The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-16
Their Acts Declared Arbitrary, In
just and Illegal
The November Election Free,
Full and Peaceable."
CONSERVATIVES CHOSEN IN MAJORITY
Kellogg Supported Only by
the Federal Army.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1875.

WASHINGTON, jan 15 1875.
REPRESENTATIVE George F. Hoar, in behalf OF tho
SPECIAL Committee that portion of the Presi-
dents Message relative TO the condition OF the
South, reported to-day as follows;-
N pursuance OF the order OF the fun committee
of December y, special committee OF three VS.
lted New Orleans and proceeded Win an iuVestl-
CATION the result OF when they report to the Gen
eral Committee, as lollows:--
TIE INVESTIGATION.
In pursuance OF the order CT the General Com
mittee OF December - the undersigned visited
New orleans, and there proceeded with all oili-
gence 70 the examination directed by the commit
tee. During the eight days tney remained there
they were attended throughout their sessions
which public, by the counsel OF the
republican and conservative state commit
tees In that period they examined over
ninety-dve Witnesses besides taking q large
amount OF documentary evidence, amounting IN
ALL II is estimated, TO more than 15O0 printed
pages. In view oil the eXigency that now exists
in the affairs OF tnat state, aud Of the delay Of
weeks which must elapse before that testimony can
be written out and printed, your committee has de-
termined 10 state the conclusions at which they
have arrived, lar as they unanimous in
reaching these conclusions. The committee I'M
dertook no rnvesugation OF the election OF 1872.
Much evidence has already been taken by other
committees OF Congress upon that question and
the time allowed both for their action and Tor the
session OF Congress seemed TO be too snort to call
lor their entering on that investigation.
THE RETURNING BOARD
They announced this conclusion, and that there.
fore they would first proceed TO an examination Of
the acts'o the Returning Board Of the state In re-
speot 10 the ate eieeI4a' ana shen 10 an INQUIRY
vlaes that the Board shall consist OF five persons
representing all parties 1t consisted al the open
the resignation OF one OF whom General Long
street, AR. Arroyo. conservative, was taken to
THE LAW NOT FULFILLED.
After protesting against the acton OF the Board
In sec, ct session Mr.. Arroyo resigned before the
conclusion OF the laoors OF the Board. and
pace was not h.led; so that, as your committee
Of The Board was not complied with.
the election laws OF Louisiana PROVIDE
own deputies for eacn ward IN New Orleans, and
for one supervisor OF registration Tor each parish
Governor Kellogg. In addition TO those super
visors the police jurors the local authorities OF the
parishes. appointed three commissioners OF cleo
ton for each poll IN the parish and there were
also Two United states supervisors appointed by
the District Judge OF the Upited states ior eacn
pom. The law further provided that In case OF
such violence, Intimidation or corruption at or
near either poll either during registration
or election, preventing q fair, Tree. peaceabe
and luil vote, the commissioners OF election, II
the occurrence was on election day. the super
visors OF registration ii the day registration,
should make a iuli verified statement or the &C.
the returns; and, further provided, that when tie
Returning Board In canvassIng the returns should
70 n po tine sao Sete
count or compile tne statement OF voters rom rom
had been canvassed and compiled
PROTESTED RETURNS.
The conservative counsel objected that the
Board, on reaching the returns from such pro-
tested polls, read and became informed OF these
returns before laying them aside to take up the
Otaer polls. They insisted that the purpose or
the law to prevent the commissioners from
knowing what the results at the polls protested
against we're, in order that wnen they came 10
examine the polls protested against they might do
so without being olassed by knowing what was the
result returned; and they OBJECTED that IN these
cases OF protest the Board had proceeded 10 READ
the returns, add up ana compile them, and then
defer their determination o: the case until
AFTER having acquired knowledge OF now
the returns protested against would affect
The elections. ON the other hand, the re-
publican counsel insisted that such
course was mpractcabe that the object Of the
OF the polls protested against until the returns
from the other polls were canvassed. was merely
to enaoie the Board to ascertain whether the re-
suit OF the disputed would AFFECT the cleo
ton, however decided, so snat II they would not
this protest. Your committee nave not Iound i5
necessary to come TO any determination upon that
THE RESULT OF THE ELECTION
The election embraced but one state oflcer. The
chief struggle was over the election OF members OF
the state Legislature and parish Officers, ana in
these elections local and personal CONSIDERATIONS,
as well as national and state politics, entered
compiled and forwarded by the supervisors Of
registration, gave the conservatives majority or
20 members out OF a total OF III members In only
three instances were there any protests accom-
panying the returns. The Returning Board
IN session Tor many weeks. As finally announced
their findings gave, as Kellogg reckohed 1t, fifty
three members to the republicans and fifty MEM
bers to the democrats OF whom, now
ever, one was regarded as not a staying
democrat. The Board made no decision
OF the Returning Board were attended by the
counsel OF the republican and Conservative State
committees. Objections were received rom the
counsel OF the respective parties to the returns
from different polls The Directing parry was
generally allowed 10 produce evidence 10 support
the objection, and the other party TO reply Dy am
davis.
TIE RAPrDRs PARISH FALsTY.
day lXed when these PROOFS were 20 be
closed. After these public Sessions the Board
went IN private, or, as tney were called. executive
sessions, where the proofs ana matters IN dispute
were discussed, aud decision arrived at. Inc
minutes OF tie Board are very meagre. They
contain little more than a record OF It's meeting,
gong into executive session anu Us adjourning
and some formal pubic orders. Taey contain no
minutes whatever OF the proceedings IN executive
session, and furnish, therefore, ,itJle ilgnt upon
the findings Of the Board. Toe parish OF RapIdes
chose three members 20 the Legislature. The
returns elected ali three conservatives. When
the proofs closed the only paper ned with the
Returning Board the afidaUt Of the United
States supervisor That the election was IN all
respects fun, fair and Tree. 1t was not
existed against those members They LETT
their homes and proceeded New Orleans TO
be present at the opening OF the Legislature,
iotimatlon Of contestng their seats or objection
TO their election having been given by their OPP
ponents. At one OF their last sessions the Re-
turning Board declared all the republican mem
Ders elected rom that parish. When the papers
OF the Returning Board were produced before your
committee there was found among them aiida-
Wit by MIR. Wells, the President OF the Board,
declaring that Intimidation had existed at certain
pots IN thai parish, and that the returns from
those polls should therefore, be rejected. The
counsel for the democratic committee testified that
they had opportunity to contradict the state
ments OF thfs paper; that they had never seen
or Known or Is before, and that upon an
examination OF the papers before the Board.
When the proofs closed II was not among them.
TUE ACTION OF THE BoARD CONDEMNED,
The counsel for the Republican Committee re-
served the right TO make explanation upon TINS
point, but offered none; the aindaVt was dated
- aay OF December, lSTi 10 appeared that Gov
ernor Wells was not himself In the parish on the
day OF the election, and though at The opening Of
their first sesso your committee declared their in
tention 20 examine into the action OF the Returning
board, Governor Wells never came forward as
witness AT the close OF our proceedings leave
was asked that his de position might be given IN
gns was declined, and Mr.. wells was invited to
3 ppear beiore the committee, but be never came
ienve was also given for taking his testimony by
--siDIljsgonsr Al be declined 10 anneAr. but Lhis