Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-11-24
The National Election.


A motion was made on the 14th by the
Democratic Committee, before the full
bench of the South Carolina Supreme
Court praying that writ of prohibition
and mandamus be granted, restraining
the Canvassing Board from exercising
judicial functions in the election of
electors, ETC., and confning them to
ministerial functions only, and restrain
ing Dunn, Cardoza and Hayne, Comp
troller, Treasurer and Secretary of State
and nominees for reelection, from sit
ting as judges of their own election. The
court issued a rule requiring the Board
to answer on the 10th why writs should
not be issued.
Gen. Ruger arrived at Tallahassee,
Fla, on the 14th and took command of
the troops.
A New Orleans telegram of the 14th
says the Democratic Committee have
complete returns, showing Tilden's ma
jority in Louisiana to be 8, 107. The Re-
publicans claimed the State by at least
5000.
Gen. Sheridan arrived at New Or
leans on the 10Th. Many leading men
of both parties were in the city. A letter
|
Trumbull, Doolittle, Watterson, Stallo,
Bogy, Carroll Sumner and other Demo-
Gratis, addressed to Messrs. Kelley, Kas-
son, Garfield and other Republicans was
published at New Orleans on the 14th,
inviting them to a conference, Z" 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 impartiality shall command the re-
spect and acquiescence of the American
people of all parties"
The counsel for the South Caro-
lima Board of Canvassers on the 10th
asked the Supreme Court for an
order instructing the Board to pro-
ceed with the canvass of returns,
to save time, and strictly in ministerial
capacity. The order was granted, but
subsequently amended, on motion of the
Democratic counsel, to read, "shall
proceed in a ministerial capacity" in
stead of "may" as in the original order,
whereupon the order was withdrawn.
The court heard the argument of counsel
on both sides until evening.
| The New York Herald of the 18th es-
timated Tilden's majority in Florida at
400 and the Democratic State ticket 800,
while the Times claimed that the State
was Republican ON both State and ma
tional tickets.
The Republican visitors at New Or
leans on the 10th replied to the Demo
Gratis invitation for conference. They
state that the laws of Louisiana fix the
duties of the Returning Board, and to re-
duce the whole question to the mere
| clerical duty of counting the
votes actually cast, as proposed
by the Democrats, in distinction to votes
| legally cast and returned, irrespective of
the question whether they are fraudu-
lently or violently cast or otherwise
vitiated, involves a notification of the
provisions of the laws of Louisiana,
which have already been adjudicated as
valid by the Supreme Court and would
be wholly unjustifiable in Louisiana as
well as in any other State of the Union
which had provided laws to protect the
rights of voters and the purity of the
ballot. They therefore refuse to concur
| in the proposition for a conference on
this basis. The Returning Board on the
18th took the oath of Office and held an ex-
| ecutive session and adjourned to the 18th
The Democratic visitors at New Orleans
on the 18th published reply to the Re-
publican letter of the previous day.
They say the Republicans err in attrib-
uting to them purpose to interfere with
the legal authorities of the State in the dis
charge of their duties, to claim rights
and to arrogate powers which they
do not possess. Their purpose was sim
ply TO invite the Republican visitors to
| see, with them, that, whatever may be
the character of these functions, they
are openly, fairly and honestly dis
charged. In conclusion they say they
{" still cherish the hope that the Returning
Board, warned by the history of the past
and conscious that its actions are being
observed by the whole nation, will dis
charge its delicate duty with such cir
cumspection, fairness and impartiality as
will give satisfaction to the American
people," The Returning Board on the
evening of the 18th decided to allow five
members from each party TO be present
during the canvassing of the returns.
Ex-senator Osborn sent dispatch to
Washington on the 18th asserting posi-
lively that Florida had gone for Hayes
and Wheeler. A telegram from Demo
cratic sources says Tilden's majority is
| 76S.
The Supreme Court of South Carolina
on the 18th granted an intermediary or
der authorizing the Board of Canvassers
to aggregate the statements of the
county election commissioners, ascertain
who have received the greatest number
of votes, and certify the result to the
court. Under this order the board COM
menced the canvass. A large number of
protests were filed by both parties and
many Irregularities were discovered.
The Louisiana Returning Board at the
session on the 18th resolved to invite a
committee of five each from the North
ern Democrats and Republicans visiting
New Orleans to be present and witness
the counting of the vote. The counsel
for the Democratic candidates filed a
protest against the constitutiOnality of
the board and against certain action, on
the grounds that by the act creating the
Returning Board there is no time
fixed for term of office, but the act
provides that vacancies shall be filled
by the residue of the Board, thus
giving the board power to perpetuate
itself indefinitely; that the board is
vested with judicial powers; that all the
members of the board belong to one
political party; that two of the candi-
dates for electors were United States
officers when voted for. The Democrats
appointed as their committee to be
present at the counting; Palmer and
Trumbull of Illinois, Bigler of Pennsyl-
vania, Smith of Wisconsin, and Watson
of Ohio.
The South Carolina Board of Can
vassers completed the official counting
of the votes on the 18th. The result
shows an average majority for the Hayes
electors of about 600; Hampton's ma
jority, 1,144. The counsel for the Dem
ocrats filed exceptions in the Supreme
Court to the aggregation of the results
and the announcement of them, on the
ground that the canvass and the compar-
ison of the managers returns with the
county canvassers' returns show irregu.
larities, errors and omissions which
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