New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-25
The Returning BOards

The Returning Boards
Shorty after eleven o'clock yesterday
President Wells called the board TO order.
Messrs. Anderson. Wells. Casanave. Ken
ner and .irrcyo were present. The minutes
Of the previous day were read and aP'
proved.
Mr.. Arroyo, on behalf OF .he supervisor OF
election in Concordia parish. submitted
profes. and asked that it be filed.
There was some discussion as to the pro-
p,ie,y Of fling such papers before the board
was ready to canvass the returns OF the
parish to which they related. The board
decided to receive and present them at the
proper time.
Mr.. Arroyo offered the following rssolu'
ticn:
Resyircd, That the president Of the board
be requested to institute legal proceedings
before the Superior District Court for the
parish Of Oyiean =, in order to obtain from
the assistant supcrv isOr Of election in and
for the parish OF De Soto the election re-
turns. tally lists and such other documents
necessary in order to complete the returns
of said parish. with the view OF their can
vass aud compilation.
Mr.. Arroyo accompanied the resolution
with some remarks touching what Madame
Eumor had to say abeu. the supervisor OF
De Soto parish and tho disposition he was
trying to make Of the election returns. Mr.
Arroyo was in favor Of bringing the matter
before Judge Hawkins. who, he thought.
would give prompt relief in the premises.
President Wells seemed to dread the
meshe. OF the law and the laws delay. Be
sides. he doubted the authority Of the
board to take the step contemplated by Mr..
Arroyo's resolution.
Mr. Anderson concurred with the views
of the PRECEDENT OF the board. he did not
believe the board was vested with authority
TO employ counsel to sue out a writ Of man
damus. Hc was willing to have the Attor'
ney General consulted. and such steps taken
as he might recommend.
On motion the resolution was laid upon
the table. subject 20 call.
A motion was made to proceed with 9
canvass Of returns from Ascension.
Mr.. Whitaker suggested the propriety o.
proceeding with the canvass by congres
sional districts.
The president ruled against this, and said
the board would adhere to the course it had
adopted scme days ago in regard to thi!
matter, and that was to take UP the par
ishes in alphabetical order and can vass thei
returns. A deviation from this course hat
been allowed in order to complete the re
turns OF the first and second congressional
districts, but he thought it best in future Il
adhere to the rule.
The ruling Of the president was sustained
and the board went into an examination o
! the returns from Ascension.
The returns from severa! Of the polls o
this parish were accompanied by protests
and when the canvass of tho whole parish
| was concluded il was ascertained that th'
| Republican ticket had received 1850 vote
and the Democratic ticket $50. For Con
gress-Darrall. Republican. received 1865
Ereaux, Democrat, 9l3.
The board proceeded to canvass the se
| turns from Assumption.
! Colonel Lowell inform ed the board tina
| Mr.. Drury. one Of the can iidates for :h'
House from that district, desired 10 b.
present when the returns from this parisl
were canyassed. and asked th at ne be not;
| fed that the canvass was about t. com
mence.
The board had no objection, and ordered
that Mr.. DEuvy be cited to appear.
The returns from the second procinc
were being canvassed when Mr.. Drury ap
! peared and made a state ment, charging
that material irregularities had occurred il
che making out OF those returns. and con
cluded by tling. through Colonel Lowell
mis- counsel. protest against theis secep
ton without further investigation. Thi
the board determined to have q: future
time.
Mr.. Zscla,ie asked tha: counsel be mott
fed when tho Investigation would taxi
place, and that he be furnished with a copy
Of the protest. Granted.
The further canvass Of tho returns from
Assumption was uninterrupted until the
tenth pol! was reached. It was here dis
covered that the tally list gave five more
votes to Mr.. Drury than the statement O
votes received did.
Here was case similar 70 one presented
in considering the returns from st. James
parish. There the returns did not agree
and the board decided to be governed by
the tally list. though in doing so the Re
publican ticket was cut down 100 votes.
Taking that as precedent that should gov
ern in all similar cases. the board decided
to go by the tally list of poll ten, in the
parish of Assumption. and allowed MIR.
Drury. Republican. the five votes that
appeared on the tally list, and did not ap
pear In the statement Of votes accredited
to candidates.
To this decision of the board, Democratic
counsel objected, and Colonel Zacharie filed
a protest against allowing Mr.. Dgury the
five votes in question.
The returns of the remaining polls Of
Assumption were then canvassed.
Mr.. Arroyo read letter to the board he
received from United States Commissioner
Craig, denying that the returns from De
Soto parish had ever been in his possession.
Colonel Lowell asked tnat the State reg.
istrar OF voter be requested to furnish the
board with list OF the voters in the town
OF Kenner.
TIE recuosH <r,s snaSo and fnA Eat fur.