The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-11-10
THE RETURNING BOARD.

After having achieved one Of the greatest
political victories ever recorded in the history
Of this State, the people are now anxiously
and impatiently looking forward to the action
of the Returning Board, upon which devolves
the duty Of proclaiming the final result of the
election.
The delay thus far exhibited in converting
this Board, and thu disposition they manifest
to exact the full length of time granted by the
law, within which to begin the canvassing and
compiling Of the statement Of votes, have pro-
produced no little uneasiness and restlessness
in the public mind.
The intensely partisan character of every
member of the Board, added to the significant
hints thrown out by Kellogg and his organ,
warrant the people in their suspicious that
some foul play is contemplated and repeti-
ton Of the frauds of 1872 may be expected.
In the first place the Returning Board, as
at present constituted, is not organized in the
manner prescribed by law. Act No. 50 Of the
Legislature Of 1873, sec. 2, says:
That five persons, to be elected by the
Senate from all political parties, shall be the
returning officers for all elections in the State,
q majority of whom shall constitute quorum
aid have power to make the returns of all
elections. In case of any vacancy by death,
resignation or otherwise, by either Of the
board, then the vacancy shall be filled by the
residue of the board of returning officers.
With five pronounced and well-known Radi
calls on the board, it cannot be claimed for a
moment, that the above provision of the law has
been complied with, and hence it is quite
reasonable and proper to characterize and re-
gard the present board as an illegal organize
ton, and without any authority to act in
''canvassing and compiling the statement of
votes" Any result of the election, therefore,
which this so-called Returning Board may an
nounce will not be binding or entitled to any
respect or consideration at the hands of the
people.
This radical and fatal legal defect in the
organization of the Board is apparent to both
Packard and Kellogg and they hope to avoid
its damaging defects BY another proposition
to entrap the committees Of the Democratic
party. These Radical chiefs would commit
our repr esentatives to the illegality Of the Re-
turning Board by conceding to them the pres
snce Of Supervisory Committee, that will be
permitted to witness the proceedings of the
canvassing board, but, Of course, without any
authority or power to check the frauds that
may be committed By the united Radical
board.
Such proposition should not, and we be-
lieve will not, be entertained an instant. We
cannot be made parties to the frauds, illegali-
ties and tricks that are put up by Kellogg,
Packard Co., to rob the people of the fruits
of the victory we have achieved
As the Board of Returning Officers is at pres
ent full, but illegally constituted, Of course
Kellogg is at a loss to know how to remedy
the defect He cannot force any of the men,
bers to resign, and at the same time he is
fully aware that any action had under its pres
ent complexion will be null and void
In this dilemma he turns to our party to ex-
tricate him from his difficulty in the same way
as he did in his Second District Court middle.
But we hope that no assistance will be rem
dered him by any Of our representative COM
mittees, and that the proposition thrown out
by some or the members Of the board will be
Indignantly rejected.
The Returning Board must be legally con-
stituted and it must make both legal and
fair return, otherwise the report will not be
accented. and its members will be held to
strict accountability by the people.
By advice from New York J. N. Wither-
spoon is informed that the steamship Cuba,
Capt. ]. W. Reynolds, sailed on the 31st OF
October for New Orleans via Havana, Pro-
greso, Campeache, Vera Cruz, Tu1pan and
Tampico, and will arrive at New Orleans on
the 22d of November, and sail on her return