Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-11-30
THE DEMOCRATIC REJoINDER.

The following is the substance of the
lished on the 18th:
We sincerely regret this failure of our at
tempt to secure the cooperation Of the cit
liens from other States in furtherance OF
the purpose which, as we supposed, had
brought them hither at this junctureo We
regret it al the more because your REFUSAL
to confer n cooperate with us appears to
be based upon a serious misrepresentation of
the language. no less than the spirit, Of our
communication. It can hardly have es-
capped your notice that our statement OF the
result to De attained by the cooperative ac-
about, was a simple reproduction
of the language of President
Grant, at whose request we understand you
are here........We beg leave to say, there
fore, that you are mistaken in the belief
that we sought unduly to narrow the basis
on which we invited your cooperative &C
ton, and you are no less in error in attrib-
uting to us a purpose to interfere with the
legal authorities of the State in the dis
charge Of their duties, to claim rights, and
arrogate to ourselves powers which we do
not possess. In writing our letter 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 it would be the
height OF arrogance and folly to attempt to
alter the laws of a State Of which we are not
citizens, or to obtrude our Interpretation Of
these laws upon those whose duty it is to
administer them, but we had supposed,
nevertheless, that there was an influence
which might be r%ightfully exerted even by
citizens OF this Republic who are strangers
in this State, and we had taken it for grant
the suggestion of the President,
was a recognition of this fact......
Without undertaking to question the sin
cerity Of the belief which you are at pains
to express, that you know of no reason to
doubt that the Louisiana Returning Board
will make a perfectly honest and just decla-
ration of the results of the recent election
in Louisiana. we deem it not improper to
remind you that the presence in this city of
so many citizens from all parts of the Union
at this moment seems to be evidence of a
widely prevalent distrust of the action OF
this Board, and that such distrust
has this foundation, at least,
that the contribution of the
Board has not been changed since its re-
turns were set aside by a Congressional
committee, OF which the Republican candi-
date for the Vice-Presidencv was Il mem
Der. And this distrust is not unnatural, in
view of the fact that, as we understand
one of the members of the Returning Board
was a candidate voted for at the recent
election; another the holder of an office OF
profit and trust by appointment OF the pres
ent Executive of the National Government,
while all the members of the Board are be-
lieved to be in utilization with but one of the
parties to the present political cOntest......
While we thus refrained from any attempt
at stating or constituting the laws of Louisi-
ana, We deemed it equally irrelevant TO the
subject Of our correspondence with you tC
allude to the duties deVOlving upon officers
other than the constituents of the IouiSians
Returning Board under the law and COnsti.
tuition of the United States. Whether, al
you observe by way of illustration, under
the Constitution, the President of the Sen
ate both counts and declares the votes O
the Electors OF the several States, hi
duty being purely ministerial an(
not subject to the control Of Congress, Of
whether, as has been the practice for more
than eighty years-a practice ~inaugurateG
by men,, some of whom had been among
the trainers Of the Constitution-the vote,
are to be counted under the direction ant
control of the House of Representatives anC
Senate, is q question upon the discussion o
which we deem it no part Of our duty t
enter. In conclusion, permit us to say that
Notwithstanding your refusal TO cooperate
we still cherish the hope that the Return
ing Board, warned by the history o
the past, and conscious that its action
are being observed by the whole Nation
will discharge its delicate duty with sucl
circumspection, fairness and impartialit,
as will give satisfaction to the American
people. To this end we will continue t.
labor. Should 4 different result follow tn,
action of the Board, we shall have the sat.
isfaction of knowing that while you hav,
taken the responsibility of declining to &C
with us, we have done all in our powe
to avert the consequences which may fol
low.
1.-The Northern Republicans in Louisian
on the 18th made a replication to the Dem
ocratic rejoinder, in which they say that
inasmuch as the invitation OF the Returnin,
Board for a committee from each party t
be present and witness the canvass seem
to cover the whole question at issue, a con
ference would be useless
4 Conductor who was Living Within
His Salary.