The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-09
POLITICAL TALK.
The fight yesterday in
THE SENATE

over the bill reducing the salaries of the
Mayor and Administrators and the tax collec-
tors of the State in the city of New Orleans,
was hot one and was we'll contested.
The bill as originally introduced only pro-
vided for a reduction of the salaries of the
city Administrators and the salary of the
Mayor.
Mr.. Whitney, the Republican leader in the
Senate, called it up and made "reform
speech" He evidently expected to meet
with violent assault from the Conservatives,
and had his force arrayed to meet and repel
surprised him and his followers with bomb
sheilin the shape of an amendm ent reducing
the fees of the tax collectors, and which not
only surprised them, but created the greatest
CONSERVATION in the Republican camp. Senator
White followed up his amendment with re-
form speech, and SO demoralizsd was the
force of Mr.. Whitney that, although they
fought hard, q substitute to the same effect
as the substitute of Mr. White was adopted
and made part of the bill.
The bill would have gone through to its
third reading if the opponents had not de-
serted the field and broken the quorum. L:
is true they were brought back, but they had
rallied and came up in good order, and sue
ceeded in putting through motion to ad-
journ.
THE EX-CONGRESsMAN,
Jacob H. Sypher, is cyphering as clerk Of
the Finance Committee of the Senate. His
private financial experience peculiarly fits
him for the position.
The Indications in regard to
THE ELECTION BILL
are that the Senate will make fight for the
Returning Board, but that they will in the
end yield as the Conservatives in the House
hold the whip which will force them to YIELD
TIE determination of the Conservatives
to pass no general appropriation bill, unless
an election bill, doing away with the Return
ing Board is enacted, is firm.
The object of tho Republicans just now,
seems to be to force conference committee,
but the Conservatives want no committee and
propose to settle the matter in an open fight
THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS
of Sunday night was not as harmo nious as the
party leaders would have the public believe,
for. Notwithstanding the soothing speeches Of
Gov. Kellogg and Marshal Packard, and their
appeal to the boys to stick together and work
for the Returning Board, three Of the mem
bers-Messrs. Hahn, Baker and Murrell-
rot only made opposition speeches, but re-
tired in disgust from the caucus.
What is thought Of the bill by the House
committee can be ascertained from the fol-
lowing
REPORTS.
The Judiciary Committee, to whom has
been referred Senate bill No. 1OS, being a Sch
stitIte for House bill No. AZ, an act entitled
en- act to provide for the time, manner and
place Of holding elections in this State, to
provide for the appointment of commission
srs of election in this State, etc, beg leave to
report unfavorably AID adversely upon said
Senate bill No. 10S, and recommend that the
same be not agreed to; and the committee
further recommend that this House insist
upon said House bill No. As.
The committee specially object, among
other reasons, to said Senate bill No. 1OS, be-
cause it seeks to retain the provisions of the
existing statute which organized the board OF
returning officers. This feature of the cleo
ton law, which gives to a returning board
composed of five men, judicial power, from
which there is no appeal to determine the re-
suits OF an election, is peculiar to Louisiana
No such legislation exists in any other State in
the Union, nor, in fact. in any republican
government in the civilized world. The
appointment of a majority OF the
board is given by the Senate bill to
the Executive, and it in effect confers upon
the Governor OF the State absolute control
over the returns in all elections. 1t places in
the hands of any one who may occupy the
executive chair the means to perpetuate him
self and his party in power, in violation of
every expression of the voice of the people at
the ballot box. What is the use of popular
election if returning board Of five men are
to be invested with the power to elect to
Office, over, above and beyond the vote of the
people? With such law upon the statute
book liberty is extinct, and the foundation of
republican government is gone.
The work of the Returning Board of 1872
was the Inauguration of an Legitimate gov
eminent in Louisiana, kept in existence
only by military force, emanating from the
authorities at Washington. The work of the
Returning Board of 1874 was the creation OF
a Legislature which gave to the defeated can
atives, by the exclusion of those who were
really elected at the polls And when the
elect attempted to organ
izs under the provisions OF the Constitu-
ton Of the State they swere dispersed
by armed forces of the United States, be-
cause not organized under the authority
of the Returning Board. It was rot until
the outraged public sentiment of the country
cried out against the indecent act, that the
people were restored in part the representa-
tion gained in part at the baliotbox. And
even this boon was vouchsafed to an OPP
pressed people through the award of Con-
gressional committee, sitting in q distant
State, which made barter and compromise OF
the right of free suffrage.
1t has been contended that returning
board is necessary to secure peaceable cleo
tons in this State.
On the CONTRARY, we believe that full. free
and pelceable election can be held without
a returning board, and with the continued
Influence of supervising board will, by the
creation of a Widespread impre sion that the
II = A