The weekly Louisianian., 1874-06-20

'eat, except % far as the report Of the
minority goes And why? Why, q,
ths only authority that he has brought
here, 81 the language and by the ad-
missions of the committee, is o certf-
hom2 From x-Governor
q. G. Warmoth, which certificate was
made, it appears, on the 4th day Of
December, when the report Of the
committee abundantly shows that no
PRONUNCIATION Of the votefoF Congress
men at large Of the State had been
made until the 11th day Of December
seven days thereafter. Now, would
like to know right here how Governor
Obtained the extraordinary
power Of ascertaining seven days be-
fore the result was declared by the re-
turning board the vote which Mr..
obtained. It appears to me
that it is a problem which would puz-
zle some Of these gentlemen here. Il
would like to ask any member of this
coming from q well-regulated
State whether in your State any man
could foreten seven days before the re-
turn of your vote the exact number Of
votes you were to get as a member of
this House? If the House needed any
evidence of: the manifest tampering
with these returns on which they base
SC much, I think It is found in the
fact that Governor Warmoth gave this
certificate seven days before tho pro.
mitigation, with the exact result Of the
count of the votes Mr.: Sheridan had
received. say, then, Nj. Sheridan
has not even q valid certificate. If
Warmoth was the undis-
puted Governor of Louisiana to-day,
the certificate issued in that manner
is illegal, null and void. What is the
law of Louisiana, sir, upon that point?
In the Digest Of the Statutes of Lou
isiana, section SO, will be found this
language:
As soon % possible after the expiration Of
the time Of making tho returns Of the cleo
ton Of Representatives in Congress. acertifi-
cate of the returns of the election tor such
Representatives shall be entered on record
by the Secretary of State, and signed by the
N--.-~o- n~l = o,ox khopoo4 a,1haorIho6 nv
said officers, shall be delivered to the person!
&C. elected and another copy transmitted TO
the House Of Representatives of the Congress
Of tho United States, directed to the Clerk
thereof. -
That is the law, sir.s It does not say
that before the PRONUNCIATION ofthe returns
1.-The governor is authorized to guess out the
result and make q certificate for his mel
that they may run here ahead Of the legal
Representatives and get pr;sat acie case,
as was done with the indecent haste, il
appears to me, in the case of Mr. Boreman,
from the fifth district.
But it is said that the governor shall
give his certificate ''as soon as possible
after the result of the election hshscer.
tanned. He has no choice; the duty is
mandatory. And being in the position Of
acting Governor of Louisiana, when the
time arrived I made out the certificates o.
the returns of the several persons who had
been elected to the Congress of the United
States; and unfortunately I am afraid thu
duty devolved upon me Of certifying to my
Town election.
But let us sec whether those certificate.
are worth anything O. not. I have heare
some gentlemen say that by reason of al
the disturbances down there of which they
Fhad to take judicial cognizance these Ger
ti6cates are'npt worth anything. If thai
be the case, 1 ask by what authority d.
Mr.. Morey and Mr.. Darrall sit upon tn
floor of this House? They hold the certi
fcates of P. b. S. PinGhback. acting Gov
ernor Of Louisiana, which is the only evi
dence they have presentsdandupo which
you speedily admitted them; and they 81
here to-day with their seats uncontested.
tits urged that my certificate, by reason
of the Irregularities charged, does mo-
carry with it aprana tfacts right. I thinl
the seating of those two gentlemen show
the absurdity Of such reasoning, because
if it did not convey:at least a prilna .taea
right, how in the name Of common sens'
could the House seat Mr.. Morey and Mr.
Darrall? But, sir, the House has gon'
further than this. On the 9rd day o
December, I think the the second day o
your session, o resolu ton was offered il
this House to the effect that j. Hal
sypher, Lionel A. Sheldon, and 2: B. s
Pinchhnck be declared prinsa tacie entitled
to seats on this floor, and the House, on
vote taken by yss.s and nays, by . yer!
large majority decAredthatJ Hale yphe
-..>.xt,oa ~ a eoat nr;ran fncse. Th