The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-12-14
The Efforts of Grant to Inau-
gurate a Defeated Candi-
date for President.
Bottom Facts" as to the Stupendcus
Fraud BY the louisiana Returning
Board.
The Conspiracy Of the Chandler Crew
Forcibly Denounced by the Visiting
Mortherners.
(Oontinued.)


have 80 counted the votes and made list Of the
names OF all the persons voted for, and the offices
yo,es NV esch teS nUbsT ~ baots con-
tanned in the box, and the number rejected, and
the reason therefor duplicates OF such lists shall be
made out signed, and sworn TO by the COM
missioner OF election OF each poll, and such dupi
cate lists shall be delivered, the supervisor
OF registration Of the parish and one TO the clerk
OF the district court Of the parish, and In the parish
of Orleans TO the secretary Of state, by all OF
said commissioners in person within "a hours after
sSDerVsots Of 'n ssPsrsoe Within - hours AFTER
the receipt OF ali the returns for the different poll
Ing places TO consolidate such returns to be certi
ned correct by the clerk to the district court and
forward the consolidated returns with the originals
received by him 90 the returning officers provided
for IN section Of this act, the said report and re-
turns 70 be inclosed in envelope Of strong
paper or cloth, securely sealed and forwarded by
mail He shall forward copy Of any statement as
20 violate disturbance bribery or corruption, or
other oenses specified in section % OF this act if
any there be, together with all memoranda and
tally-liss used in making the count and statement
section : declares: Within ten days after the
closing Of the election said returning officers shall
meet In New Orleans 70 canvass and compile the
statements Of votes made by the commissioners of
election, and make returns of the election to the
secretary OF state. They shall continue In session
until such returns have been complied. The pre-
siding officer shall at such meeting open In the
presence OF the said returning officers the state
said returning officers SHALL from said statements.
canvass and compile the returns OF the election In
duplicate; one copy Of such returns theyi shall file
in the office OF the secretary OF state and of one
COPY they shall make public proclamation by
printing in the official journal and such otner news
papers as they may deem proper, declaring the
names of all perpons voted for, the number OF
votes for each person. and the names OF the parsons
who have been duly and lawfully elected. The
RETURNS of the elections thus made and promulgated
shall be priDd JGc evidence In al courts Of justice
and before all civil officers, until set aside after
contest according TO law Of the right Of any per
named therein TO hold and exercise the ONCE TO
which he shall by such return be declared elected.
The governor shall within 30 days thereafter issue
Commissions to all officers thus declared elected
who are required by law to be commissioned
SEC. B. Be u further enacted, etc. That iufsn CHI
canvass and compilation the returning officers
shall observe the following order: They shall
compile first the statements from all polls or vo-
ting-places at which there shall have been fair,
free and peaceable registration and election,
Whenever, from any poll or voting place, there
shall be received the statement of any supervisor
of registration commissioner Of election, in
form as required by section % Of tins aet afi-
dsyt Of three or more Citizens or ary riot tumuIt
acts of violence intimidation, armed disturbance,
bribery. or corrupt influences, which prevented or
tended to prevent fair free and peaceable vote Of
all qualified electors entitled to vote at such poll
voting-place, such returning officers shall not
canvass, count, or compile the statements OF votes
from such poll votingplaue until the statements
from all other polls or voting places shall have
been canvassed or complied. The returning officers
shall then proceed TO investigate the statements of
riot tumult acts of violence, intimidation, armed
disturbance, bribery, or corrupt influences at any
such poll or voting place and II from the evidence
suchrot tamult of violence, armed
disturbance, bribery or corrupt influences did not
materially interfere with the purity and freedom OF
the election at such poll or votingpace or did not
prevent a sufficient number Of qualified voters from
registering or voting to materially change the re
suit OF the election then, and not otherwise, said
returning officers shall canvass and compile the
vote OF such poll or voting -place with those pre-
viously canvassed and compiled; but II said re-
turning Officers shall not be fully satisfied thereof
II shall be their duty to examine further testimony
in regard thereto, and to this end they shall have
power to send for persons and papers. II after
such examination, the said returning officers shall
be convinced that said riot tumut, or acts of VIC
corrupt influences did materially interfere with
the purity and freedom Of the election at such poll
or voting place, or did prevent sufficient number
Of the qualified electors thereat from registering
and voting TO materially change the result of the
election, then the said returning officers shall moi
canvass or compile the statement Of the votes o
such poll voting place but shall exclude 1t from
their returns; Pr0Utded, that any person interested
in said election by reason Of being candidate fol-
office shall be allowed hearing before said return
ing officers upon making application within thu
time allowed for the forwarding of the returns o
said election.
Under section of the foregoing provis
ions, it will be seen that the duty of the
board of returning oficers is similar tt
that of state canvassiDg boards in most O
the other states Of the union-simply 'tC
canvass and compile the statements of the
commissioners of election" and proclaim
the result; and this is the whole duty O
the returning board, unless the commits
sioners Of election, or the supervisor O
some parish imposes upon it a furthe
duty, as provided in sections 26 and 43
In commenting upon the powers of thu
returning board, we avail ourselves of the
able argument of Judge Spofford made
before it.
NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT
to attack thereturns from any poll, ward
or parish in the state on account of undue
influence, intimidation, or other acts O.
violence, unless the foundation therefor
be first laid by the statement of the com
missioners Of election at the particular
poll, if the acts occurred on election day
or of the supervisor of registration, a,
provided IN sections 26 and 43. The
board has no legal authority to receive OF
give effect to statements of outside par.
ties till the proper commissioners of cleo
ection and supervisors have spoken.
Nor has the board been invested with
the power to institute complaints agains
any poll, eE o6aciO or of its own motion
1t cannot blot out or fail to count soil
tary vote returned, unless legal founda
ton has been laid for inquiry by the sup
eTvasOr of the parish aohere the cote aoa
cast, or BIZ one of the commissioners of cleo
tion reporting through such supervisor
and even hey-the supervisor and com
missioner only lay foundation fo
inquiry in the board by making and for
warding in the prescribed manner, thei
official statements" contemporaneousl,
with their returns, aud in the very form
set forth by section &c of the act in ques
ton. Challenging the votes Of the who'll
cities and parishes, by unofficial persons
even though they are candidates, is
startling and lawful innovation.
No outside protest can be entertained
because even supervisors statement
can receive no consideration by the board
but must be wholly disregarded, unles
made at time and in q manner which n
outside party could possibly comply with
His Statement" Tor that Of his subor6i
nate commissioner must form an integra
part Of his return and official report,
cannot he made up at different time an,
place from the return, to which the laV
requires il tu be attached 'by paste, wa,
or some o., her adhesive substance" an
q duplicate thereto must be lodged b
him with the clerk of the court of has paY
Gsh; 1t must be made under oath; it mus
be clear and full statement
OF ALL THE FACTS
and of the effect produced thereby,
Such statement so annexed aud sen
by mail is the only kind Of statement th
board can notice at all, so as to institut
an inquiry into intimidation. etc. The il