts
would have to determine.
Judge Ray read from the third section Of
the election law to show in what order the
board would have to proceed with the can.
yassins Of the returns.
Genera! Anderson announced that the re-
turns t:ca 81. Landry parish were in the
city.
Ate. consultation with Mr.. Zacharie.
Genera! Anderson stated that the Conserva.
tive committee wers not ready to proceed
with the coun: and asked for an adjourn.
men:.
Ex-Governor Wells thought it the duty
Of the board to accommodate all parties as
far as possible. and favored an adjourn.
inent.
:. Mr.. KennAr thought i. would expedite
business if the board would grant permis.
sion to the secretary to open and assort
returns in packages. He said the returns
would not be opened. but simply assorted
and placed in order for the convenience of
the board when it was ready to proceed
with the canvass.
General Anderson objected to this. and
on his motion the board adjourned to meet
again this morning at halfpast ten o'clock.
The bes: fuel at the lowest price. Mount
Carbon coal AZ q; x>v.f;y ya cants ner barrel.