The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-11-14
NOTE, on THE RETURNING BOARD.

At the meetlnS OF tue OoaIu lo-uay sue AoA-
lowing
will be presented by the Conservative-D Demo-
cratic Committee
To the Hons. J. Madison Wells Jas. Longstreet,
Thos. c. Anderson, Felix Casanave and
Robt. J. kenner. Returning Board OF the
State Of Louisiana
Gertlemen-The undersigned, acting as a
committee to attend the canvass Of the votes
cast in the election Of 1874, in behalf of the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES State Central Com
mittee, by whom they were appointed, beg
leave to respectfully present the following pro-
test for and in behalf of the Conservative
Democratic party of the State of Louisiana
l. That by the act under which the board
claims to act, the said board is vested with
powers judicial in their character and is in
conflict with Art. 81 Of the Constitution OF the
State of Louisiana, which provides that =" NO
judicial powers except as committing magls-
trates in criminal cases, shall be conferred on
any officers other than those mentioned IN this
title, Git: 4, Judiciary Department. except
such ss may be necessary, in towns and
cities, and Art. 70, Tit. IA, provides that the
judicial power shall be vested in Supreme
Court, in District Courts, in Parish Courts, IN
justices of the peace.
9. That if the constitutionality of The law
were established beyond doubt we again
protest against the manner in which the pres
ent acting board is constituted. The act No.
SO of 1873 sec. 2, provides that five persons,
to be elected by the Senate from all political
parties, shall be the returning officers for all
elections in the State" This requisite has not
been complied with, as none OF the gentlemen
composing the board, SO far as we know, have
claimed to De nservatives-Democrats within
the past Two years, while all OF them have
dsclaimed such connection.
Under this protest we appear before you, es-
pecially reserving to any candidate his right
to be especially represented, if he SO desire,
before your board, as indeed we have no
authority to waive the legal rights of any in
dividual candidate.
We, therefore, respectfully request that this
protest be received and spread upon the min
utes Of the board.
1t is currently reported that Longstreet pro-
poses to resign from the board on account of
i'll health, and that in the event of his carry
Democrat will be elected to fill his place.
There is showing on the part of the board
Of desire for fair play, but those who are
supposed to know something about the plans
of the faithful, express great doubts as to the
ability OF the members to resist the outside
pressure which is being brought to bear on
them. 8. B. Packard has taken a hand in the
business Of the board, and he proposes to
have considerable to say as to the way in
which it shall be conducted. His influence
and power has not yet made itself manifest to
the observer Of the movements of the board,
but when the occasion arises, and it will not
be long, it will make itself visible in the ac-
tons of the members. Packard himself, OF
course, will not appear; it is not his style,
but there will be no mistaking his work.
If the doubts of the supposed knowing ones
prove we'll founded, and the board does try
any Of its little games, the people, when the
day of retribution comes, should remember
Packard and his part Of the proceedings, and
make him shoulder his share of the RESPONSE
bility.
The removal Of Haupt, the late secretary Of
the board, is exciting considerable comment
and many reasons for it are ventured by the
outsiders, and one Of them is that he was not
considered "the right man in the right place, :"
according to the ideas Of the faithful as to
what "the right man should be.