The Russellville Democrat., 1876-11-23

sincerity of the belief which 70, are ot pains to express, that vol know or have no reason to doub that the Lonisiania returning board will make perfectly hon est and just declaration of thu results of the recent election il Louisiana, we deem it not i'm proper to remind you that tho presence in this city of so many citizens from all parts of the un ion at this moment, is an evidence of a widely prevalent distrust ol the action of this board, and such distrust has this foundation al least: That the constitution ol the board has not been changed since it's returns were set aside by the congressional committe oi which the republican candidate ior vice presidency was . mem Der; and this distrust IS not un- natural, ir view of the fact that, as we understand, one of the members of the returning board is q candidate voted for at the recent election, another the holder of an office of profit and trust by the appointment of the present executive of the national govern ment, while all the memb bers of the board are believed to be in utilization with but one of the parties to the present political contest. In view of all this, 1t is hardly necessary to add that the terms of our letter were not de signed to prejudge the question whether the functions of the re- turning board were judicial or ministerial, or both, but simply to invite you to see with us, that whatever may be the character of these functions they are open ly, fairly and honestly discharged, and while we thus refrained from any attempt at stating or constru- ing the laws of Louisiana. we deemed it equally irrelevant to the subject of our correspondence with you to allude to the duties devolving upon the officers, other than the constituents of the Lou isiana returning board. Under the laws and constitution of the United States, whether, as you observe by way of illustration, under the constitution the presi- deit of the senate both counts declares the votes of the electors of the several states, his duty being purely ministerial and not subject to the control of congress, or whether, as has been the prac. tice for more than eighty years a practice inaugurated by men, some of whom had been among the framers of the constitution, votes are te be counted under the direction and control of the house of representatives and senate, is a aquestion upon the discussion of which we deem it no part of our duty to enter. In conclusion, permit us to say that notwith standing your refusal to cooper ate, we still cherish the hope that the returning board, moved by the history of the past and con scious that it's actions are being observed by the whole nation, will discharge its delicate duty with such cireumspection, fair ness and impartiality as will give satisfaction to the American peo- pie, and to this end we will con tinue to labor. Should different results follow the action of the board, we shall have the satisfac- ton of knowing that while you have taken the responsibility of declining to act with us, we have done all in our power to avert the consequences winch may follow. Very respectfully,
 John M. Palmer, Lyman Lrum-
 bull, Wm. R. Morrison, Illinois;
 Samuel J. Randall, A. G. Cur
 tin, Wm. Bigler, Pennsylvania;
 J, R. Doolittle, George B.
 Smith, Wisconsin; J. k. Me
 Donald, George w. Julian, NJ.
 D. Manson, John Lo le, Indiana;
 Henry Watterson, J. W. Ste
 venson, H. D. McHcnry, Ken
 lucky; Oswald Ottendorfer,
 New York; J. B. Stallo, Ohio,
 l.. V. Bogy, James o. Broad
 head, C. Gibson, Missouri;
 John Lee Carroll, Wm. T. Ham
 ilton, Maryland; W. c. Sumner,
 Connecticut; F. II. Watson,
 Ohio; F. R. Condit, New York.