Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-11-25
ELECTION LAWS IN LOUISIANA.

ELECTION LAWS IN LOUISIANA.
Some day in the distant future, when
the equitable working Of the constitu-
ton of the United States shall be re-
stored. or when the whole shall have
been superseded by the establishment
of a great military emperor when j
the territory now occupied by the |
United States shall be partitioned off
into three, four or half dozen indie
pendent governments-or in any case,
when our present anomalous and law
less political status shall be superseded
by something better adapted for per-
manence and stability-it will be a
matter of interest to political anti
duaries to study an isolated specimen
of jurisprudence as wonderfully and in
genlously adapted to the purposes in
view as the EASTMAN code, or the
British constitution. The locality of
this political experiment is the State
of Louisiana, the period of its origi-
nation the year 1868, its final purpose
that of public plumber, and if practi
cal applicability to the purpose in view
is the test of legislation, this will GER
tainly stand on record as among the
most successful ever inaugurated.
Louisiana was in the hands of the
carpet baggers, the white people were
DISTINGUISHED, the negroes had not yet
learned to use their power, and, when
in 1868 Louisiana was reconstructed
one of the United States, nobody was
on hand to mould and work Quits new
constitution, except the vultures who
had wheeled and lowered around the
conflicting armies at a safe distance
while the struggle was going on, and
when the conflict was over rushed
down upon the blood stained field in
tent only upon gorging themselves with
what they could find there.
Then were devised the election laws
of Louisiana now brought into promi-
nent discussion before the whole peo-
pie of the United States, their purpose
was to render permanent the State of
things under which the carpet baggers
have already robbed the State of thirty
millions of dollars.
The judiciary, the Legislature and
the Executive were all agreed in this
purpose, and all united with wonder
full harmony in constructing the means
of its accomplishment. Gov. War
moth was the first executive officer,
and we'll chosen for running such
machine. A certificate of registra-
ton was made essential to the right of
voting, and to regulate this process
SUPERVISORS OF REGISTRATION
were appointed by the governor in
every parish-they loere removable at
the pleasure Of the goUey7aor: they were
enioined to have their headquarters
at the parish court house, but might
appoint offices of registration where
ever they liked their decision as to
the registry or non-registry of voters
was final and irreversible; not only
was there no provisions for carrying 1t
before the courts, but the courts were
by express statute prohibited from re-
vising their decision, and any judge
who undertook to 90 so was subject to
a fine Of not less than $500, with i'm
prisonment for not less than six
months, and was moreover liable to
impeachment and removal from Office.
These supervisors determined poll
ing places wherever and to whatever
number they chose andappointed three
COMMISSIONERS OF ELECTION
at every place, and if only one of them
attended at given polling place, that
one had the power of appointing two
others to sit with him. The commits
sioners were empowered to arrest any
disorderly persons without trial, and
expressly enjoined to keep them in
prison when arrested till after the cleo
ton, an easy way of getting rid of
voters who would otherwise vote
against the powers that be. As a Sc
curity for the subserviency of these
commissioners to those who appointed
them, they received pay of five dollars
day, but their accounts had to be
couutersigned by the governor and
parish supervisor before they were paid.
On the close of the polls the COM
missioners sealed the boxes and con-
veyed them to the offices of the parish
Supervisor of Registration who count
cd the ballots in the presence of three
commissioners of election (hiS OlCR
0ppointees,) and three freeholders Sc
lected by himself, reduced the result
TO writing without publishing it) and
forwarded it in duplicate to the Gov
eruor. He referred it to
A RETURNING BOARD.
i&ln other words, to himself and his
colleagues. Tor this board consisted Of
the Governor, Secretary of State,
Lieutenant governor and two Senators,
named in the law by which the board
sas constituted, viz John Lynch and
j. {. Anderson. Their report deter
mined the election, but an appeal might
be made to certain judges who were
also appointed by the Governor, and
what ready tools of his they were will
soon appear.
There was provision, however, by
which either a Commissioner of
Election or 4 Supervisor of Registra-
ton could endorse on the returns
that there had been a riot, intim-
idation or bribery at any polling place,
and then the returning board were en-
powered to delay counting the vote
from that district till enquiry was
made, and if the alleged irregularity
was established to their satisfaction,
that vote was thrown out.