The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-01-27

II the occurrence was on eleCtlOn Gay
the Supervisors Of Registration, if
on a day ofregistration, should make
a full verified statement of the occur
renee, forward the same with and an
nexed to the returns; and further
provided that when the Returning
Board, in canvassing the returns,
should come to any poll where the
returns were accompanied by such a
protest, they should not canvass,
count or compile the statement of
votes from such poll until the state
ment from all other polls had been
canyassed and compiled.
The Conservative counsel objected
that the board on reaching the re-
turns from such protested polls read
and became informed of those re-
turns before laying them aside to
take up the other polls. They in
sisted that the purpose of the law
was to prevent the commissioners
from knowing what the result at the
polls protested against were in order
that when they came to examine the
poll protested against they might do
so without being biased by knowing
what was the result returned, and
they objected that in these cases Of
protest the board had proceeded to
read the returns, add up and compile
them, and then defer their determine
ton of the case after having acquired
knowledge of how the returns pro-
tested against would affect the cleo
ton.
On the other hand the Republican
counsel insisted that such course
was impracticable; that the object Of
the law in deferring any determine
ton Of the results Of the polls pro.
tested against until the returns from
the other polls were canvassed, was
merely to enable the board to ascer-
tain whether the result Of the dispu-
ted returns would affect the election,
however decided, so that if they
would not, the board might be spared
the labor Of considering this protest.
Your committee have not found it
necessary to come to any determine
ton upon that question. The cleo
ton embraced but one State officer.
The chief struggle was over the cleo
ton of members Of the State Legisla,
ture and Parish officers, and in these
elections local and personal consider,
atoms, as well as national or State
politics, entered. The returns by
the Commissioners of Election, com
piled and forwarded by the Supervi
! sors of Registration, gave the Con
servatives majority of 20 members
out of total of Ill members. u
; In only three instances were there
any protests accompanying the re
: turns. The Returning Board was il
} session for many weeks. AS finally
, announced their findings gave, a.
; Gov. Kellogg reckoned it, fifty-thre'
| members to the Republicans and fifty
: to the Democrats, of whom, however
l one was regarded as not a staying
Democrat. The board made no de
cision as to the remaining five seats
, The public sittings of this Return
: ing Board were attended by tn
counsel of the Republican and Con
!, seryative State Committees. Objec
tons were received from the counse
e of the respective parties to the re
e turns from different polls. The oh
d jecting party was generally allowe
g to produce affidavits to support tn
8 objection and the other party to re
e ply by affidavits. A day was fxe
t when these proofs were to be closec
It After these public sessions the boar
e went into private, or, as they we1
J called, executive sessions, wher
) the proofs and matters in disput
were discussed, and a decision al
; rived at.
l., The minutes of the board are yer
# meagre. They contain little MOI
i than a record Of its meeting, goin
k into executive session, and it's az
|e Gourning, and some formal publ
e orders. They contain no minute
le whatever of the proceedings in exc
70 utive session, and furnished, Their
h fore, little light upon the findings (
Ie the board.
L
q The Parish Of Rapides chose thrt
rs members to the Legislature. TT
9. returns elected all three Conserv