The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-14
TIE LOUISIANA INFAMY,
THE PERFECTION or CiRPET-BAG
A ELECTION MACHTNEEY

4
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The History of tho Louisiana Rcniatrntion
II and Election Inws-Iiow hc,ior" Urr De-
frnudcd Of the Right TO Nutc. aud lew
| Radical Candidates arc counted ih'
y A concise history of The election mnchln-
.HrY perfected by the cetpc'-ha politicians p" en-
pabie them 20 retain suI romacy in uiainna, de-
spite the will Of the people q thai state ncre--
srry In order to enable the public to appreciate
the present situation. The registration ara eec-
ton laws of Louisiana were al framed uruer
the direction Of Henry &. Waimoth, then Gov
ernor OF the state, and are the ma'terllccc "l
oil the villainous LEGISLATION fashioned ana
enacted during the administration ol tll' oo'u
and INSCRIPTIONS adventurer. nov were ue-
tianed to place In tue haf d. OF the Governor
the absolute power to control the vote Oi the
state. and the following statement ~ ther pro
visions will show what care was taken To make
them answer the purpose they were intended
60 accomplish.
All voters are required toregister their names
In their respective parishes, aud obtain from the
Supervisor Of Registry certificate q registra-
ton before the right TO vote l. acquired. One
Supervisor of Registry for each parish Ia ap-
pointed by the Governor and removed at his
pleasure. he Supervisor Il required to
have an Office at the Court House Of oacn
parish, but can exercise his judgment about
establishing other places Of registr ltion In the
J, parish. The decision Of the Supervisor rs TO
the right of n citizen to register Ia nual. The
sourts are espe cially prohibited from interfer-
ing. aud any judge who might De bid enouR
10 grant a writ OF mandimus, injunction, or In
any other way attempt TO revise the action OF
the Supervisor. i subject To fine Of 5000 aud
imprisonment f1r not less than six months, md
might lie imueached and removed from nice.
The Supervisor determined the numter OF puli-
Ing places 90 each pa,ish, ana hrpoln'eu uhree
al Attended
election day he was empowered 70 name his as
euciatts. these election officers could order
tire arrest Of any person they chose, and the
unfortunate freeman so arrested must remain
y CUSTODY untii the cl9se 81 tns polls j. MAKE
di,m Ilowarce II .5 should not be /. ID until
their e., counts we've approved and cOuntersgned
ly the Supcivis r and Governor.
COUNTING ruE VOTES.
The polls were to be kept open from o
In the morning 'iu at night. nnd Immediately
upon their close the Commissioners se.led the
ballot boxes aud cgnyeyca them to the ofice
were to be counted In the presence Of the
Commissioners and three frcenoider-. all OF
wh.n were named by the SUPERVISORS. The
returns were then m de out aud forwarded TO
the Governor In duplicate. and despite the pro-
vision Of the Constitution which required tnrm
TO be- transmitted TO the Secretary VI state. The
Governor transmitted the returns To the Re
was ex-ofhciO member, aud claimed that the
spfit Of the Constitution v as thus complied
With. The Returning Board was composed
OF the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, tue
Secretary Of State. and two other persons
ss sy The ' superisors Of Kssis,ry '" and 'pd
the Commissioners Of Election were prima
facie evidence Of election, but II they accOmpa-
MED the returns Of any one poliGg Ilace 81 all
= OF them with statement under oath that there
timiaaton, bribery, or corrupt influence, then
the Returning Board. on this evidence, could
defer coun lne the votes OF that polling place
or places until further Investigation. and finally
reject them II they held that sun cient evil
dence OF intimidation or fraud mad been pre-
A.. Bented.
