The New York herald., 1876-11-25
fires. Next to Washington there is no man
to whom the country is under so great obi
pations
Tho Political situation.

4
and, our correspondent reports refused
even to receive the respectful written appli-
cation for admission offered by the journal
lists assembled in New Orleans. We can see
that the Board may not like to be watched
by reporters but surely it need not nave
insulted while it refused them. Senator
Sherman, of Ohio, told our correspondent
he thought the refusal indecent, and he and
other Northern republican lookers-on are
reported to be in a state Of disgust
with some Of the other rulings of the Board.
That asserts, for instance, that the returns
of thirteen parishes are not yet received !;
but some of these parishes are only half
days journey from New Orleans; all OF
them, by a singular coincidence, are
parishes which cast democratic majorities,
and it is said to be susceptible of proof that
the republican supervisors have been in
| New Orleans with the returns for a number
Of days. Application was made to
the Board to compel these supervisors
to hand in the returns, but Mr..
Wells promptly decided that the Board
has no power to compel supervisors to
surrender them. 1t must be remembered
that the decisions of this Board are final and
without appeal Some people fancy the re-
turns are kept back to be doctored; but ac-
cording to Mr.. Wells this would be need
less-they need not be handed in at all In
the case Of one parish whose returns were
opened yesterday the supervisor Of election
was found to have flung out seven OF the
fourteen precincts on his own responsibility,
charging intimidation. This man evidently
| imagined himself, like Governor Stearns in
! Florida competent returning board HIS
action will come up for consideration on
Monday.
| In Florida the Circuit Court is still hear
| ing argument, and General Barlow's address
on Thursday seems to have alarmed even
his fellow counsel. 1t surprised many Of
his friends here also who were disappointed
to see him and Mr.. Marble taking sides
down there. In reply to Mr.. Barlow's threat
to coerce the Court with federal troops one
Of the democratic counsel made the point
that by such action, violently interruptiDg
the course of justice, the electoral vote sent
to Washington would go tainted with fraud
and wrong, which would make it liable to
be flung out and the State deprived of its
vote for President. We suspect this point
will turn up again.
From South Carolina our reports are ex-
tremely interesting. The Supreme Court
yesterday asserted its dignity and ordered
counsel for the members of the Returning
Board to show cause why they should not
be held for contempt. United States Dis
trict Attorney Corbin answered that the
Board was no longer in existence, but JUS.
tice Willard promptly replied that the men,
bors could not escape the jurisdiction Of the
Court unless they committed physical su-
icide. The colored justice, Wright, in few
words strongly held with the other judges
that the rule for contempt could not be
evaded, and declared his determination
to vindicate the dignity of the law and of the
Court. The members of the Returning
Board were ordered to make answer at four
o'clock yesterday, and their counsel then
appeared and asked further time, which
was offered if he would engage that his
clients would in the end obey the mandate
of the Court. This promise he refused to
give and thereupon the Court directed the
order of arrest for contempt to be made out.
This will require time, as all previous pro-
ceedings have to be recited; and the Court
adjourned until to-morrow-but not until
Justice Willard had, in solemn and dignifed
language, shown the enormlty Of this delib-
crate and, as he said, unprecedented defiance
'sby officers holding limited powers and sub
ject to the jurisdiction of the Court" Of the
supreme judicial tribunal of the State. 1t
should be remembered that all three
of the Supreme Judges are repub-
licans one is colored man, for
merly member of the Pennsylvania Bar.
The Court evidently means to assert its
power and to call upon the Governor to assist
it if it is not obeyed.
What is wanted by the country is count
SO fair and conspicuously honest that every
republican can properly ask his democratic
neighbor to accept it.