The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-11-21

NEW DREEASH, Sgfttiinsi - teo
lowing Is the reply o. the visiting lepup,ll-
cans to the last letter OF tne Democrass. ), !.
Genftarnen re IRE gratftfed to learn that
nos have n1isapprehe the language and
snirit of YOUR communicating Of November
18th. and that we were In error in nttribtl-
tinp be- spou4a purpose to interfere with the
legally-eonstitute authorities OF this State
In The discharge OF their duties. Perhaps
this misapprehe was the natural result
of the language you employed. Your re-
quest was st to meet and confer with you
personally or through committees in or
der chat such influence 'as we possess
may be exerted in behalf OF such
canvass; OF votes actually cast as by Its fair
ness and sirnpartially shall command the
respect and acqlliesceDce cf the American
people. =, Il This, as we understood 1t, was
request TO cooperate with you Tor the pur-
nose OF influencing thesaetioni Of the Re
turning Board in the discharge OF its du-
ties. The President lind requested us to
attend there to witness, not to influence,
such canvass, and we know that such re-
quest by him was not intended to limit us
merely to witness the count OF votes actu-
ally east, but to view the entire proceed
Eings OF she Board in reaching result rs TO
the votes legally cast which were 10 DE
counted. We are gratiffed to learn that you
concur with The President and with lls IN
this understanding. You: also state: that
YOU are fully aware that both1the, organ
izatien and action, whether udlclai OF
ministerial; OF the = Returning ~ Board
OF Louisiana, swas.;; beyond any - au,
thoritatiye- control from without, ana
| it would be the height OF arrogance
and folly.to attempt to altersthe laws OF
| State of which we are not: citizens, and
ennally 80 to obtrude our Interpretation OF
| the laws upon those whose duty it is to adj
minister them. We may therefore, as we
think, assume that you will agree with us
| chat It would be arrogance equally to at
| tempt by our concerted action to Influence
the proceedings or result OF q court OF JUS
| tice or Of boards acting judicially; aud
hence we are gratifed at being able from
| fine language and tenor OF your letter TO
assume that YOU did not wish to confer with
| MS for the purpose Of influencing the action
Of the Returning Board, but only to secure
such cooperation on our part as would
enable us Jointly with yourselves to witness
the proceedings throughout. Conference
for such a purpose would now seem
TO be unnecessary, as we. learn from
communication Just received from
the Board, which appears to us to- ac-
complish all that which, by your ex-
planatory note, you desire TO- attain by the
proposed conference. We will add that it
is very apparent that if you wish us to see
fair and honest expression from the cleo
toral vote Of Louisiana. there is no differ
ence between ourselves and you except as
to your, conduct in reference to that result.
You have proposed conference and active,
associated influence. This we regard as
beyond our duty or our privilege. AS in
diyiduals we shall be, happy at: all times to
confer with you, and as individuals to CO.
operate in whatever shall be right, but con-
certed action for the purpose Of influencing
an official board we hold to- be beyond our
privilege, and we shall hope that all may
come to pass which, good citizens can wish
without use Of any such means. 1913
We remain, gentlemen, very respectfully
yours, ,ss.,.. IT,,
JoHN SHERMAN, ". A. 0lCGREW,
/ STANLEY MATTHEW'S, SIDNEY. CLARKE,
JOHN A, GARFIELD, j. G. WILSON,
E. w. SToUGHToN, C.. 3. FAIwELL,
j. II. VAN ALIEN, ABNER, TAYLOR,
WIN. D. KELLEY, II. N. rBEARDsLEY,
JOB E. STEVENSON, S. r. HAVEN,
EUGENE HALE, !, JOHN CODURN,
j. NJ. FUTILE, WILL CUMBAcH,
J. W. CHAPMAN, WY. r. SMITH,