s1he act OF Nov. 30, 1s72, amended the original
Registration and Election law III some inIpor-
t.ut particulars IL, however, left uudistuib bed
the p DIVISIONS " the origin al act in regard to
the registration OF voters. The Returning Board,
under the amendatory act Of 1872. IL erected by
the senate, ana according to he terms OF the
law shall be elected from oil political arties"
eiectinR one Democrat ana tour Republ-
cans. The former long since Resigned. In
absence, the board has power To Ill such vacln-
Giles 10y appointment. The Returning Board
Wells, surveyor II the Pot II New Ore rs
Thos. Anderson, Republican candiIa e for state
Fer. and Nr. Arroyo, who has resigned. As Ia
the original act. the Returning Board under the
OF any polling place or Iarisn on the state
nent OF any Supervisor OF Registry Com
by section 2G Of this Ct, on andavit OF three
ormore citszens, Of any riot tumult, acts Of vio-
OF corrupt Influences, which Prevented, or
tended To- prevent fair, free, ana peaceaole
SUCH pOil OF voting place" The returns Of this
disI uted poll snail rem In uncounted TIL oil
o;ner returns are canv. ssed. and then the re-
turning officers investie te the alleged disturb
snces or corrupt pr'ctices, and II tney are tis-
~ed that the evisrnce Is sum Gent then they eau
EXCLUDE the disputed votes.
TIE GOVERNOR STILL ALL Powerful.
The numoer Of polling places In parish I'M
der the ct 4 le'2 il oeterlined by tie police
orleans and Jefferson. In Orleans they re de-
termIned ~ tie Cay Council, ana IN jefferson
log places the police jury shall determine.
ILese police juues are made up b. tie
Justices oil the Peace Who are appointed 10y the
Governor. Tue police liTies also appoint the
three Commis -ioners Of Election, ana the law
says they shah be from different polite ! par
ties. Two Of them are, now ever, always RepuD-
Means. II one onh attends, he nos tue ppoint-
ment OF his Two associates. In New Orleans The
NAV and Adniui,trators OF the city appoint
the Commissioners Of Election As provided by
the original act. the Commissioners Of Fec ion
have, under the act OF 1872, he power OF ordering
the arrest OF any porous WHO III their opinion
are disorderlv and h We them locked up Til
after the polls re- closed.
1he votes are required to be counted after the
zens present., aud tally lists Of tie count Kept (;
ana after the count Is nuished, the ballots, WIN
sally lists, must lie returned 10 the bilios boxes,
which are REQUIRED TO ue delivered 10y one Of the
Commissioners to the Clerk Of the District
Court ofthe parish. Duplicates Of the tally lists
are required 10 be made cut. showing tue num-
Der ot votes received by each candidate, and
signed and sworn to ny tue Commissioners, and
one delivered 10 the SUPERVISOR o. Registry Of
the par.i ana one to the clerk II the distinct
COurt Of the parsn. The Supervisor OF Regis
try must wituin twenty four uuurs after the
receipt oi AL RETURNS from tue differ nj polling
p ccs, consolidate ~ucu returns, nave hem GER
ubed nY the Clerk OF the District Court.
and forward Tho same 10 the Re
turning Board, and along with them
the statements, II any, ~ Intimidation,
violence, bribery OF corrupt influence, together
win all memoianda and alY hsi- ~, j IN max
Ing The count ana statement II votes. lhe
b Commissioners II Elccucn are required to
IN he Toll .ntemeut Of any riot, li,, urt ace,
tumult acts Of VI ulence, Intimidation, Driuer,,
COrlliit lInltTCH- which.
prevented or teuded to prevent % ( IT.. ire D.. and
peaceaple election. which shdI be verified by
three a. i2rns qualified voters, not Of Tie polling
place, bit ui Tie parish.
PhoNisiohs IN REGARD TO INTIMIDATION.
The most : Iingout provisions are incorpO-
rated IN the act 81 ls.=, ia regard 10 violence,
Intimidation, riots, or Gt-t uruaLcrs al the polls.
AnN person VINO bets such clme-, titner by
counsel cuuntvince, tucuhr gcncnt, or y rtici-
pHiiuh at Nr nr-r the y LIS ou tle day ol citC-
ton, Do 10 Oe deemed gnllly a. a I, lony, uuu ON
conviction Is 40 he punish d by tine MT exceed
tng sou, M to be il pii-Oncd lu the pcuIttn-
u.N Lot exceeding tea We r.. Like slliuneit
q IUfbTUGTtted la Z d lul