Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-12-09

message which the President sent to Congress to-
day
| To the Senate and House of Representative:
| have the honor to transmit herewith letter,
accompanied by testimony, addressed to me by
John Sherman and o.her distinguished citizens. in
the State of Louisiana. IS. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, Dec. 9, 1875.
The LETTER.
Transmitted by the President is as follows:
To the President Qfhe United States:
In pursuance Of your request that several of the
undersigned should proceed to New Orleans and
there witness the canvass by the Returning Board
of the State Of Louisiana OF the votes cast in that
| State for electors of President and Vice President
of the United States, we have performed that du-
ty, and now most respectfully report that on our
arrival in that city we found several gentlemen
from other States, who had proceeded there at the
| request of the National democratic Committee ;
| and we also found there several gentlemen who
came representing republican State organizations
who have throughout co-operated with those who
went at your request, and whose names are also
| appended to this commun icaton.
| Between the gentlemen representing the demo-
cratic party aud ourselves q correspondence in
writing ensued, copy Of which is appended here
to. Reference to it will disclose that confer
ence with US for the purpose of exercising an in
huence upon the Returning Board was declined,
upon the ground that the only duty devolving up
on us was to attend before the Board, carefully
note its proceedings and, finally, to report faith
full history thereof, with such opinions concerning
the same as truth and justice should demand.
THE COURTESY OF THE RETURNING BOARD REC.
oGNIZED.
Such report we now able to present. and
we take pleasure in stating that our abilitk 10 do
so is due to the exercise of a courtesy and kind
ness by the Returning Board, which entities its
members not only to our thanks, but to that con-
idence which q just public extends toward every
tribu nal which desires that all its proceedings
should be duly presented to public scrutiny. 1t
was our earnest wish that this publicity should be
attained, but we should have felt decacy in re-
questing any privilege not in harmony with the
usage of the Board.
We were, however, relieved from all embarrass-
ment by the acceptance of its formal invitation
hereto annexed, delivered to US and to the gentle
men who attended, at the request of the chairman
of the democratic Committee inviting the attend
ance OF five gentlemen from each delegation as
spectators and witnesses Of the proceedings of the
Board, and this invitation was accompanied with
an offer to permit stenographic reporters selected
by each committee, and make q full report of all
proceedings and testimony, and to secure the
daily publication thereof by the press. The un-
dersigned made arrangements for that purpose
with the propietors Of one of the daily newspapers
printed in New Orleans. Thus, perhaps, there
and elsewhere, we have been enabled to give such
proceedings and testimony the widest circulation
In justice to the Board it should be stated that
this privilege was freely accorded by its members
without solicitation, and that they cordially uni
ted with us in the desire to have all their proceed
ings published throughout the country.
THF WIDEST PUBLICITY GIVEN TO THE Pro
CEEDINGs OF THE BOARD.
The scrutiny invited by the Board was constant. |
ly exercised day by day Both Comm ittees have
been in attendance before the Board with their
stcnographer reporter, and in addition privilege
rendered to both Committees of inviting gentle
men from States other than Louisiana has been
several times availed of, as returns were opened.
whether contested not. The papers enclosed
have been freely rendered to the Committees for
examination, and have usually been carefully in
spected, as means of detecting any possible
changes 10 the returns after leaving their respec-
tive parishes.
Both Committees were furnished by the respec-
tive parties with statements of the vote as claimed
by them respectively, that by comparison it might
be known If any alteration be made in the returns
to be passed upon by the board. with which state
ment the returns usually agreed. Whenever it
was known to the board that return was to be
contested the attorneys for the candidate interest
ed were sent for to be present at the ceremony of
opening, and when such knowledge was attaina-
bic by the inspection Of the inside of the package
containing such returns, these attorneys in-
vited to be present before any action was taken
upon it.
There was secured 10 the manner mentioned |
publicity of all the proceedings of the board the
most careful scrutiny of every package of the re-
turns by it opened, and opportunity for candi-
dates insisting upon the validity of the returns 10
appear personally, or by counsel before the board
10 many instances before the returns were opened,
and In every instance before action was taken. ]