The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-10-30
THE LAST OF KELLOGG'S EFFUSIONS.
LETTER TO MAJOR BURKE.
STATE OF LOUISIANA,
Executive Department,
Na.u 0rloana Oct 90 1A7A

STATE OF LOUISIANA,
Executive Department, :
New Orleans, Oct. 20, 1874.
E. A. Burke, Esq, Chairman Committee on Re-
gistration Democratic and Conservative Party
Slr-Your letter of yesterday, in reply to mine
of the same date, was received las night.
desire to call attention to your
to conversation had the previous night at my
house between Mr.. Packard, you and myself,
wherein the subject of having two ballot boxes
was incidentally discussed.
You indicate that you are willing to consent
that the votes of all persons naturalzed in the
Second District Court be deposited in separate
ballot box. This was the first communication
that passed between us on this subject.
Ireplied on the following day, putting the pro-
form. You rejoined on the 9th of October, &C
cepting the proposition, with modification that
instead of two boxes beingu sed, one box, divided
by partition, should DO substituted. accepted
the modification in my letter Of the same date.
The question of challenging which Is now
brought so prominently forward is clearly not ma
teria for in your letter OF October IS you assign
as ground for the proposition OF having two
boxes that "there is difference OF opinion as to
the legal effect" of votes by persons naturalized
in the Second District Court, and yourself, IN as
sentlng to double ballot box, make discrimin-
alton against them for the purpose, as you say,
Of preserving the rights Of all parties interest
ed"
This is the whole story. Your communication
of last night which is simply labored effort to
raise false issue, in order to cover your retreat,
was entirely unnecessary.
You were anxious to have the proposition con-
tanned in your letter of the 9th accepted. &C
coded to it, and you now for some reason recede
from your position. All that need have been
said under the circumstances was that you de-
sired to be relieved Of your agreement:
This question of the jurisdiction OF the Second
District Court did not originate with me. l had
given the matter no special attention, and had
no other thought but to avoid complications and
difficulties-a disposition which has aetuated
me during the whole canvass. In view OF all the
facts and circumstances taking into considera-
ton that there is great diversity OF opinion
among leading lawyers upon this questlon-that
much ill feeling has been engineered, and the
naturalized in the Second District Court have
been designated upon the poll lists, as was
mutually agreed on, so that their identity can
be easily established, and as l find it has
been decided by the courts that in contest Tor
ONCE no person can be exempt from testliying
what candidates he voted for, am Of opinion
that there is no necessity either for separate
boxes, as agreed in your letter of Oct. %, or
partitioned boxes, as proposed in your communl-
cation of Oct. q. am in favor Of allowing all
the ballots to be cast in the same box, it being
evident that, with the precautions taken the
only object had in view, namely, "the protect
ing the rights of all parties" can be as ettsctu'
ally attained in this way as by any other plan,
cus
number Of fraudulent naturalization papers is
sued by the Second District Court, where, in
series Of instances naturalization papers have
been issued upon the testimony Of the self-same
two witnesses to persons Of different rationale
ties residing in remote parts Of the city. The at
tention attracted to this subject, and the precau-
ton taken in consequence. viii enable the author
tiles the more efectually to expose and prosecute
these frauds to the satisfaction, am sure, OF all
good citizens.
regret you did not more maturely consider
this matter, as it would have saved you much
perplexity, which, as candidate laudibly anxious
to please all parties, this difficult question has
naturally brought down upon You. Much in
your letter Of yesterday is uncalled for but IS
the whole letter is evidently intended to regain
some advantage you appear to have lost, make
due allowance for it and for the embarrassment
which the signing Of SO in-tempered letter
must have caused to one whose instincts are, %
some of his admirers believe, so essentially re-
publican that he finds great difficulty in restrain
ing himself from wandering into the Republican
party. l trust your latest position on the natu-
ralization question will be satisfactory to your
supporters, and induce them to forget the course
YOU pursued toward Gen. Beauregard and hls
friends in the election of 1872.
Very respectfully, W. P. KELLOGG.