The Portland daily press., 1876-12-02
LOUISIANA.
Thursdays Proceedings.

Thursday's Proceedings.
Thursday the Democrats had before the
Board, several witnesses to contradict the testl-
mony of Eliza PinBston by alleging that in pre-
vious statement she had said her husband was
killed by negroes. 1t appeared, however, that
the coroner was never notified of the death and
that no attempt was made to ferret out and
punish the murdererS
A protest signed by all the Republican can
didates for city and parochial offices in the
Parish Of New Orleans against the election in
the city of New Orleans and containing many
charges of fraud, was read before the Board.
Some discussion arose as to whether or not
the board would hold night sessions. IN an
swer to the question. IGov. Wells said: Eyes,
sir, we must have time to examine the record,
and all the evidence before us. We shall not
have time to do that without holding night
sessions"
Mr.. Gauthreaux-I think representations
made by the board to those of us on both sides
were that all sessions were to be held in their
presence.
President Wells-They will be held in their
presence, but when it is necessary to consult
upon any action we shall take upon the various
subjects that come before as we must be alone.
The judges of courts do not permit the pres
ence of counsel when they are making up their
final decision Therefore we must claim the
privilege of consulting among ourselves as TO
any action that comes up before US.
Mr.. Gauthreaux-I understood the chair to
admiJ Inat IL NOUS private sesSious otner lnan
are held here daily.
President Wells-They are delibsrative sss-
sons.
The Visiting Committees Preparing Re-
ports.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 1.-The Republican and
Democratic committees have been hard at work
preparing their reports to the President and to
Congress.
The Democrats have compiled all the returns
opened by the returning board. There are TWEEN
ty uncontested parishes. aud in these Hayes
has majority of 1927, and Packard 1928. In
twenty-eight contested parishes, including Or
leans on all of which the board has yet to pass,
but excluding about a dozen polls from which
the supervisors arbitrarily and illegally neglect
ed to make returns, Tilden's majority of the
votes actually cast is 12,2O7, and that of Mich
OILS 2,647. The figures in seven parishes, five
Democratic and two Republican, have not been
announced by the board, although the returns
from them all have been opened, These fig
ures are substantially those published by the
Democratic COMMITTEES two weeks ago.
A New Complication.
1t is stated that owing to reported disaffection
with the returning board the Republicans have
concluded to place fifth man on the board,
Gen. Hugh 1. Campbell, now Judge Of the
fourth district court. His election is problem
atica The new embroglo is said to be- due to
a contest between Kellogg and Pinchback for
the U. S. Senat0rship.
Yesterdays Session of the Board.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 1.-The returning
board met to-day with the usual attendance,
except the Republican committee, who were
| absent. Two boxes of the East Baton Rouge
parish were opened, showing Tilden electors
437, Hayes 10. There was but little done when
| the board adjourned till tomorrow.
Address to the People by the Democrats
A committee of visiting Democrats issue the
following address:
New ORLEANS, Dec. 1.
| To the People Of the United States:
On our arrival here, in casting about fol-
approaches to the officials who control the
elections in this state, we discovered they were
| all of one political party, that the Governor
had appointed none but Republicans super
yisors of elections, and that thesreturning off
GERS constituting the state board were of the
same political school. Influenced By the in
| suspicious surroundings, our thoughts and
hopes were turned toward the eminent gentle
men selected by the President to be present and
see that the board Of canvaSserS made fail
count of the votes actually cast, and on the
| 18th of November we invited these gentlemen
to meet and confer with US. This cooperation
was declined, hut we nevertheless have reason
| to believe that to this correspondence may be
attributed the invitation on the 18th ut. by the
returning board to attend and be present at its
meetings as spectators and witnesses of its
proceedings. Through this courtesy and the
services of competent stenographer we be.
come possessed of all the essential facts
developed on the face of the official papers.
