New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-09
The Returning Board.

The Eseturnipe Board.
This body resumed it, work yesterday
morning at eleven O'Clock. On motion the
reading of the minutes Of the previous day
was dispensed with. and the board proceed
ed 60 canvass che sefurns from jhe parish Of
Sabine.
Tho supervisor Of registration for that
parish accompanied the geturns With she
following note:
NANNY. La. November 4. 1874.
TO the Board Of Returning Officers:
GENrLEnEN-You will find the returns
from Sabine parish inclosed. would call
your attention to the fact that no blank
forms were furnished this Office-neither for
commissioners Of election nor fOe making
ont the consolidated statement Of votes.
Besides. circular No. 6 reached this Office
only u few daye bsfOre the election and
only two of the commissioners ever saw
copy until the morning OF election. For
the above reasons we have not been able to
do any better than We have.
Supervisor Of Registration, parish Of Sabine.
As indicated BY the supervisor's state
ment, there were many Irregularities in The
returns from Sabine: and it is furthermore
shown by protest filed against the coio'
pilemens OF these returns that violence was
freely resorted 70 by the White 3.eaguers to
intimidste and prevent voters from exes'
cising their rights as sovereign freemen.
The result OF the canvass of the returns
from Sabine shows that M0ncure, for State
Treasurer, received Gil votes and Dubuclet
9; for Congress. Levy received 8i2 votes
and Smith 2.
This certainly makes another fne show
ing for the White League mode of obtaining
msiorities. 1t furthermore shows as plain
as q large nose on q small name face that
there must have been some unfair means
used to have obtained the votes that we're
cast for kessrs. Dubuclet and Smith. the
Republican candidates for State Treasurer
and Congress, in a parish that is 80 thor
oughly Democratic - Sabine undeS the
White League influence. Under these cir
cumstances it is rather remarkable that the
able and usually alert counsel who repre-
sent the Democratic. Conservative interest
before the board have not filed . protest.
and request to have the two votes cast for
congressman Smith and State Treasurer
Dubuclet in Sabine parish transferred to
Levy and Moncure. Sabine, in this matter,
undoubtedly deserves to stand with the
the parishes Of Bienville. De Soto, etc.. as
one of the banner parishes Of the Demo-
cracy.
It is possible. however. that the Return
ing Board may view this matter in q differ
ent light. and conclude to throw out the
returns. on the ground that no fair election
has been held in Sabine parish. and recon-
mend that new election be held
After finishing the canvass Of the returns
from Sabine. the board took up the returns
from Sc. Mary and csnvassed them. A
member Of the board took occasion to Re-
mark, in o casual way. while tho canvass
was going on, that the returns showed
woful lack of competency on the part OF
returning officers. He said it was very
evident that many Of the Irregularities that
appear in returns are the result Of the up
pointment of incompetent men rs super
visers. commissioners and clerks of election.
Mr.. Arroyo pointedly said to the board.
in regard to the returns from Sc. Mary.
that they were very loosely made. He was
not disposed to object to the returns. but
he thought that if the returps Of parishes
were TO be vitiated on account Of Irregular
tiles Of this kind. st. Mary could not escape
that fate.
The result Of the canvass Of the eeturns
from St. Mary shows that Dubuclet re.
ceived 2l42 votes for State Treasurer. and
Moncure 1850; Dubuclet's majority. 1892.
On motion the board took up the returns
from the parish Of St. Martin. foE the pus-
pose of canvsssing them.
Colonel Lowell asked for che reading of
the statement of the State supervisor re-
garding the returns from that parish.
1t was read by the president Of the
board.
1t represents that through the violence of
the White League in that parish, and the
consequent intimidation of soters, free
and fair election, such 40 the law contem.
plates, was not held there on the second Of
November last. The statement is long
one, and contains an array of facts that do
not speak we'll for the cause of popular
government. 1t is substantiated, under
oath, by two of the commissioners OF elec-
ton and a number Of citizens of the parish
of st. Martin.
At the conclusion of the reading OF this
paper, Colonel Lowell said that in consider
alton of the fact that the third and twenty.
~ ,,14 lam bod ho0
clearly and fagrantly violated at the elec-
ton in St. Martin parish, he would ask that
the returns from that parish be thrown out;
and that the Governor be notified to order
new election.
President Wells ruled that it would not
be proper to act upon Colonel Lowell's eug-
pestion at this time; that it was the duty of
the board to canvass the returns from st.
Martin before the board and hold them,
tozether with such other evidence as might
come in its possession for the future con-
alteration and decision of the board.
The returns from St. Martin were then
canvsssed, with the understanding that
after the board had beard all that was to
be said on both sides it would come to
conclusion ss to what should be done in the
case.
The board was about to canvass the re.
turns from st. Tammany when, on motion,
it adjourned until ten O'Clock this morning.
Senator FeutOn.
The Hon. Reuben +. Fenton, United
States Senator from New York-the famous