The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-12-13
The Efforts of Grant to lnau-
gurate a Defeated Candi-
date for President.
Bottom Facts" as to the Stupendoua
Fraud by the louisiana Returning
Board.
The Conspiracy Of the Chandler Crew
Forcibly Denounced by the Visiting
Northerners.
THE COMMITTEES REPORT,

returning board OF Louisiana having this
day promulgated as the result of the re-
cent election in that state, that the Hayes
and Wheeler candidates for electors re
ceived majority of the votes, we, who, by
invitation, watched the proceedings of the
board IN opening and canvassing the re-
turns till it went into secret session. deem 1t
our duty to lay before you and the public
such facts connected with the election and
che returns as will, we think, clearly show
that the action of the returning board in
proclaiming the election of the Hayes cleo
tors is arbitrary, unfair, and without warrant
of law, and we adopt as applicable TO this
canvass the language OF report made to
the United States house of representatives
in 1875. byiGeo. f. Hoar, w. A, Wheeler,
and VIM, P. Frye, in regard to the can
yass of 1872, in which they say: The
so.called canvass made by the returning
board in the interest of Kellogg seems to
us to have no validity, and is entitled to
language of this same report upon the
condition Of Louisiana in 1875: In the
state of Louisiana there is a governor in
Office who owes his seat to the inter
ference of the national power, which has
recognized his title to his Office, not by
reason of any ascertainment of the facts
by legal process, but has based its action
SOLELY ON THE ILLEGAL ORDER
of q Judge,
I'm the sans state there is alegislature,
one branch of which derives its authority
partly from the same order, the other
being organized by majority who have
been established in power by another in
reference of the national government,
and which majority derives its title. not
from any legal ascertainment of the facts,
but from the certificates of a returning
board which has misconceived and exceed
ed its legal suthority."E
Nov. Is, 1875, before the returning
board commenced the canvass of the
electoral vote, the candidates for electors
on the Democratic ticket presented pro-
test against its jurisdiction over the sub
ject, or its canvass Of the votes relating to
the same. This protest was summarily
overruled by the board without affording
an opportunity for argument. No lega
proposition. in our opinion, is clearer than
that the board was mistaken as to its
powers. and that it had nothing whatever
to do with the electoral vote. The consti.
tuition of the United States declares that
Each state shall appoint. in such manner
as the legislature thereof may direct, q
number of electors equal to the whole
number of senators and representatives Il
which the state may be entitled in the con
gress, but no senator or representative, OIL
person holding an Office of trust or profit
under the United States, shall be appoint
an electOr.
The legislature OF Louisiana has eithel
directed the manner in which electors il
that state shall be appointed,o or it has not
The election law Of 1879, and amendment
under which the returning board is created
and acts, makes no provision as to the man
ner OF appointing electors Of president anC
vice-president, whether by the legislator,
or by vote of the people, nor whethe
by the state at large or by congressiona
districts nor does it contain any provis
ion as to the qualification of electors, tn
place where they are to meet, nor for fill
ing vacancies, Section II of that act de
olares as follows: THAT this act shal
take effect from and after its passage, an,
that all others on the subject of election
laws be and the same are hereby repeal
ed" This is not an implied but
A DIRECT REPEAL OF ALL ELECTION LAW
to which it refers, and if it repeats tn
previous act of 1868, revised in 1870, pre-
viding for the appointment of presidents
electors, it repeats the whole of it an
all its provisions, and there is no law O
the state on that subject, and of cours
the board would have no Jurisdiction t,
canvass votes cast for such officers.
on the other hand the act of 1872 does no
repeal the law of 1870, then presidential
electors must be appointed, and the can
vass of the votes therefor must be mad
in accordance with the law of 1870, an
the returning board has no jurisdiction
over the subject, as will be seen by ref
erence to some of the provisions of the &C
of 1870, which are as follows:
SEC. ASA. Every qualified voter in the stat
shall vote for electors follows: Two person
shan be selected from the state at large and on
person shall be chosen from each congressiona
district in the state; and in case any ticket sha
contain two or more names of persons residing !.
the same district Except the two chosen from tn
state at large, the first Of such names only shal
be considered rs duly voted for.
SEC. 2,626. No person shall be considered quail
He'd elector who Is not qualified voter in the dil
trict for which he is chosen or in case of being
lected for she state at large, then of some paris
OF the state.
SIC. 2,s2G Immediately after the receipt of a n
turn from zach parish, OF on the fourth Monday Q
November, II the returns should not sooner arriv
the governor In presence of the secretary of stat
the attorney general, district judge OF the dstr
IN which the seat OF government may be establish
ed any two them shall examine the returns an
ascertain therefrom the persons who have bee
duly elected electors.
SEC. 2,S29. The electors shall meet at the seat ,
government on the day appointed for their NEE
ing by the act Of congress and shall then and thei
proceed to execute the duties and services enoine
upon them by the constitution of the United State
In the manner therein prescribed.
SEC. 1880 II any one or more Of the eecto
chosen by the people shall fail, from any eau
whatever, to attend at the appointed place at Ii
meeting It shall be the duty OF the other electo
Immediately to proceed by ballot to I'LL such v
cancy or vacancies -
1t is immaterial, SO far as affects tt
jurisdiction or the returning board, whethe
the act of 1870, relating to the appoin
ment of presidential electors, is repeale
or not. IT repealed, there is
NO LAW IN LOUISIANA
for the appointment of presidential ele
tors; it not repealed, then the canvass
the returns for such electors must be mac
by the r"vrinu-, 10 the presence of Il
secretary 81 state, the attorney genera
aJudge ~ the district in which the Sc
OF government may be established, or al
two OF them, as required by the act
1870, and in making such canvass thu
would be confined to an ascertainment
the persons elected, according to the r
turns, without authority to reject vote
In no event can the returning board ha
jurisdiction over the returns of electors
president and vice president, and tht
canvass of the same is therefore a NULL
and entitled to no respect from any or
In another aspect it may be important
determine whether the act Of 1870 is !