The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-24
THE PRESIDENTIAL CRISIS.
PICTURES or rom MEN VINO CAN
MAKE A president.
Members Of the IOuisiann Returning Boa I'd
mcHsrs. Wells. Cnsannvc. X cnncr and AN
dcrsOn-Thcir Pecuiinritics and standing.

From ne CTncipqan Commercial
New ORLEANS, Nov. 1S.-'rhe FIRST man in
was !. Madison Wells, rather smalsh old man,
vi h round. wrinkled face ana white hair and
NhiskeTs, and hands that seem TO have held the
plough instead Of the helm Of state. Wells Is n
planter. an tx stakeholder. u Union man VINO
carried on an independent war with the south
Cru Confcdcracy. He looks lik0 AN Onto farmer
OF tho middle class, say siXty acres aud seven
CUwe
We entered into the private room Of the hoard.
MIR Wells" said |, YOU have arespon,i ble
| lie smiled a grim sort OF smile, elevated ono
loot to the to OF the table Tilted back IN his
ri feel overwhelmed" he continued, abso-
lutely overwhelmed by the magnitude Of this
case: ] lie awake nights thinking about It,"
" Ihe Presidential election seems to turn upon
this state, said, and you four men have the
decision In your hands"
= know that" he replied; this Is no longer
State, but national all ir. The eyes Of the
country are upon us-the eyes OF the world.
foel this tremendous responsibility more than
ever felt any hing In my life"
ITS the first time IN our history" said,
that four men have selected Pr ,sident OF the
those four men, the director Of their dellbera-
old man." he said, have not long TO live at bcst
ana shall perform this duty consccntiousy
and according to the strict letter OF the law
But feel the tremendous responsibility."
MT. Nols,' said ]. would you not be glad
to hear that the other debatabe States had gone
10 way TO settle the question OF the Presi-
dency without reference " the vote Of Lousi.
Hnay'
The chief OF tho Returning Board laughed i'm
moderately at this rather pointed question, and
would rot answer one way or the other. | did
not press IL. Bat human nature is weak and
VAN. Ihc temptation To TO ono OF four men to
select President Is gre e. just think Of all
the camp ,ienlne and speech making. and docu-
ment wfiting, and expenditures OF tho b. ST yoir
In the suusele for the Presidency, aud then-to
sec the selection left to four men, and to be one
VI those menl
Presently Nessrs. Casanavo aud Kcnner came
in. These are the so-called colOrcu representa-
lives on the BOARD. although the African blood
In thor veins does not pred omInate. In fact. we
may say that they have just enough Of the latter
article to influence their politics. But 1t don't
take much in this land and country TO do tina. .
Mr CishnaVc Is rather large, somewhat pOrily,
ana shade or two darker IN Pinchback. he
African blood Is seen In the shape Of the lip and
klnk Of the hair. lie dresses well, and would
pass in Cincinnati for ilrst-class barber or the
head waiter of hotel. Always free. he has ac-
business.
Mr. kcnner is a smallIsh, dandysh little fell
low, who could pass for a white man most any
where. lie has barely enough OF the African IN
HIM 10 Influence his politics. Another divide,
aud he would have been Democrat. Under
the circumstances 1t requires but very little Az
rican blood to make a Republican out OF u man,
ana that llttle Mr.. kcnner has.
Cdstnavc feels the magnitude OF the situation.
He IA thoughtful serious man, with family
and property, and n good deal tt 81 Ike. He
jerked about naryou-ly In his chair aud
druInmed Oh tac table with his fingers. and
looked up to the ceiling vita u vacant no A. II
bis thoughts were far away. When the rest of
selecting "A President IN the back room of the
third s;ors OF the old S. Louis Hotel-Casanaye
would smile disin lly. Us IL II cost him AN effort,
and fire away at the ceiling VITA his sad, heavy
eyes.
could imagine that Cassnlve wished him
self out OF the scrape, and al home making cof-
tlus
As for Kenner, the magnitude OF the RESPONSE
uiilty seems to have about as much effect ON him
a. gili OF water on u goOse's blck. lie l. not a
heavy minded pOrs n, ami wilt never set the
M.sis-i lp river ON fire through pure force OF in
tellect. lie was born slave. AMI Is said to have
some OF the blood of the urst families In ns VI ms.
Apparently the African IN him amounts to not
more than one sixteenth or Just enough to
make hun a Republican. But little as II Is II
answers the purpose. Inc effect Is always the
same lf the African blood IN the country W s
equally distributed around in the veins 81 all.
II would make every man III Tho United states a
Republican. MIR. kcnuei's business h. that of a
saloon keeper.
Mr.. Anderson came in last. Ho Is the largest
man OF the party. rather tall, little sfOJp
shoul1ered. and with black hair aui wuiskers.
lie pulled Oh his ovvtcolt, put GA ms spect.ccs,
had u lew moments hurried conNers 4tion with
one Of the enbcr-, and the board wtnt into
the largest OF the two Rooms aud surrounded a
taOle, Mr.. W ellis at the hold OF It. IA. ". X.