The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-06-09
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE COUNCIL AND
SENATE.

Statutes of the State OF New Hampshire
which relates to elections reads Is follows:
"The full christian and sirname OF every
person voted for, with the initial letter OF ies-
tiers Of the middle name, and the usual abbrevl-
atoms for junior, second, third and the hke'
SHALL be written or printed on every ballot.
and every ballot not thus prepared and cast
shall be regarded as blank AND NOT
COUNTED" (See Rev. Stat N. H. p. S2)
Voting in all elections in New Hampshire
takes place in the presence of seleotmen and
town clerk. The ballots are counted and the
result recorded, the recordput into the hands
Of the sheriff and certified copy sent to the
Secretary of State, to be, by him, in the case
of an election of Senators, be laid before
the Governor and Council. At the close Of
the election in each town the town clerk
makes public declaration of the result.
Article IS of the Constitution makes the
Senate "the final judges Of the election, re-
turns and qualifications Of their own mem
bers," provision which is. as far as our in
formation extends, incorporated as one Of the
privileges of every legislative body in every
State.
In one Of the twelve Senatorial Districts at
the election for Senator on the second Tues
day of March last, James Priest and Nathan
lei Head were candidates, the first Demo-
erat, the other Republican. Priest received
1884 votes, Head 3771 votes, and there were
scattering 1Ol. Priest had plurality Of
votes cast over his opponent, but not ma
jority OF the total vote-and such majority
was required to elect. 1t 80 happened, how
ever, that many Of the votes intended for
Head were written or printed "Natt Head,
and not with the full name Nathaniel" In
strict pursuance Of the law, as above quoted
directly from the Revised Statutes Of
New Hampshire, the selectmen and town
clerk in counting and sorting the votes
were obliged to return the Head
votes in two lists, those for Nathaniel Head in
one and those for Matt Head in another If
the latter had been written or printed IN"
Head, they would have been "rejected as
blank and not counted" The law, which the
selectmen Of each town were obliged to have
in their hands at every poll, left them no
other alternative than to make separate lists
and returns. It is an old law, and every voter
ought to have known it. No one VINO has
proper appreciation of the purity of elections
can consider it too strict It is the same law
which in all the older States forbids voting by
initials OF by nick name. The ''fall christian
and sirname was required" If Mr.. Head
was christened Nathaniel, his christian
name in the eye of the New
Hampshire law was not Matt" If he was
christened "Natt" his legal voting name
could not be "Nathaniel." The selectmen
we're oblige to follow the law in their records,
proclamation and returns to the Secretary Of
State. They stuck to the truth and the law,
and gave the ballots as they were received.
The Constitution requires for specific
reasons that the returns for the election of
Senators shall be made to the Secretary of
State, and be examined by the Governor and
Council. The latter is body peculiar to
New Hampshire, and in no respect whatever
resembles the Returning Board of Elections
in Louisiana, except in the incidental par
ticular of examining records of elections for
Senators, and for Senators only.
Councillors are elected with the
Governor, one from each Of five districts.
The appointing power is vested in them
jointly with the Governor. The Council has
. negative on the appointments Of the Cover
nor, and he has q negative on the appoint
ments of the Council. Their general duty is
to advise and aid the Governor in the dis
charge of his official duties. They do not con-
suit the Senate in making appointments.
They constitute part of the State govern
ment, being paid an " honorable salary" and
their proceedings being regularly recorded.
In the quaint, but simple language Of the
Constitution, which is q hundred years old,
it is provided as follows:
And that there may be due meeting of
Senators on the first Wednesday Of June, an
nually, the Governor and q majority of the
Council for the time being shall, as soon
such records. And fourteen days before the
first Wednesday in june he shall issue his
summons to such persons as appear to be
chosen Senators by majority of votes to At
tend and take their seats on that day.
When this body, the "Governor and Coun-
Gil" examined the returns from the Second
District, could they, with the law before them,
assume that Matt Head was Nathaniel Head,
or Uice versa
The selectmen and town clerks Of the sew
oral towns had returned these votes in two lists,
and in that form tho Governor and Council
found them. What were they to do? They
knew we'll enough that all the Head ballots
were meant for one man, but they Is we'll
knew that it was not possible. under the New
Hampshire laws above quoted, to count them
so. Had it been possible to combine the
s.Natt Head votes" with the Nathaniel Head
votes, the result would have been that Priest
would have been left with plurality only,