The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-11-21

which We sought to bring about was
simple reproduction of tho language Of
President Grant, at whose request we un-
derstood you were here. In his recent
order TO General Sherman. that language
was deliberately used, no doubt. In view
Of the fact, about which ms we conceive
there can be no dispute. that the first and
most essential requisite to an honest and
lust declaration OF the recent election in
Louisiana is fair and impartial canvass
Of the votes actually cast, and it seems to
us that You do the president great injus-
tice in supposing that in speaking of the
'.votes actually cast" he meant to include
votes illegally cast. as you certainly 10 us
injustice by the imputation OF desire to
insist upon such narrow and vicious in
depreciation. In our Judgment. the ex-
preston ''votes actually cast necessarily
designates votes legally cast, and as a
consequence. of such votes only did we
desire to secure a fair and impartial can
vass. We beg leave to say. therefor, that
you are mistaken in the belief that we
sought unduly to narrow the basis on
which we invited your cooperative ae-
ton. and you are no less in error in at
tributing 10 us n purpose to interfere with
the legal Authorities Of the State in the
discharge OF their duties, to claim rights
and TO arrogate TO ourselves powers which
we do not possess. In writing our let
ter. we were fully aware that both the
organization and action whether judicial
or ministerial. OF the returning board OF
Louisiana, were beyond any authoritative
control from without. and that il would
be the height of arrogance and folly to
attempt to alter the laws OF state OF
which We are not citizens, or TO obtrude
our Interpretation Of these laws upon
those whose duty lis to administer them;
but we had supposed nevertheless. that
there was an influence which might be
rightfully exerted, even by citizen of this
republic who are strangers in this state,
and we had taken 1t for granted that your
presence here in response to the sugges-
ton OF the president was recognition Of
this fact. we had supposed that It was
not improper for us TO remind the authori-
ties of this state, By our mere presence at
least, that there are certain rules of fair
ness and justice which underlie all con-
situations and laws, and upon whose OBJ
servance must depend the acquiescence of
the people of all parties in the declared re-
suit of the Louisiana election rules, such as
these: That no one ought TO be Judge
in his own case that the decision OF any
contest ought not to depend upon the
mere arbitrament of one OF the parties
thereto; that, before such decision is
made, both parties ought TO be fully and
fairly heard; that all questions OF law
ought to be decided in conformity with
its established general principles, and all
questions OF fact upon evidence duly pre-
sented and weighed under the rules
which are Of universal recognition In all
| the states OF this Union; that the trial Of
all causes involving public interests. at
least, ought to be public. and that all the
proceedings resorted to for the purpose
OF determining the issues in the present
electoral contest ought by their manifest
impartiality to disarm the suspicion that
the forms OF law have been perverted
into Instruments for the violation OF ITS
spirit. In this connection we may be
| permitted TO observe that while undoubt-
edly. a. you say, sedulous incubation
and cultivation of the habit OF obedience
to the forms Of law are vital 70 the preser-
| walton Of constitutional liberty, it is not
less important that a refusal to yield
such obedience be not provoked by using
| these forms as means for subvertlHg the
very ends for which they were designed.
Without undertaking TO question the
sincerity Of the belief. which you are at
pains TO express, that You know of no
reason to doubt that the Louisiana re-
turning board will make perfectly hon.
est and just declaration of the result of
the recent election in Louisiana, we deem
1t not improper TO remind you that the
presence in this city Of so many citizens
from all parts Of the Union at this mo-
ment seems to be evidence Of widely
prevalent distrust Of the action of the
board, and that such distrust has this
foundation at least, that the constitution
| OF the board has not been changed since
the returns was set aside by congress
sional committee, OF which the Republi-
can candidate for the yice-presdency was
member. This .distrust is not unnat-
ural in view of the fact that, as we under
stand, one OF the members Of the return
ing board is candidate voted for at the
recent election another the holder of an
ONCE OF profit and trust by appointment
OF the present executive of the national
government, while all the members of
tie board are believed to be in utilization
with but one OF the parties TO the present
! political contest. In view OF all this, it
is hardly necessary TO add that the terms
OF our letter were not designed TO pre-
Judge the question whether the functions
OF the returning 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
openly, fairly and honestly discharged.
And while we thus refrain from any at
tempt at stating or constructing the laws
q al - n