New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-16
THE LOUISIANA REPORT.


READ-ExANPLRs or ARBITRARY ACTION BY TIN
RETURNING BoARD-A FAIR AND FREE ELECTION
IN NOvEMBER-THE CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY
CHANGED by THE RETURNING BOARD-THE
CHARGES or INTIMIDATION BY CONSERVATIVES
soT sUsTAIHED-CAUsEs or TIE OPPOSITION TO
THE KELLOGG GOyERNMENT-TmR WHITE LEAGUE
NOT A SECRET OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES or THs
TROUBLES on SEPT. Il AND JAN. t.
WAsHINGTON. JAN 15-RepTcsentatve George y.
IlOar, in behalf of the Special Committee thai
portion Of the Presidents message relative to the
condition Of the South, reported to-day follows:
In pursuance OF tie order OF tho full Committee
Dec. q. special committee OF three visited New-Or
leans and proceeded with investigation the result Of
which they report TO the General Committee. fol
lows:
REPORT or THE SUB COMMITTEE.
In pursuance ORDER the General Committee OF
Dec % the UNDERLINED visited New Orleans. aud tlero
proceeded with all diligence to tho examination d.
rected By the Committee During the eight days they
remained there they attended throughout their
sessions. which public, By tie counsel Of
the Republican and Conservative Stats Com
mttees. In that period they examined
over IS witnesses, besides taxing largo
amount Of documentary evidence, amounting in all. It
IL estimated to than 1900 printed pages In view
OF the exigency that exists IN tue affairs OF tina,
state and OF delay OF weeks which must elspe be-
fore that testimony be written and printed
Committee has determined TO state the conclusions al
which they have arrived so far as they are unanimous
in reaching their conclusions Tho Committee under
took investigation OF the elect on Of 1872 Much EVIL
deuce has already been taken by other commitieesoI
Congress upon question: and the line allowed both
for their action the session OF Congress seemed
70 be too short TO call for their then entering
ON that Investigation. They announced tins con
clusion; and that. therefore, they woula
first proceed examination Of tho acts OF the He
turning Board of Of the late cleo
ton, and then inquiry in reference to the "hs
League The law provides that the Board shall CONSIST
OF Ave persons representing all parties" IL con
sisted at the opening OF their last session OF hye He'
pubcans, upon the resignation OF one OF whom tdeG
LongsreeO, Mr. Arroyo, Conservative, was taken 70
I'LL the vacancy After protesting against the action oil
the Board session. Me- Arroyo resigned DefOro
the conclusion Of the abOrs Of the Board aud his place
was not filed so that, your Committee think, the
law as 10 the constitution Of the Board was NOT
compiled with The election laws OF Louisiana provide
for a Supervisor OF Registration. who appoints BIS own
deputies for each ward IN NewOeans, and for one So
peyysor eistratOn for each parish In the 5tdto
The officers were all appointed by Gov Kellogg In adj
dtion to these Supervisors the police jurors the local
authorities OF the parishes, appointed three Commis
soners Election for each poll 10 the parish aud thero
we're also two United states Supervisors appointed Dy
the District Judge Of the United States for each poll
Tue Law further provided that IN case OF sucb
violence, intimidation, corruption at or near other
iuir, free. poacab.e aud full vote. tho commissioners
of Election IL the occurrence election day, the
superv OF Registration. II on the day OF ressTa
ton should make full verified statement OF tho occur
renee forward the with and annexed TO the re-
turns and further provided, that when the Returning
Board canyassing tie returns. should coDc 10 any
poll where the returns we're accompanied Oy such
proies they should nos canvass count, or compile tho
statement o. voters from such poll until the statements
from all polls had been canvdsse1 ana comphoo
The Conservative counsel objected that the Boaru on
reaching the FROM such protested pois fead
and become informed Of those returns before laying
them aside to take up the other polls They Insisted
that the purpose OF law prevent the Commits
oDers from knowing the results at the polls pro
tested against were order that when they came 10
examine the polls protested against tOeY might 10 so
without being biased By knowing what was tho result
returned and they objected that ia these cases OF pro
test the Board mad proceeded read the returns add
Nd ana compile them, and then defer their determine
ton of the case until after having acquired kncwl
edge OF how the returns protested against
would ansct thu elections. On the other hand.
the Republican counsel insisted that such u
course impractioabc that the obj OF the law In
deferrng any determination OF the results OF tho polls
protested against until the returns from the other polls
we're canvassed, was merely to enable the Board to
ascertain whether result OF the disputed returns
would affect the election, however decided, 80 that n
they would not the Board lht be spared the labor Of
considering this protest Your Committee have not
found necessary to 10 any determination upon
that question
ARBITRARY ACTION OF TIE RETURNING BOARD.
The election embraced but one Sate odi5e Tho chief
strugge was over the election members OF tho state
Legislature and parish officers and IN these elections
local aud personal considerations we'll as National
and State politics entered.
The returns By tho Commissioners OF Election com
piled and forwarded by Supervisors OF Registration.
gave the Conservatives majority OF % members out
OF total Of Ill members In only
three instances there any protests accompany
Ing the returns. The Returning Board was In session
for many weeks As finally announced. their findings
gave as Gov Kellogg reckoned II, SO members TO tho
Republicans aud 50 members TO the Democrats, OF
whom, however. regarded as not u staying
Democrat. The Board made decision az To the re-
naming five seats The public sittngs OF the Returning
Board were attended by the counsel OF tho
Republican and Conservative State Committees. OBJ
iections wero received from the counsel Of
the respective parties TO the returns from
different polls The Directing party generally al
lowed TO produce evidence to support the objection and
the other party to reply by ahIayits day was fixed
when these proofs were to be closed. After these pub
lie sessions the Board went into private, thoy
were called executive sessions where the proofs and
matters I'm dispute were discussed, and decision
arrived at The minutes OF the Board very meager
Thcy contain little than record OF its meeting.
going into executive session. and ITS adjournng. ana
some formal public orders. They contlin no minutes
whatever OF the proceedings in executive session. aud
furnish therefore, little light upon the had
ings OF the Board. The Parish OF Rapides
chose three members TO the legislature
The returns elected all three Conservatives. When tho
proofs closed the only paper filed with the Returning
Board was the affidavit OF the United States supervisor
that the election all respects full, fair and free