The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-16
REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COM
MITTEE OF THREE.
The Unanimous Conclusion.
The Returning Board Not Legally
Constituted.
Something About the Proceedings
of the Board.
A Fair Election in the g Test
Parishes"
The Action Of the Board Unjust,
Arbitrary and Illegal.
Oglesby's Testimony.
ETC., ETC., Etc.
The Action Of the Board Unjust,
Arbitrary and Illegal.
Oglesby's Testimony.
ETC., ETC.,

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15.-Representative Geo
&. Hoar, in behalf of the special committee
On that portion of the Presidents message
relative to the condition of the South, re-
ported to-day as follows; In pursuance Of thu
order of the full committee of December 22d
a special committee of three visited New Or.
leans and proceeded with an investigation,
the result of which they report to tine general
committee as follows:
In pursuance of the order Of the commit
Zee of December 22d, the undersigned visited
New Orleans, and there proceeded with all
diligence to the examination expected by the
committee. During the eight days they re-
manned, they were attended throughout their
sessions, which were public, by the counsel
of the Republican and Conservative State
Committees. In that period, they examined
over ninety-fve witnesses, besides taking a
large amount of documentary evidence,
amounting in all, it is estimated, to more than
1900 printed pages.
In view of the exigency that now exists in
the affairs of that State, and of the delay OF
weeks which must elapse before that testi-
mony can be written out and printed, your
committee has determined to state the conclu-
sions at which they have arrived, SO far as
they are unanimous in reaching their conclu-
sions. The committee undertook no inves-
tigation of the election of 1872 Much evil
dence has already bsen taken by other COM
mittees of Congress upon that question, and
the time allowed both for their action and for
the session of Congress seemed to be too
short to call for their then entering on that
investigation.
They announced this conclusion, and that
therefore they would first proceed to an ex-
animation of the acts of the Returning Board
of the State in respect to the elections. and
then to an inquiry in reference to the White
League. The law provides that the board
shall consist of five persons, representing all
parties. 1t consisted at the opening of their
Hast session Of Eve Republicans-upon the
resignation of one (Gen. Longsreet) Mr..
Arroyo, Conservative, was chosen to fill the
vacancy.
After protesting against the sctiqnsof the
board in secret session, he resigned before
the conclusion Of their labors, and his place
was not filed so that your committee think
the law as to the constitution of the board
was not complied with The election laws of
Louisiana provide for a supervisor Of registra-
ton who appoints his own deputies for each
ward in New Orleans, and for one supervisor
of registration for each parish in the State.
These officers were all appointed by Gov
Kellogg.
In addition to these supervisors. the Police
Jurors, tue local authorities of the parishes,
appointed three Commissioners of Election
for each poll in the parish, and there were
also two United States Supervisors appointed
by the District Judge Of the United States for
each poll.
The law further provides that in case Of