New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-01
TIE RULE OF THE MAJORITY,

| curing the existence OF the present Gen
eraI Assembly that has not been devoted
either in whole or in part. by enc hons
or the other. or by committee. to tn
consideration Of contested election cases
The returns which The supervisors Of cleo
ton were employed and paid TO make anC
send to the proper officers were withheld
| Or not made out at all. Certain papers
purporting to be returns of our election
were sent to Washington, but as they ex
| hlbited the strange phenomenon of al
being in the same handwriting Senator
Logan, one Of the members Of the cele
brated Senate committee, informs Us,
they came to the conclusion they We're
forgeries and rejected them. The return.
ing board, being thus deprived Of the
evidence which had been depended upon
to assist in determining what candi-
dates had been chosen to the
various positions by the people,
was compelled to resort to the
next best testimony a.tainable. The Oh
ject was, OF course, to find out which man
in every case had received the highest
number Of votes. They discharged their
duty, reported the result 70 the General
| assembly and retired. IN some cases
| they doubtless committed errors, owing
| to the fact that the frauds Of the super
..sors wese SO deity committed as to es.
cape Immediate detection Hence the
committees of the two houses have been
called upon to make some searching H..
ves:igations which haze sesuited IN IN.
eaTthing unexpected developments. It
has been made reasonably certain that
sesera! candidates who ia! been eye.
turned by both boards had no claims 70
such distinction. and have consequently
been set aside Cor the sigh:tul members.
Notably SO were the cases % Senators
Na5icot. GiaudiH and Detiege. and Repre-
sentatives Lang!es and Thompson. These
gentlemen have been able 20 satisfy the
tribunals which are named in the cons:i.
tuition as the sole Judge o: such matters
tina: they actually received !, majority Q:
the votes cast. an! have been duly ,ecc:.
a:zei as entitled 70 seats.
!: vii! BE remembered ;h.: t:lc General
Assembly bore with infinite patience the
con.amacy Q; the Fusion members whose
names appeared upon tie .o'is. They
were given al O: !as: session. ana nearly
half os the present. IN wh!c. to make up
.ile!g minds w..ethe: .Hey would return 70
t!utv o. nor. .H g: las. winter ~as
sren: il. trying 20 organize Revolutionary
government. But ADMITTED: failure stared
then. in the :..ce In the beginning OF 1854,
an! Ill those who had much confidence
in the theory tina: they were ,eal!y
elected, applied 10: late admission &:
Mechanics Institute We're. some Q.
them base m.: contestants. who have
slice been seated. The question involved
IN a.! eLeis eases was simply one Ct tacte
Committees and members diligently in
Iuisei: Which Of the contestants fecei.ed
the most vo:ese and the opinion OF
the majority prevailed. We are aware
the.e was difference Of opinion among
our own party as to the claims of some OF
the contestants. Senators 1ngraham.
Wharton and others. and Representative
Gair. have freely expressed their opinion
that some Of the members recently seated
have no legal claims; bUt, as the majority
OF their fellow members thought differ
entity. they are bound by the verdict, and
70 the best Of our knowledge acguiescee
Hu. the claimant % seat IN either
branch 81 the Legislature owes a. co.ree
spending duty. He :. bound 80 be on
hand TO look after it. ana attend to the inc
terest: involved in the acceptance of the
trust. i'll during last winter Messrs.
Jonas. Booth, VOORHEES,. Thomas and
Daigle, though claiming 70 be Senators,
remained away from the Senate Chamber,
and .onsoyted with the enemies Of the
State government at Odd Fellows Hall.
They were then advised 30 hold OFT so
long as they had y sparS OF manhood in
theis IosoMs. Bat since tie :ota! col
lapse Of tho whole Fusion business tie
cry IS changed. and those who were Jas.
year zeaious'y Juggling to Keep them elst
of Mechanics Institute now c!anosousiy
demand. IN .heis name, Che hight 10 en-
ter. Two Of these gentlemen Lave been
admitted. The othe.s have been .x-
Guided :oS Yeasons satisfactory 70 those
who weye calIe(: upon 80 judge. The
FAC: 'i.as a person sas been reported ly
the returning board as entitled 20 % seat
in either house Is only pima :acie Ell.
d.nce os lis :igh. tAeseto. The pre-.
sumption created in his :avos .: the action
OF the board may be destroyed by late. sv:'
ience. aa1 by % t.ivec. decision os the
house 10 which he applies COZ admission.
The :iscs that % gentleman WHO claims 20
be s.ec.eI q member oS the Legislature.
81: decline. 20 take MS ssa'. may be taken
40 Suggestive o: tie suspicion tia: he
does 30: place ,.rscS eoI.fiJeacs ia the
strength Of his e!ai,l. .sIi ~ j. was in
Asos: cases aaI. 20 impossible % say Nia.
-as tie ges'l: o: she .:ec.:o. j. some
Instances. perhaps some o: The SIC.
cess:u. contestants seves "otl! have
known :Lei. sights # She ;atr1ie;s tad
not aroused suspicion and provoked in.
quiry by tneSr Own dubious conduct
Upon the whole, we are content to
leave the decision Of these questions to