Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-11-20
THE REPRESENTATIVE MEN AT
NEW ORLEANS.
A Second Letter from the Re.
publicans.
n PLAIN AND CANDID STATE
MENT OF FACTS.

IS the visiting republican, reply to the letter OF
| the democrats:
conference.-the are gratfcd to learn that we
nave inexperienced the language and spirit Of
your communication of the 18th inst, and that we
were In error in attrbntng to you purpose to in
terfere with the legally constituted authorities of
ms state, in the discharge of their duties, Per-
haps this Misrepresentation was the natural result
OF the language employed. Your request was TO
meet and confer with You there, personally or
through committees, In order that such influence
as we possess may be exerted in behalf of such
canvass OF the votes actually cast, as by its fair
ness and impartiality shall command the respect
and acquiescence Of the American people,
| This, as we understand it, was a request 10 CO
operate with You for the purpose of influencing
the action of the returning board in the discharge
OF its duties. The president had requested us to
attend there to witness not to influence such can
vass and we know that such request by him was
not intended to limit to the witnessing the count
OF votes actually cast, but the entire proceedings
of the board.
In reaching a result as to the votes legally cast
to be counted, we are gratifed to learn that you
concur with the president and with us in this I'M
, derstaLding; you also state that you are fully
aware that both the organization and action,
whether Judicial or ministerial, of the returning
board of Louisiana, was beyond any authoritative
contract from without, and it would be the heghth
OF arrogance and folly to attempt to alter the laws
OF State of which we are not citizens, or to OBJ
trude our Interpretation of the laws upon those
whose duty 1t Is to administer them. We may
therefore, as we think, assume that you will agree
with us that it would be arrogance equally to at
tempt by our concerted action to influence the
proceedings or results of courts of Justice or Of
boards acting judlcally, and hence we are graft
ned at being able from the language and tenor of
your letter to assume that you did not wish to
confer with us for the purpose of influencing the
action OF the returning board, but only to secure
such CO operation on our part as would enable US
Jointly with yourselves to witness the proceedings
throughout conference, for such a purpose
would now seem to be unnecessary, as we leaIp
from communication just received from the
ooard, which appears to US to accomplish all that
o,y your explanatory note you desire to attain by
the proposed conference.
we VIII add that it is very apparent that if your
wish is to see fair and honest expression from
the electoral vote Of Louisiana there is no differ
ence between ourselves and you except As to your
conduct in reference to that result. You have pro-
posed conference and active associated influence
| lege as individuals.
| We shall be happy at all times to confer with
you and as individuals to cooperate in whatever
shall be right, but concerted action for the purpose
of influencing an official board we hold to be be-
You'd our privilege and we shall hope that all NAV
come TO pass which good citizens can wish with
out the case of any such means.
We remain gentlemen,
Very respectfully yours,
(Signed)
Stanley Matthews,
John A. Garfield Of Ohio
L. w. Stoughton,
j. ii. Van Allen. NY.
VIM. ID. Kelley, Penn.
Job Z. Stevenson, ONO.
Eugene Hale, Maine.
j. NJ Tuttle,
j. w. Chapman,
VIM. II. Smith,
VIM. A. McGrew, Iowa.
Sidney Clarke,
j. &. Wilson, Kansas.
C.. B. Farwell,
Abner Taylor,
j. M. Beardsley,
5. r. Haven, Illinois.
John Coburn,
viii Cumback Ind.
c. Irwin Dirty, Maryland
TO the Hons. j. NJ. Palmer Lyman Trumbull,
W. X. Morrison, Samuel j. Randall, A. j. Cur
tin. VIM. Bigler, J. Il. Doolittle. Geo. b. Smith,
j. Z. Mcdonald, Geo. w. Julian, NJ d. Mon
son, John Love- Henry Watterson j. w Stew
enson, Henry d. McHenry, T. II. Shirley, os-
valid Ottendorfer, J. b. Stallo, L. V. Bogy
James o. Brodhead C. Gibson, John Lee Car
roll w. I. Hamilton, w. G. Sumner, p. IL.