New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-24
THE RETURNING BOARD
FOURTH DAYS WORK
Parishes of Iberville, Madison, Natohi-
toches, Plaquemines and Union
Oanvassed.

being present
The minutes of the previous meeting were
read.
Messrs. S'oughton. Parker, Clarke, Far
we'll aud Stevenson were present as the
committee on he part of the Republican
deIep alton. Me-srs. Trumbull, Palmer,
Smith, B,sler and Julian we're present on
the part Of the ID N jcraric delegation.
General Anderson--Mr. President. arise
to question OF privilege. wish 10 reau
an article which appeared Ia the evening
Dem oc,ot of November 81 not that l care
particularly about it. bnt wish the public
to know " hat is the law. and that the
Democrat may also know what Is the law,
as they appear nJt 10 be informed. lts
editor ha. lot probably read the act under
which th,s board is acting-act No. 9o, No
vent or 20, 1872
General Anderson then read the ar'ici.
which, in effect, charged that in the Hoar
inyes,isatiun he had testified that be WAS
disc uailtied from serviDg on the board IN
consea Ut nee of his bri0g candidate. lie
continu d as follows: Now, for the lntor
nation of the gentlemen present, and OF
the editor of the Democrat. | will state that
the law under hon l was actlng-the law
of lSO-is different from the law rdtr
which w. are now acting. Act No. 9S OF
1872 said that no candidate should be eli
gible to q seat on the board. Under that
act W as q mem her of the board. aud being
a candidate in 1872, of course did not at
tempt to act in the fall Ut 49, was not
ON the board that returned McEnery or
KELLOGG; but, under this act OF November
%, 1872, which was signed by Warmoth, 1t
was required by section two that hVe per,
eons should be elected from both po.iticsl
parties to bs tho returning officers for ail
elections in the State, lDsl Irity OF whom
shall constitute q quorum. The act became
q law on the twentiefh OF November, 1872
The Senate not being in session at the time,
1T the succre6inz term of the LEGISLATURE,
which CONNIE need on the first Monday OF
January, 1873, the Senate elected the foi.
lowing officers: Messrs. WSlls, ueners!
Longstreet, John Lynch, G Casansve and
l. nj. Kenner. Mr.. Lynch having resigned,
+. G.. Anderson was elected by the board
That is The law upon this subject. Now, l
am nc ing under this law, and there is
nothing in this law saying anything about
O man being disqualified IN consequence
of his beng Candidate. Ii there
was certainly would not sit
upon this board. And further, acknOwl-
edge that NY competitor was elected. aud
have not eat wi h the board here when the
parishes of CAicasieu and Cameron were
canvasssa, and will not sit when the par
ishes of Lafavatte and ST. L .ndry are being
csnvassed. Therefore. wish the public to
understaud that am not acting under the
same law III .t acted under IN leIo, wnen
/ testified tnst was disqualified in cOnse-
ouencs of being u candidate. l believe the
explanation will be satisfactory to the
editor Of the Democrat if he will read the
law of Novamo., ~. 1877
Presideut Welis-A,e there any motiOnsf
Judge Spofford-I desire to offer motion
with y statrIn. ut ., NY reasons upon II.
President Wells-Is it very long!
Judge Sputfprd-N". sil; i5 is very short
~ han a
forth that he had been Informed that the
supervisors Of fourteen parishes lad not
made any returns; that many Of these re-
Turns were ia the hands of Repu olican su-
peryisors or OF republican candidate for
Congress; that, from the statement made
by General Anderson before the board on
Monday, the retnras for ST Landry were IN
New Orleans on that Gay, though repoFteo
not fled yesterday.
General Auderson-Judge Spc cHJId, you
are mistaken. said they wonld be here
in few days. can t. II Won that the Doat
is on her WAY here. She was aground at
Red river uhen last heard from. Inc eu'
pervieor is with her.
Judge Spoffurd-I was present, and IN
derstOoa you to ssy so
General Anders "n-The supervisor and q
good many Republicans and friends are on
board, and the returns are with the super
visor.
Judge Spofford-That is mistake, then.
Judge Sp ford then continued his state
meut to the feet that there we're other re-
turns 10 the city which had not been re.
ported to the board, and moved, on 1enaH
Of himself and other counsel, that the su-
pervisors or other persons having the re-
turns be ordered to bring them before the
board for,hv ith. He asked the action Ut
the board upon the matter, saying he may
be pe, mitted TO suggest that this conduct
on the part of partisan officers shouid' IL
seemed to him, receive some further nolice
as O breach OF the law and the spirit OF
propriety. :,
President Wells-If you will accompany
your statement with the facts, and po!at
out who have the returns, we may oe aole
to do something We have no evidence.
We will take steps to get the returns here'
but we hav. no authority TO act we "h''
however, take the authority it we are con
WINGED that ihA gentlemen are here with
the returns. l. is the duty Of the Cthcers
to make their returns. There is no law by
which we can force them to do so, but we
will disregard that
Judge Spoff ,rd-I will bring the facts
before The bard.
Judge Spotford also filed motion TO the
effect that tue returning officers presctioe
day and the order in which contested par,
ishee will be taken up. He stated he did
not care IN what order they might be taken
mn. whether the parishes taken up we're
near or remote, but that it was important
far eouusel to know, in order that they
might get their witnesses. He took 1t that
the board was desir0us OF proof on ootn
sides.
President Wrlls-You shall be notified
whenever we take up any OF the contested
parishes.
Judge Spoflord-Can you not prescribe
the order 60 We may learn which Will Do
taken up first!
General Andereon--I should suggest We
commence with the parish of Baton Rouge.
Jud9e Spoffurd-Baton Rouge, East
General AndersOn-Yes, cir. l will re-
commend that.
what will be the order 80 we can have our
nasea ready L. ia reasonable request.
President WI we will take up East
Ration Rouge, We must be governed by
tha length Of the evidence, however, that
a. to be introduced. If when we open
narish that il contested we zee that the
evidence is extended, then we VIII take up
another parish, so rs to get through WIN ,
those which are least complicated. we
nrsfer that we should not answer your
request until We see what is the extent Oh
The evidence of the parishes We may open.
Judxe Spoff,rd-Wil your board 40 us
the favor to say on what day Baton nouso
will be taken upa
President Wells-We can not say to-day
or tomorrow; but il the evidence when
you require il in the country we Will pass
Il over ior the day and t AXE up another. Ii
We find that that parish is in the same con
ditiou. we Will pass on until you are sans-
fied. or rather, OBJ ain YOUR witnesses.
General Anderson-1 would suggest that
we ,ssue a request to every supervisor ia
tho SITE To file their returns Immediately.
Presid. n Wells-That will be done Mr'