New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-06
SCRUTINY OF THE VOTE,

| SCRUTINY OF THE VOTE.
In Louisiana, scrutiny of votes was for
merly made by officers designated by law
The Returning Board was created by AZ
act Of the Legislature since the war. Thu
Democratic party was represented upon it.
both by appointment of the Governor and
election by the Senate. The certificate
of election held by Mr.. McEnery and
every other Democrat claiming to have
been elected in 1872 was granted upor
the signatures of Returning Board upon
which were Democratic members. Here
then, is conclusive proof that the De.
mocracy have recognized the validity Of 9
Returning Board.
The House bill at present pending re.
cognizes the scrutiny of suffrage unde,
another name. The returns are to be
made to the clerks of the several district
courts, who are to compile the returns.
These returns are to be transmitted to the
Secretary of State, who shall consolidate
them and deliver them to the Governor,
who shall publish the result by proclama-
ton, and after deliver to each person so
proclaimed commission or certificate
of election.
| We presume the reader will thus see
that the Democracy has subscribed to
the principle Of Returning Board. The
question of scrutiny thus comes down to
comparison between the clerks Of the
| several districts on the one hand, and a
Returning Board nominated by the execu-
tive and elected by the Senate on the
other. If the merits of the two systems
depend upon the comparative formal in
tegrity of the district court clerks or the
five citizens elected by the Senate, We
can not express any opinion.
II it be said by the Democracy that
they can not trust the one, how can We be
expected to trust the other. 1t can not
be done unless the Republicans concede
the superior and, indeed, exclusive integ-
rity of the Democracy. If the Democracy
suppose that the Republicans will elect
men in their own political interest, why
may we not suspect that the clerks of the
several district courts of Orleans are in
the political interest Of the Democrats?
But before the public commit themselves
on this subject, suppose they require the
Republicans to give guarantee in the nom
ination of five members personally unex-
ceptionable, approved, in fact. by the peo-
pie themselves? His excellency may readily
send for the names of three Republicans,
known by the public to be above and be-
yond reproach, with two of the opposite
party equally acceptable to the Repub-
leans Would the people permit the
slaughter of ten thousand men to defeat the |
scrutiny by such men as we suppose
The public can see that the Republicans
are in earnest, because. at least, it is their |
interest to be so. They have the lawful
vote ready to be polled; all they wish is |
to get that vote in. No honest scrutiners |
would reject it, but heated partisans
who were short of votes may do so. |
There never was gamester who, |
having the points in his hand,
would jeopardize the game by an, un-
necessary attempt at fraud. Tie most |
dishonest man would not lame the horse |
of his opponent if he knew he could beat
him easy. The Republicans wish the |
game to come off. If they were as dis
honest as the examples given they could |
not afford to cheat themselves out of the |
election. Let the Republican caucus give
US sample ticket that the people may
see the Republicans are above all neces-
sity Of fraud.
The Democratic attempts at intimida-
ton have consolidated the Republican
ranks. This renders it impossible for the
to yield what they deem a
right indispensable to all rights. The ex-
treme violence of the grave Democratic |
Senator is sufficient to excite apprehen-
sions that massacre like that Of ST. Bar
tholomew may result from publication
Of returns adverse to Democratic interests. |
That this Incorporate avowal was prema-
ture is probable from the verbal correc-
lion of Senator White. He denies having
assigned ten thousand as the specific num-
Der of colored voters to be slain. He is |
reported to have said ''thousand6 upon |
thousands. Ten thousand may be taken |
IS an average, and as it corresponds very |
nearly with the majority of Republican
voters incautiously published the other |
lay, we suppose it may stand as within
few hundred of the true number nee
sssary-with the wounded and those to be
Kept from the polls-to secure every Office,
federal, State and municipal.
With these consequences, the Republi-
,ans may we'll save their lives by leaving |
he law as it is. The Republicans, under
he House bill, lose all the Offices, with as
many lives as may be necessary to insure |
the State to the Democracy. They can
not fare much worse under the law as it
stands.