We have been furnished with certified copies
of the duplicate statements of votes made by
the commissioner of election at such place of
voting in she state. From these statements it
appears that the Tilden electors received the
following votes to wit:
McEnery 1912; Wickliffe S3 $50; ST. Martin
1866; Poche S3,529; De Blanc SO. 667;. Gay
S3,842; Cobb $3.50; Cross 83,652.
The HavpS apcfOrs recavpd tho follnwin ,
vote, to wit:
Kellogg 77,152; Burch liza; Joseph "A, 8S9;
Sheldon "a 844; Marks 1921; Levissee 1890;
Brewster "a, 457; Jefferson 1851.
The result of the vote for Presidential cleo.
tors as disclosed on the face of the returns as
opened by the returning board in our presence
is as follows:
For Tiden electors-McEnery 1929; Wick
life 81, 1926; st. Martin S2129; Poshe S2036;
Deblanc S2.O65; Gay S2,242; Cobb 81 ,957; Cross
80, 100.
For Hayes acknowledging 77.O23 Burch
1888; Joseph Y, 642; Sheldon "a, 678; Marks
75,0S7; Levisse 70, 49, Brewster 1920; Jeffer-
son 1880
In most cases the returns opened by the re-
turning board correspondent with the certified
copies of statements of the commission
ers of election furnished us. The most materi-
rial difference arose from The failure of the SUI
pervisors Of East Baton Rouge, Tangiphoa and
of Orleans to forward the statements of the
NOt0 HUN oil FUtiuS pidCco Ill tutlC respective
parishes, and Of 30 out of the 38 states in the
Union these figures would be conclusive. No
one would claim that the Tilden and Hendricks
men were not entitled to the electoral vote of
the state, but in Louisiana tribunal has been
set up which, on former occasions has over
thrown the will of the people as expressed at
the polls, and for which the power is now
claimed in its discretion to change the result of
the popular vote at the recent election.
In view, however, of the returns and the law
til
with which we have made ourselves familiar
we have no hesitation in saying that the result
shown by the votes actually cast cannot be
changed without palpabe abuse of the letter
and spirit of the law governing the returning
board and manifest perversion Of the facts
before it. Irregularities have been comm tilted
in some instances By the officers conducting the
election and IN making returns. They are about
as much on one side as on the other, and as to
intimidation and violence and other illegal acts
preventing free and fair election, there is evil
delce on both Sides but not of such a character
as to affect the general result Most of the acts
of violence proceeded from mere lawlessness as
in the case of Henry and Eliza Plnkston
and had no connection with politics.
1t is significant fact that ia the parishes
where it is alleged that voters were kept from
the polls by intimidation the total vote of such
parishes was as large as at any timesheretofore
and in the whole State is 1900 above any vote
heretofore cast. An honest and fair canvass
OF returns, even under the LOUISIANA law, can
not materially reduce Tilden's majority as
shown on the face of the returns.
(Signed)
JnO. M Palmer, Lyman Trumbull, VIM Big
Ter, Geo. B. Smith, Geo. w. Julian, FL. b.
Watson.
The Democrats Decline to Fusnish Their
Testimony.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 1.-The following cor
respondence took place Thursday and Friday,
between certain Democrat aud Republican,
commissioners now in this city watching the
canvass of the vote OF this State by the return
ing board:
Neac Orleans, NoU 80.
Dear Sir-It is our purpose to communicate
to the President copies of the testimony of wit
nesses taken under order of returning officers.
before commissioners, but we have no means
of getting copies of such dispositions as are TAX
en- in behalf of the Democratic candidates for
electors If you will secure us copies of such
dispositions we will with pleasure transmit
them with copies of dispositions taken by the
Republican candidates, so that if printed here
after the whole body of the testimony may be
read and considered together. No doubt a re-
quest by you of the gentlemen taking deposit
tons will enable you to comply with onr wish
for copy of them.
Very respectfully,
JOHN SHERMAN, Chairman.
To Hon ,JNo. NJ. PALMER, Chairman.