The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-12-29
TORN LOUISIANA.
THE RETURNING BOARD.
IL RISES TO EXPLAIN.

THE METHOD OF PROCEDURE-A LOOSELY
CONDUCTED NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AND
WHITE LEAGUES THE RESULT AS Ex-
Planned BY KELLOGG.
New ORLEANS, Dec. 25.-The returning
boards makes statement in closing the la
Dor of canvassing and compiling the vote of
the state. given at the election of the I'd of
November last, on the ground that it was
but just and proper that the returning OFF,
GERS should give statement of the difficult
ties attendant on their labors, and the prin-
ciplss laid down drawn from the law 60 di-
rect them in the discharge of their duties.
In the first place, this election was very
loosely conducted by the commissioners OF
election. so much so, indeed, that at only
one-tenth of the polls OF the state were
the forms required by law observed.
The law requires the supervisors of
the registration to forward to the returning
officers. first, list of the votes kept by the
commissioners of election; second, state
ment Of the persons voted for, and the num-
ber of votes received by each; and third,
tally sheets, all of which the commissioners
of election are required to furnish TO the su-
pervisor, and they to forward them TO the
returning officers. In many cases no lists Of
voters were kept by the commissioners, or
if there were they were not forwarded to the
returning board by the superyis-
Ors, aud many that were for-
warded to the returning board were not
signed or sworn to as required by the law.
In many cases there was no statement OF The
persons voted for, and the number of votes
received, and by them forwarded to the re-
turning board, for the reason that none
were furnished by the commissioners of
election to the supervisors, and many that
were returned were neither signed nor
sworn to: and In many cases there were no
tally sheets forwarded to the returning
board to enable them to test the accuracy of
the statement of votes, and In some instances
only the tally sheets were returned to the
returning board, without list of the votes
or a statement of the votes, as they were not
signed or sworn to- as the law requires. This
being the case, it became necessary that
the papers received from the polling
places should be carefully examined. There
were over six hundred and fifty polling
places in the state and there was long list
of candidates. So ii became very laborous
duty, which occupied the board nearly
month. labOring from III o'clock in the morn
ing 10 o'clock In the evening and from Z
to IL O'Clock at night every day. The law
requires that in such a canvass and complla-
ton, the returning officers shall observe the
following order: They shall complete the
first statement from all the polls or voting
places at which there shall have been lair,
free and peacesble registration and election.
Whenever from any poll or voting place
there has been any riot, tumult,
ACTS OF VIOLENCE,
intimidation, armed disturbance, bribery OF
corrupt influences, which prevented or in
tended to prevent fair, free and pesceable
vote of all the qualified electors entitled Ia
vote at such poll or voting place, such re-
turning officers shall not canvass, count OIL
compile the statement of the votes from
such q poll or voting place until the state
oil 9TH rolIa O,- uOt DO
places shall have been canvassed and then
complied. The returning officers shall
then proceed to investigate the statements
of riot, tunlult, acts OF violence,
intimidation, armed disturbance, bribery or
corrupt influence at any such poll and voting
place." The board has followed this require
ment of the law, it was its imperative
duty TO do, and in examining the proceed
ings of the commissioners OF elections for
warded 90 it by the supervisors. When
either of counsel appointed by the political
parties objected to the count of any poll,
and laid before the board any evidence to
sustain such objections, such polls were
passed over and not canvassed until the
board had compiled the vote from all the
polls not objected to. In the progress
of the examination a large number OF
polls were objected to, including some
twenty-seven of the parishes, and all in
some. The grounds of objection to some of
the polls were the fsilue of substantial COM
the supervisors, to some that the returns OF
the commissioners had been changed after
they had been made to the supervisors, and
to the greater number that the voters
had been intimidated, that they did not
register or vote, or were compelled to vote
differently from which they desired. Had
the board decided that anything like a
strict compliance with the forms of law In
holding the elections and making returns to
supervisor would be required, the effect
l-1~, <..oke . lr-
would have been thrown out that there
would have been no election In the state.
The board then adopted the rule that when
the supervisor had returned any evil
dence showing that election was
held, although it be only tally sheer
unsigned or sworn to. in the absence of any
evidence of fraud or intimidation, it would
compile the vote shown by such evil
dence. This decision disposed of good
many protests to the reception OF polls, but
not been observed, and evidence OF
fraud or intimidation was pro-
duced. the failure of sub
stantial compliance with tho forms OF
law was considered an evidence of fraud,
and the poll was rejected. We believe this
board strictly adhered to it. In the cases oil
Carroll and st. James parishes, where it was
charged, and proven, that the returns made
by the commissioners to the supervisors
had been changed after they came into the
hands of the supervisors, the board
took evidence to ascertain the true
state of the vote and made compilation
accordingly. The question raised against
the greater number of polls was the charge
of intimidation to prevent the voters from
voting. and forcing tht N TO vote against
their wishes. To establish this charge, q
great mass Of evidence was taken, some sp-
plicable to whole parishes, and some to par
ticular polls, and mass Of counter affidavits
was also filed. The general facts proved On
this point establishes that about May, 1874,
q military organization, known rs
THE WHITE LEAGUE,
was established in the state, which extended