The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-11-23
THE LOUISIANA RETD RNING
BOARD.

What Some Leading Republic
cans Think About Their Legal
Powers.
On the Both of January, 1875, Matt.
ii. Carpenter. Republican Senator from
Wisconsin. made speech in the Sen
ate in opposition to the admission of
Pinchback to seat in that body as a
member from the State o: Louisiana,
in which he strongly argued that the
duty of the Returning Board is entire
ly ministerial, and declared that "their
entire duty is TO take the statements
and returns sent up from the polls and
compile them, aggregate them and
state the result" The United States
Senate in acting upon the question re-
fused to admit Pinchback to seat,
thereby declaring that the Returning
Board had trans cended its authority. |:
At the session of Congress in 1S74-5,
the House of Representatives appoint
ed committee from that body to go
to Louisiana and investigate the troub-
les in that State. The committee was
composed OF FIVE Republicans and two
Democrats. At the same session the
Committee submitted minority and
majority reports. The minority re-
port was made by Willia6 A. Wheel
er (present Republican candidate for
Vice Presidency George f. Hoar, and
William p. Fry. They concur with
the views of Senator Carpenter in ref
erence to the powers of the Returning
Board and say:
s.It never could have been meant
that this board. of its own motion, sit
ting in New Orleans, at a distance
from The place Of voting. and without
notice, could decide the right of per-
sons claiming to be elected. The board
took a different view of its powers,
and proceeded to throw out the votes
from many polls where they found in
limidation and violence to have exist
ed. The result was to defeat persons
whom they should have declared elect
ed, and to elect persons who should
not have been declared elented."
At the same session Messrs. Foster
and Phelps, Republicans, and Potter
and Marshall, Democrats, OF the same
committee, submitted a majority re-
port in which they say, in closing:
>"We hold. therefore, that in Novem-
ber, 1874, the people OF the State of
Louisiana did fairly Lave a free peace.
able and full registration and election,
in which a clear conservative majori-
ty was elected to the lower house of
the Legislature, of which ma jorIty the
Conservative party were deprived by
the unjust. illegal and arbitrary ac-
ton OF the Returning Board" -i'--'h
In conformity with these rep ,rts,
the House refused TO admit the mem
bers claiming seats in that bcdy elect
ed in November, 1874. Thus have
both houses of Congress virtually de-
clared that the Louisiana Returning
Board transcended its duties and au-
thority which we're purely ministerial.
There is no one who questions that
the vote Of Louisiana. as actually cast
by hes people, is for Tilden by from
seven to ten thousand majority. nor is
it denied that these votes were cast by
legal voters. Yet, the Radical leaders
are hoping 10 profit by rept triton, OF
tho same unjust, illegal and arbitrary
action of the Returning Board" TIA
gave that State into the hands of the
.usurpers in 1872 and 1874. And the
grave question presents itself to the
American people whether these viii
lains will be permitted TO muiiify the
choice of the people as fairly express.
ed at the ballot-box and make a per-
feet mockery of popular government.