The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-11-21
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ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT
70 THE DAILY LNTELLIGENOER
THE DOUBTFUL STATES.
The Canvass in Louisiana.
Rules of the Returning Board.
No Report iiFSomnn Florida =
South Carolina in statu Quo.

South Carolina in Statu Quo.
NEW 0RIEAss, November 20.-Judgo
Spaffofd, Of the counsel for the Democrats
for Secretary OF State and other candi.
date, asked the adoption Of motion to
the following effect: That all the pro.
ceedings Of the Board be had in open
session, with leayeto the interested cans
didates to be present by themselves or
counsel; and that reasonable number Of
press reporters for each political party
be permitted to attend at all times. "
Judge spafford urged the adoption Of
the motion in q short speech, OF which the
following are extracts:
Addressing the President Of the Board
he said: You, Mr.. President, remark.
ed the other day that your func:
tions were partly ministerial and
partly judicial. The ministerial du-
ties are few and simple. They consist
only IN the addition and tabulation Of the
votes. 4 There Is no call for privacy in APP
plying the rules OF arithmetic. In per-
forming all the rest OF your duties-the
judicial duties-publicity Is simperatiyely
demanded, II 10 essential ateyery stage
Of the investigation, in order to insure q
Just agreement. Adopt this order, so
that every whisper in your chamber may
be heard to the uttermost extremity OF
the Union. In this way, and in this only,
in my humble judgment, will it be posi-:
BILE for you 10 re-assure perturbed and
anxious country, and to establish through
all generations the Righteousness Of your
interlocutory rulings and final award.
Gov. Wells overruled the motion.
The Board also overruled the protest
made by the Democratic Committee on
Saturday against the constitutionality OF
the Board, and It's legal authority to count
the electoral vote. .I l--.-
The election to fill the vacancy in the
Board was postponed, and the recon-
mendation submitted by the Democratic
Committee laid over.
Col. Zacharie, Chairman Of the Demo.
cratic Committee on Returns, filed pro-
test against the Boards proceeding TO
canvass the vote before the vacancy had
been filled, there being no Democrat on
the Board.
The United States Supervisors were not
allowed to be present, nor were the rep.
resentatives OF the local press.
RULES GOVERNING THE BoARD.
With view to regularity and expedi-
ton in the discharge Of the duties Of the
Returning Officers Of Election, the fol-
lowing rules were adopted for their
guidance:
/. The Returning Officers will meet at
12 o'clock NJ. each day, Sundays excepted,
at the place designated for holding their
sessions, unless different hour or place
be designated at the adjournment.
9. Upon meeting, the presiding officer
Of the Board shall order the roll OF the
members called, and il q quorum
be present, he shall direct the
Secretary 10 read the minutes OF
the preceding meeting or meetings,
unless the reading thereof be dispensed
with. The Secretary shall daily keep an
accurate account Of the proceedings OF
the Returning officers.
A. The Returning officers shall first
take up the canvass and compile the re-
turns from the parishes where no obiec.
tion is made TO the canvass or compila-
ton Of the votes cast at any polling
place in such parish or parishes on &C.
count Of fraud or intimidation, or other
illegal practices. The examining in these
is only to ascertain whether legal for
malities have been complied with in hold.
ing the election and making the returns
to the Returning officers. 4 ~ -.ts
5..After disposing Of the parishes as
provided in the proceeding rule, that then
the Returning Officers take up the par
ishes in which objection is made to the
vote Of any or all the polls in such parish.
That they first canvass complete the votes
at the polls In such parishes to which no
objection Is made, and then they shall
take up the contested polls in such par
ishes. Provided, that II it become neces-
sary, to delay the Investigation Of. any
such polls on account OF the absence OF
witnesses or other evidence. the same
may be continued until day to be fixed
by the Returning Officers. That the Re.
turning Officers shall decide ut the time
they are to proceed what parishes they
will take up first. rHteai7 rsa4
6. That all motions made by the
candidates or their attorneys or by other
persons authorized to appear before the
returning officers, shall be In writing and
signed; all arguments presented to the
returning officers shall be in writing, no
oral argument being allowed. ,.y
Z. The returning officers, II they think
1t advisable, may go into secret session to
consider any motion, argument or propo-
sition which may be presented to them;
any member shall have q right to call a
secret session for the above purposes.
8. When any candidate, or his attor-
ney, or other person authorized to do so,
shall present witness before the Return
ing Board, he shall present the interroga-
tories to be propounded to such witness,
which he shall have previously submitted
to his opponent to be cross questioned, Mt
least twenty.fonr hours before, unless
such time be named as the cToss.intoroga-
tories may be put before the expiration
OF that time. In the examination OF wit
nesses the Returning officers may interro.
gate witnesses beyond the interrogatories
mentioned, when they think Il necessary,
but the candidates and their attorneys
shall not examine a witness before the
Returning officers except as above pro-
vided.
8. No exparLe atidavits or statemets
shall be received, except us basis to
show that such fraud as intimidation or
other illegal practice at the same poll,
requires interrogatories, but the returns
and attdavits authorized by law and
made by the officers Of election, or, on
verifcation Of the statements II required
OF law shall be received in evidence pri-
mo taeie. .r.r. I-r,
ed poll in any parish, when concluded
shall be laid aside till all the evidence
Is in from all the contested polls in the
several parishes where there may be con-
testants, and after the evidence Is all 10,
the Returning Officers will decide the
several contests in secret session; parties
or their attorneys to be allowed 10 submit
briefs or written arguments up to the
time fixed for the Returning 0fhcers' 60
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