The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-12-09
OH Bntletin.
THIS PAPER Is ON FILE WITH

armed uistlinincp, bTlDtIf Oh corrupt
influences, which prevent or tend to pre-
vent fair. tree or peaceablC vote iOf all
unaliiied' electors cutitled to vote III such
polls, the board shall proceed to imvesti-
gate the facts, and if from such state
ments and ailidavits They shall be- CON
WINGED that such causes did not matcri-
ally interfere with the purity and tree
dom OF each elector, or prevent sillli-
Gent number Of qualified voters from
voting to materially change the result of
the election, then such vote shall be can
vassed and completed. But if they are
not thus fully convinced. il shall be their
duty to examine further testimony IN re-
gard thereto; to that end shall have
power To send Tor persons and papers,
and il, after examination, the board shall
be convinced that such acts of violence,
intimidation, etc, did materially inter
fere with the purity and freedom Of elrc-
ton at such poll. or did prevent sufl-
cient number of qualified voters from
registering. or voting as to materially
change the result OF the election, then
the board shall not. canvass or compile
the votes OF such poll, but shall exclude
it from their returns
Nothing can be more simple or more
Just than these provisions. They are,
|
secure the administration of a complete
remedy for 1t, and by the intimidation
committed in the interest OF one political
party the adherents OF another are re-
Strained from voting through fear. An
equitable remedy, If practicable, tor the
outrage, would be to count in favor Of
the injured every vote they lost The
ascertainment OF this being, however,
difficult. the statute OF Louisiana has pro-
vded only for the rejection of votes, and
it is worthy of remark that the most flag
rant cases submitted TO the board have,
as proven, occurred in parishes where
the Republicans registered vote which
would undoubtedly have been cast bnt
for intimidation and violence largely eX-
ceedlng the registered vote of the Demo
cratic party.
We have thus alluded to some of the
causes which led TO the creation of this
board, and have also called attention to
its duties aud proof upon which it is
authorized to act. 1t is tribunal, estab-
lished by the laws OF Louisiana, entirely
Independent of the laws of any other
state, or if the United States. Ii is en-
powered, among other things, to canvass
and finally determine the number of votes
legally cast for electors of president and
yice-president of the United States, but
i'm the discharge OF that duty, it acts eX-
clusively under the authority of the laws
OF that state, the constitution of the
United States having declared that each
state shall appoint, in such manner as
the legislature thereof may direct, "A
number of electors equal to the whole
number of senators and representatives
to which the state may be entitled in
congress.
Not only is the action of this board
independent OF state or national laws
other than those of Louisiana, but its de-
termination a. to the votes east and can
didates elected is final, aud substantially
conclusive, rs appears from decision OF
the supreme court of that state, reported
in the 25th volume of Louisiana annual
reports. where the court Cat page PCS
says "No statute comforting upon
| the courts the power to try
cases of contested elections OF
title to Office authorizes them TO reYiss
| the action of the returning board. If W.
were to assume that prerogative, w
| should have to go still further, and re
| wise the returns OF the supervisors o
elections, examine the right OF voters L
| vote, and in short, the court would be
come in regard to such cases mere officer
| L
| ing of the election returns. The legisla
ture has seen proper TO lodge the powe
| to decide who has or who has not beer
| elected in the returning board. 1t nigh
have conferred that power on the courts
but it did not. Whether the law be goo,
or bad, it is our duty to obey its proyis
ions, and not to legislate.'
| 1t became our duty Immediately on ar
| irving in New Orleans TO thoroughly IN
derstand the constitution. powers anC
duties OF this board, and to examine witt
care the statutes under which it W
bound to act. and enough has been writ
ten to show that q tribunal charged will
| such duty, and invested with such pow
ers, the members of which were origi
nally appointed by the senate. is entitled
TO the respect OF all citizens until it shall
be forfeited by violation OF its judicial o
ministerial obligations.
The great national importance of tn
duties TO DC performed by the board in
vested each member with much interest
and as many reports had been circulated
concerning them, we were led to maxi
some inquiry as to their individual his
tory. Two OF them, Hon. James Madi
son Wells, president of the board, AM
Gen. Ihos. &. Anderson, next senio
Il
and highly respectable families. Tn
father OF the former was Hon. Lev
| Wells OF the parish Of Rapides, who il
1872. represented it In the convention
called to form the constitution OF In
state of Louisiana. The son received
liberal education, and was early engage
in the care of planting and other interest
OF his father. lie was Union ma
from the time the war broke out, and al
though he suffered greatly by il in los
OF property, he never faltered in his dc
|, votion TO the Union cause. Unde
Banks reconstruction scheme he wa
chosen lieutenant-govcrno on the tickle
with Hon. Michael Hahn, who wa
elected governor, and upon election @
the latter to the senate. a year afte
Mr.. Wells became governor of the state
to which Office lac was almost unani
mously reelected, under the reconstruc
| ton plan OF President Johnson. HiseX
pcriepce in public lIie has been great an'
varied. and his capacity TO discharge tn
duties assumed cannot be ques toned.
| Gen. Anderson was born in Virginia
has resided in the parish al 81. I4andr.
for a period OF some forty years. IS
cousin OF Gen. Anderson who com
manded Fort Sumpter at the outbreak o
the war, was educated a lawyer, is owne
OF and carries Oh several plantations. i
widely known and highly respected
throughout the state, has been intimatel,
associated in the promotion of social an,
industrial interests OF his parish, and ha
represented il in both branches OF tn,
legislature more than twenty years.
| Mr.. Casanave, the third member OF tn,
board, is man of intelligence, OF excel
lent character and business habits. no