The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-11-30
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.


LOulslanas
The Northern Republicans in Louisiana
on the 18th made a replication to the Dem
ocratic rejoinder, in which they say that,
inasmuch as the invitation Of the Returning
Board for a committee from each party to
be present and witness the canvass seems
to cover the whole question at issue, a con-
ference would be useless.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE RETURNING BOARD.
NoU. 20.-Board met at 1880. All the
members present. There were also present as
committees from the two parties, the following
gentlemen: Republicans-Messrs. futile, Gar
field, Sherman, Hale and StougntOn Demo-
crats-Messrs. Trumbull, Palmer. Bigler, G. B.
Smith, q. W Julian and Watson. 1t was an
nOunced that during the executive session all
persons except the members of the
National Committees would be ex-
Guided. Counsel will only be called in
where contests are raised-that is, where
contest has been filed, or accompanies returns.
Counsel will not be allowed to examine the re-
turns when opened, but merely to witness I'M
sealing of the packages. Both of the National
Committees are accompanied by photographers,
who will report all the proceedings for their re-
spective committees. When the Board
goes into executive, session members of
series of rules was adopted, providing
among other things that the returns from parish
es where no objection is made to the canvass or
posed Of; that all motions by candidates or their
attorneys. and all arguments before the Board,
be presented in writing; that the Returning
officers, if they think it advisable. may go into
secret session to consider any motion or argu-
ment or proposition which may be presented to
them, and that any member shall have the right
TO ca for secret session for the above purpose;
that evidence for each contested poll in any par
ish when concluded shall be laid aside until all
evidence is in from all the contested polls in the
several parishes where there may be contest
ants, and after the evidence is all in, the Re-
turning officers will decide the several
contests in secret session; parties or their
attorneys to be allowed to submit briefs, or
written arguments, up to the time fixed for Re-
turning officers going into secret session, after
which no additional argument is to be received
unless by special consent Judge Sponord, Of
counsel for the Democratic Secretary OF State
and other candidates, asked the adoption of a
motion providing that all the proceedings of the
Board be held in open session, supporting his
motion with an argument. The motion
was overrued. The Democratic protest against
the legal authority of the Board was also over
ruled. further protest was made against the
Boards proceeding to canvass the vote before
the vacancy had been filled there being no Dem
Ocrats on the Board. Col. Zacharie made an
application for the admission of United States
Supervisors, which was taken under advise
ment. The Board then commenced their can
of the votes, taking up the undisputed par
shes in alphabetical order Three parishes,
Ascension, Assumption and Avoyeles, were
disposed of, giving about the same vote as
SHOWN IN the tables made heretofore from Jne
duplicate poll-lists.
NOU. 21.-The Board was in executive
session about three hours, and examined returns
rom six additional parishes, laying those aside
in which there were contests or protests for &C
ton. 1t was ascertained that there are contests
in large majority of the parishes. Counsel
for the United States Supervisors of Election
fled a protest against the exclusion of Super
visors during the canvass and compilation Of the
vote.
NOU. 22.-The Board examined the re-
urns from seven additional parishes. The va
eancy on the Board remained untitled. Gov.
Wicklihe, Elector at Large on the Democratic
ticket, was excluded from the room, and inform
ed that he could only be present in case of con
test. The Clerk reported that returns from IA
parishes had not yet been received.
NoU. 23.-Judge Spoford, of counsel for
Democratic candidates, submit ed motion that
orders be issued instructing all Supervisors to
file their returns Immediately, it being alleged
that many of the delayed returns had been for
some days in New Orleans in the hands of Re-
publican officers. The motion was granted. The
canvass of three additional parishes-Iberville,
Union and Whitaker-was completed.
Nor. 24.-Another application was made
for the appointment of Democrat to fill the@va-
cancy on the Board but it was again refused, as
was also a request for the appointment of Demo
cratic clerks. An application, signed by the
correspondents Of Northern newspapers, asking
for permission TO be present at the
sIons of the Board, was also rejected.
The returns from st. Martins Parish were can
vassed, and the returns from the contested
parish Of East Baton Rouge were then taken up.
East Baton Rouge has fourteen polling places;
the returns when opened were from only seven
Counsel for Democrats claim that the tOtal vote
Of the parish, as ascertained from returns of
Commissioners at pc ling places, was ., 23S for
TildGn and .626 for Hayes, but the Supervisor
OF Registration, by consolidating the returns
from only seven polling places, leaving oBt the
other seven, and emitting to send up the orig
inal returns from some, makes return of
only ,lU2 votes for Tilden and Al for Hayes
Aflidavits were filed stating that the super
visor in this parish, and in every other par
ish in the State, is a Republican; that returns
from fourteen parishes are still missing; that
several of the missing returns were and had been
in the city Of New Orleans for days in the hands
of persons who were not Supervisors; that till
the returns from East Baton Rouge were opened
it was not known to the Democrats what sffida-
Wits accompanied them, or the returns from what
polling places were rejected. After much dis
cussion the returns of East Baton Rouge were
laid aside.