River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-11-23
THE PRESIDENCY.
The Result stIlI in Doubt.

Dental election ON the 9TH OF November is
still in doubt The circle OF doubtful States
now seems to be limited to Louisiana with 8
votes and Florida with a. The votes PRACTICAL
~ settled gives Tilden ls4 and Hayes 173. If
the two doubtful States are both given to
Hayes he will have one majority in he Elec-
toral College If Tlden secures either one he
will be elected. We append some account
the contests in the disputed States:
THE SOUTH CAROLINA CANVASS.
The Supreme Court of South Carolina, on
the 18th, ordered the canvassing board in
that State to act in q ministerial capacity only
and report to the court the record OF the votes
actually cast. The court still holds thaques-
tiOI OF throwing out any votes for fraud and
intimidation under advisement, but orders
the count to be announced as it stands and
will then decide whether il shall be officially
recorded or whether evidence shall be taken
relative to illegal voting
The canvass as ordered by the Court was
nearly completed ON the 18th, and showed
majOrities for the Hayes electors ranging from
$50 to ,I33. On the State ticket the result is
mixed. For Governor, Hampton Dem. has
Liza majority. The Republicans elect their
Secretary of State and the Democrats the
Comptroller. The Attorney General and SUI
peristendept of Public instruction are still in
doubt. The Democrats have filed exceptions
to the count on the ground of Irregularities,
errors, and omissions.
Louisiana.
The time fixed for the returning board OF
Louisiana to meet and canvass the votes was
on the 18th. The Northern Democrats who
went to witness the count sent commnnica-
ton to the Northern Republicans sent there by
the President, which concludes as follows:
'The undersigned, in view of the unhappy
controversies which have heretofore arisen
from the action of the returning board of the
State where its action could not in any event
change the result OF the Presidential election,
and in view of the desire OF all good men that
effect should be given TO the will of the ma
jority as lawfully expressed, respectfully ask
You, or such OF you as are present, to meet and
conner with them personally or through
committee, as may be deemed most wise, in
order that such influence as we possess may
be exerted in behalf of such canvass Of the
votes actually cast, as, by its fairness and i'm
partially shall command the respect and ac-
quiescence of the American people of all par
ties"
REPLY OF REPUBLICANS.
To this proposition the Republicans present
in New Orleans upon invitation of the Presi-
dent sent reply declining the conference.
They say:
"You remark that you are informed that
we come at the request of the President to
see that the board OF canvassers make fair
count oftbe votes actually cast, and ask that
we meet and confer in order that such infiu-
ence as we possess may be exerted in behalf
of such canvass of the votes actually cast as by
its fairness and impartiality shall command
the respect and acquiescence OF the American
people of all parties We JOIN heartily with
you in counsels of peace and in the express
sion of an earnest desire for q perfectly hon
est and Just declaration of the results OF the
recent election in Louisiana by its lawfully con-
stituted authorities, and we may add that we
know of no reason to doubt that such dec
Ior, ,x-ilI 10 made Hnf xUa do the
propriety or utility OF conference on the
basis and subject to the limitations you pro-
pose for we have no such duty imposed on
us as is suggested by the clause OF your note
first quoted. We are only requested TO be
witnesses of what shall occur in the canvass
of the votes without power or legal influence
over the result or over the means by which,
under the laws of Louisiana, the result is to
be determined. We cannot doubt but that
you, upon reflection, will concur with us.
We are here, as private citizens with no Off
cial powers"
After quoting the law governing the Return
ing Board in Louisiana the reply states that
the Board has judicial as well as ministerial
functions, and concludes as follows:
$50 reduce the whole question, therefore, to
the mere clerical duty of counting votes actu-
ally cast, as proposed by you in distinction
from votes legally cast and returned, lrres
pective of the question whether they are fraud
ulently or violently cast or otherwise violated,
involves Oh tic pTONlSlOitS VI tlt
laws of Louisiana, which have already been
adiudicated as valid by the Supreme Court,
and would be wholly unjustiiiable here, as
well rs in any other State of the Union, which
have provided laws to protect the rights OF vo-
tiers and the purity OF the ballot. We cannot,
therefore, concur in your proposition Tor
conference ON that basis"
REJoINDER OF THE DEMOCRATS.
To the above the Democrats sent reply, OF
which the following is an extract:
at can hardly have escaped your notice
that our statement OF the result TO be attained
by the cooperative action which we sought TO
bring about was a simple reproduction OF the
language of President Grant, at whose request
we understand yOu are here. In his recent
order to General Sherman that language was
deliberately used, no doubt in view OF the
fact about which, as we conceive there can be
no dispute, that the first and most essential
prerequisite to an honest and just declaration
of the result of the recent election in L0usi-
ana is fair and impartial canvass OF the votes
actually cast, and il seems to us that you do
the President great injustice in supposing that,
in speaking of the votes actually cast, he
meant to include votes Illegally cast, as you
certainly dous injustice by the imputation OF
a desire to insist on such narrow and vicious
Interpretation. In our Judgment the ex-
preston votes actually cast of necessity
designates votes legally cast and as conse-
quence OF such votes only did we desire to
secure fair and impartial canvass"
The rejoinder concludes:
sin consequence, permit us to say that,
notwithstanding your retusals 70 cooperate,
we still cherish the hope that the returning
board, warned by the history OF the past, and
conscious that its actions are observed by the
whole nation, will discharge its delicate duty
with such circumspection, fairness and I'M
partially as will give satisfaction to the
American people. 10 this end we will con-
tinue to labor Should different result fol-
low the action of the board, we shall have the
satisfaction of knowing that, while you have
taken the responsibility OF declining to act
with us, we have done al in our power to
avert the consequences which may follow"
sUR-REJoSDER OF THE REPUBLICANS
To the second communication q the Demo-
Gratis the Republicans replied expressing
qualification that they had Inexperienced
the language OF the first letter, and said:
"The President had requested us to attend
there to witness, not to influence, such can
vass, and it is known that such request by
him was not intended to limit us to witness
the count of votes actually cast, but the en-
tire proceedings OF the board in reaching a
result OF the votes legally cast to be counted.
We are gratified TO learn that you concur with
the President and with us in this under
standing"
The letter concludes:
ga conference for such purpose would
now seem to be unnecessary as we learn from
a communication just received from the
board which appears to us to accomplish that
which by your explanatory note you desire to
obtain by the proposed conference. We will
add that il is very apparent that If your wish
is to see fair and honest expression of the
electoral vote OF Louisiana, there is no differ
ence between ourselves and you, except as TO
our conduct in reference TO that result. You
have proposed . conference and active asso--
ciated influence. This we regard as beyond
our duty or our privilege. 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 beyond our privilege, and we shall
hope that all may come to pass which good
citizens can wish without the use OF any such
means.