Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-12-21

II the United States, but in the discharp
J, OF that duty it acts exclusively unds
!, the authority of the laws of that Stat
: The Constitution of the United State
0 having declared that Zach State sha
: appoint in such manner as the Legisls
$ lature thereof may direct, number {
l Electors equal to the whole number Z
Senators and Representatives to Whic
the State may be entitled in the Con
t gress," not only is the action of thi
J Board independent of State or Nations
laws other than those of Louisiana, bu
: its determination as to the votes cas-
and the candidates elected is final an,
, substantially conclusive, as appear
from decision of the Supreme Cour
of that State, reported in the twenty
. fifth volume of Louisiana annual re
says: "No statute conferring upon ca
Courts the power to try cases of con
tested elections, or title 10 Office, auth
orlzes them to revise the action of tn,
Returning Boerd. II We were to as
sume that prerogative. we should hav,
to go still further and revise the returns
OF Supervisors of Elections, examin,
the right Of voters to vote, and, il
short. the Court would become, in re
gard to such cases, more officers fol
counting, compiling and reporting elec
ton returns. The Legislature has seer
proper to lodge the power to decide
who has or who has not been elected in
the Returning Board. 1t might have
conferred that power on the Courts, bul
it did not; whether the law be good OF
bad, it is our duty to obey its provi
siOns, and not to legislate."
1t became our duty, Immediately on
arriving in New Orleans, to thoroughly
understand the ecOnstitutiOn, powers and
duties of this Board, and to examine
with care the statutes under which IL
was bound to act. and enough has been
written TO show tribunal charged
with such duties and invested with
such powers, the members of which
were originally appointed by the Sem
ate, is entitled TO the respect of all citi-
zens until it shall be forfeited by vio.
lation of its judicial and ministerial OBJ
| legations.
The great National importance of the
duties to be performed by the Board in
vested each member with much inter-
est, and as many reports had been cir
culated concerning them, we were led
to make some inquiry as to their indi-
vidual history. Two of them, Hon.
James Madison Wells, President of
the Board, and General Thomas @.
Anderson, next senior member, are
Southern born, and of old and highly
respectful BILE families. The father of the
former was Hon. Levi Wells, of parish
of Rapides, who in 1912 represented it
In the Convention called to frame the
Constitution of the State of Louisiana.
The son received liberal education
and was early engaged in the care of
planting and other interests of his faith
er. He was q Union man from the
time the war broke out, and although
he suffered greatly by it, in loss of pro-
perty, he never faltered in his devotion
to the Union cause. Under Banks's
reconstruction scheme he was chosen
Lieutenant Governor, on the ticket
with Hon. Michael Hahn, who was
elected Governor, and upon election of
the latter to the Senate year after,
Mr.. Wells became Governor of the
State, to which Office he was almost
unanimously reelected under the re-
construction plan of President johnson.
His experience in public life has been
great and varied, and his capacity to
discharge the duties assumed can not
be questioned.
General Anderson was born in Vir.
ginia; has resided in the parish of st,
Landry for period of some forty
years; is cousin of General Anderson
who commanded Fort Sumter at the
outbreak of the war; was educated a |
lawyer; is owner of and carries on sew
m tat io tIyiA
highly respected throughout the State. !
He has been intimately associated in
The promotion of the social and indus
trial interests of his parish, and has
represented it in both branches of the
Legislature for more than twenty !
years.
Mr.. Casanave, the third member of
the Board, is man Of intelligence, of
excellent character and business habits,
not dependent on an office for living;
not seeking it, but well educated citi-
Zen, who has long conducted prosper.
ous and respectable business In the city
Of New Orleans.
Mr.. Kenner jr., a member of the
Board, Is young man, born and rear
I'd in the city of New Orleans, intelli- $
gent and active, who was for some
lime in charge of the Street Commits
'ioners, Bureau in the Department of :
!
We Will now present such an outline /
,f proof as will disclose, not only such Id
and intimidation as prevent Ii
I'd fair election In several parishes [
md at many polls, but disclose also L
hat these grave OffenseS were commit v
ed in pursuance of a preconcerted and v
ettled plan, formed by the Democraticl b
eaders to prevent the Republican vot- e
RS from attending the polls, and that d
uch unlawful purpose was so effeetu-
lily accomplished as not only to inter- u
ere with the purity and freedom of the r,
lection, but materially 10 change its u
esult. 9
To illustrate how carefully the pOliti- a
al campaign was considered, and the d
Ian mentioned contrived by the lead t,
RS of the Democratic party, it is in D
to refer to circular issued cI
rom the rooms of the Democratic Con. a
ervatiOn State Central committee at lei
Sew Orleans, marked CONFIDENTIAL"
nd signed by j. w. Patterson, Presi- B
ent, and j. p. Sullivan, Secretary, in. if
ended for circulation in each parish, O
nd recommending the formation of .:
yard clubs therein. These circulars ii
rged that sin conversation no gloomy Ii
should he INDUCED in, and h
hat the result of the election should he ol
poken of as a foregone conclusion, as b,
1e have the means OF carrying the al
lection, and intend to do so, but be v,
areful to say and do nothing that can in
e construed into threat or iniimida- N
alton of any character" ltf
The circular also recommended that m
here should be frequent meetings OF ii
II the clubs to be formed, and that 81
hey occasionally form at their several tte
lsces of meeting, and proceed thence m
n horse back to the central rendezvous, 81
tating that proceedings of this char ta
ctar Xnnld irnnrpss the nanrn with "a | h,