New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-22
LAWFUL AUTHORITY ASSERTED.

LAWFUL AUTHORITY ASSERTED.
The whole public mnst be gEatified
with the decided action of the Returning
Board in reserving its consultations and
decisions free from the supervision OF the
flock of Democratic attorneys who have
claimed that right.
We have had for four long years pro-
visional Democratic government, at tie
head of which has been the chairman Of
the Democratic Central Committee. Its
orders have been obeyed throughout its
affiliated and subordinate clubs, while the
lawful Governor of the State could not
enforce the laws except through the dem
onstrated force of the Federal army. The
Returning Board has been denounced by
the Democracy in whose behalf it was
created. Its members, in chief part
natives of the State and of undoubt-
ed reputation, have been DETAINED
by Bohemian scribes and threat
ened with personal violence by
desperate partisans. These gentlemen have
been outraged into an assertion of their
lawful rights. They know that to leave the
validity of their acts to the decision OF
their antagonists could by no possibility
efface the calumnies which have been cir
culated throughout the State. They may
even know that if they yield the direction
of these returns to the provisional govern
ment which the Democracy has set up,
the verdict of the world would be that
they had been ''tampered WITH" as Cen
eral Anderson significantly intimates may
have already been attempted. With the
infamous character given these gentlemen
by the Democracy and its press any such
coneession-any such compromises is
referred to in the rumor of the hour
would be set down as confirmation OF the
charges and the personal reputation
Of these gentlemen, and their families
would be destroyed forever. The firm
and courteous manner in which Governor
Wells announced the determination Of
the board to perform its duties under its
own rules, shows that the self-respect Of
the members has been SO deeply offended
by the unprecedented indignities to which
they have been subjected that they will
administer the law fearlesslY. The per-
tinacity with which Attorney Spoford
insisted on his rights, and the ingenious
invitation to the board to utter actionable
words, could not have been surpassed by
Messrs. Dobson g. Fogg when, having
clerk at hand to take down the aspersions
of the indignant Pickwick, they suggested
even additional terms Of abuse as fraught
with additional sums in damages. So
that political crowd which "has fattened
their noses against the front windows of
the apothecary shop to witness a surgical
inspection popularity supposed to be going
on in the back parlor," bad as we'll move
on and leave the Returning Board to its
uninterrupted labors.
The Returning Board has taken .
stand which the nation will sustain. It
is respectful defiance of the whole pro-
visional Democratic government. 1t is a
determination that neither Tilden's bar
rel of money nor that which the Morris
sey pool room could add can ''tamper"
with men. who feel that the welfare Of
the country depends upon the fearless
performance of their duty.
We have no doubt the deep interest of
the whole nation has impressed the
board with sense of its responsibilities
We do not question that the visible au-
thority of the Federal government has re-
lieved these gentlemen and their families
Of certain apprehensions which the party
history Of the past rendered pardonable
to the parental and social relations Of
these estimable citizens who constitute
the Board. The ruling of the board, as
through President Wells, will
render its sessions tranquil; will facili-
tate the compilation and publication of
the results, and will transfer the respon-
sibilities from the Returning Board upon
the opinion and protection of the whole |
nation