The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-11-23

all the more because your refusal TO
confer and cooperate with us appears
to be based upon a serious misappre-
hension of the language no less than
the spirit OF our communication. 1t
can hardly have escaped your notice
that our statement OF the result to be
attained by the cooperative action
which we sought to bring about was a
simple reproduction of the language
of President Grant, at whose request,
we understand, you are here. In his
recent order to General Sherman that
language was deliberately used, no
doubt in view Of the fact which, as we
conceive, there can be no dispute, that
thetlrst and most essential prerequisite
10 an honest and just declaration of
the results OF the recent election in
Louisiana is II fair and impartial cam
vass of the votes actually cast, and 1t
seems to us that you do the President
great injustice in snpposing that in
speaking of the s'vOtes actually cast,
he meant to inclu, eyoies illegally cast !;
and you certainly do us injustice by
the imputatiOn OF desire to insist
upon such q narrow and vicious inter
probation. In our judgment the ex-
preston "votes actually cast'Ofnecess-
ity desis,ia'es the votes legally cast,
and as consequence of such votes
only did we desire to secure n fair and
impartial canvass. We beg leaye to
say, therefore, that you are mistaken
in the belief that We sought unduiy to
narrow the basis OH which we invited
your cooperative action, and you are
no less in error in attributing to us
purpose to interfere with the legal au-
IS al licn 10 ifrn
of their duties, to claj IN rights and to
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 Return
ing Board of Louisiana were beyond
any authoritative control from with
out, 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 intrude our inter-.
probation of these laws upon those
whose duty il is to administer them.
But VIC had supposed, nevertheless,
that there was an influence which
might be rightfully eXertcd even by
citizens of the Republic who are stran-
gers in this State aud we have taken
it for granted that your presence here
in response to the suggestion of the
President was recognition of this
fact. We had supposed that 1t was
not improper for us 10 remind the au-
thorities of this State, by our mere
pres, nee at least, that there are certain
rules of fairness and justice which un-
derlic all constitutions aud laws, aud
upon whose observance must depend
The acquiescence of the people OF ali
parties in the declared result CT the
Louisiana election-rulcs such as
these: That no one ought 10 be a
judge i'm his own case; that the decls-
ion OF any contest ought not to depend
upon the mere arbitrament of one OF
the parties thereto tnat beitr; such II
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 gen.
eral principles. and all questions OF
fact upon evidence duly presented
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 Interest at
least ought to be public, aud that all
the proceedings resorted to for the
the present Electoral contest ought, by
their manifest impariisiity, to disarIn
the suspicion that the forms of law
have been perverted into instl umcnts
for the violation of it's spirit. In this
connection we may be permitted to
observe that while undoubtedly, as
you say, a sedulous inculcatiOn and
cultivation OF the habits of obedience
n tho Of Ia vital fn thn
preservation of constitutional liberty,
it is no less important that a refusal
to yield such obedience be not pro-
vOked by using these forms as means
Tor subvertimg the very ends foriwl'i.h
they were designed. Without under
taking to question the sincerity of the
belief which you are at pains TO eX-
press, that you know of no reason TO
Board will make perfectly honest
and just declaration 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 ev
idence OF a widely prevalent distru t
of the action of tho Board, and that
such distrust has this foundation at
least, that the constitution of tine Board
has not been changed since its returns
were set aside. by Il Congressional
of which the Republican
candidate tor the Vice. Presidency was
q member. Aud this distru Il is not
in view of the fact that as
we understand, one of the members of
The Returning Board is candidate
voted for at the recent election, auorh-
er the holder Of an office of prof,
and trust by appointment of the Pres
ident, the executive of the National
while all the members
OF the Board are believed to be in af.
with but one of the parties TO
the present political contest. In view
of all this it is hardly necessary to add
hat the terms Of our letter were not
esigncd to preludge the question
the functions of the Return
ing Board were judicial or ministerial
or both. but simply to invite you to
see with us that whatever may be the
of these functions they are
openly, fairly and honestly discharged.
And while we thus rcfrained from any
attempt at stating or constructing the
laws OF Louisiana we deemed it equal
ly irrelevant to the subject of our cor.
respOndence with you to allude to the
duties devolyins upon officers other
than the constituents of the Louisiana
Board under the laws and
of the United States.
Whether, as you observe by way of il.
uDder the Constitution the
of the Senate both counts
and declares the votes of the Electors
of the several States, his duty being
simply ministerial and not subject to |
The control of Congress, or whether,
as has been the practice for more than
eighty years, practice inaugurated |
by men some of whom had been among
he framers of the Constitution fhe |