The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-11-24
Session of the Returning Board.
TTa tho Aecno,a la5 Drnn-1

ITO the Associated Press.]
The board met at IL. 80. There were present.
for the Democrats Messrs. Palmer Bigler,
Trumbul, Julian and G. b. Smith; for the Re.
publicans Messrs.s sto9ghto9, Stevenson, Par
kerr Clarke Ind Tarweli. Judge Spofford of
the counsel for the Democratic candidates. sab
mitted the following:
The undersigned of the counsel for candi-
dates on the Democratic conservative ticket re-
specially represent that they are informed and
believe that the supervisors of registration for
fourteen parishes had not filed their returns
here at the time the board adjourned yes
terday; that many of these returns are and have
been in the city of New Orleans in the hands of
the Republican supervisors or OF a Republican
candidate for Congress; that proof of this fact
appears 10 affidavits filed relative to the par
ishes of Ouachita, Lafayette, East Baton
Rouge, Red River, Franklin and others; that it
appears from statements made by Gen. T. c.
Anderson before the board on Monday last that
returns for ST. Landry were IN New Orleans
that day, though reported filed yesterday;
wherefore the undersigned move that the su
pervisors or other persons holding said returns
be ordered to bring the same before this board
of returning officers forthwith.
The annexed proof shows that NJ j. Grady,
supervisor for Ouachta, has had his returns
here in this city for week past; that j. A.
Veazey, supervisor for Lafayette, had his re-
turns here week ago; that f. A. Glover, SUI
perviSor for East Baton Rouge, has been here
with his returns lOr seven days past; that w.
ID. Mckay, supervisor of Franklin, forwarded
his returns on the 18th inst. and is now in the
city and that Geo. S. Smith, Republican candi-
date for Congress in the fourth district, is in
the city of New Orleans and brought with him
from Shreveport and had and still has under
his control, some of the returns from Red River
parish and in said fourth district, and the an
nexed copy of circular letter to the supervis-
ors of registration from d. j. M. A. Jewett,
Secretary of the Republican campaign com nit
tee, shows that they were instructed to bring
the Republican vote of their parishes up to a
prescribed figure.
On motion of Gen. Anderson, the President
of the board instructed the Secretary to issue
orders to all supervisors in the city to file their
returns Immediately.
The request was made by the Democratic
council that they be notified as to the order in
which the contested parishes would be taken
up so they might have time to summon wit
nesses from distant parts of the state.
President Wells said the rules governing the
board could not be changed; that notice would
be given when contested parish was to be
considered, but that there was no order estab-
lished.
1t was agreed that the parish of East Baton
Rouge would be the first contested parish taken
up.
Gen. Anderson rose to question of privilege
and read an article from a newspaper aud said
II wish the public to know and also the editor
who has not probably read the act under which
this board is acting (Act No. % of November
1872, that since that time when l resigned my
position as member of the returning board on
account of being candidate for the Senate, the
law has been changed. Now for the intorma-
ton of the gentlemen present and others,
will state that the law under which was act
ing in 1870 aud 1872 is different from the law
under which am acting at present. Act No,
28sof November, 1872, does not,state as the act
of 1870 stated. that no candidate will be eligible
to set on the returning board. Under the act
OF 1870 the Attorney General, Governor, John
Lynch, Gen. Lonastreet and myself were MEM
bers of the returning board. | didu't act on
the board which returned Gov. Kellogg or
Gov. McEnery, but after this act of 1872 was
signed by Gov Yarmouth it was required of
five persons elected by the Senate that the
board should consist of majority of the mem
bers which established a quorum and in case
of no quorum by death or otherwise, then the
vacancies were to be filled by residue of the
board Of returning officers. Now it appears
that the session of the returning board follow
ing this act which was in January or February,
don't recall which date, the election took
place.
Gov Welles-February
Gen. Anderson continuing-At any rate the
act became law on the Goth of November,
1872 The Senate not being in session then at
the succeeding session elected the following
officers Governor Wells, John Lynch. Gen.
Longsworth G. Cozenove and Louis NJ Kenner.
Subsequently Mr.. Lynch having resigned, J.
T. G. Andersen was elected by the board one
of its members. That is all the law says on the
subject and now am acting under this law,
and there is nothing in this law about man
being disqualified on the ground of being a
candidate. If there was I would not be sitting
at present on this board. Furthermore, &C.
knowledge that my competitor was elected,
but, however, wish the public to understand
l am not acting under the same law as did in
1870, when L testified 1 was ineligible under
hat law. l hope the explanation will be salts
actory.
C1l Zacharie received letter from Col.
Bush, vice president of the Democratic conser-
vative state central committee, pressing upon
the board the necessity of appointing DR.. Ken
nedy on the board If the proceedings were to be
conducted in a spirit of fairness and Justice.
A request for representation among the clerks
was also made.
Gov. Wells-The clerical force has been COM
pleted. We cannot make any vacancy. We
will attempt to fill the board.
The board today completed the canvass of
only three parishes, as follows:
Natchitoches-Tilden 1851, Hayes 2099.
Union-Tilden 1893, Hayes "a.
Ibersville-Tilden 957, Hayes 2297.
At one poll in Natchitocdes the board threw
out 542 votes for three Republican electors and
173 votes for three Democratic electors on ac-
count of informalites. The vote for five Re-
publican electors in Natchiioches was 1885,
In Iberia five Republican electors received
only 1S4S votes instead of 2297, owing to the
omission of names on the ballots. The board
will probably take up contested parishes to.
morrow.