The daily gazette., 1876-11-14
Those Returning Boards
Counting the Electoral
Votes.
THE LOUISIANA RETURNING RoARD.

Votes.
THE LOUISIANA RETURNING RoARD.
The Louisiana returning board, as now
consists of j. Madison Wells,
surveyor of the port; Thomas Anderson,
a candidate for State Senator: two negroes
Cassenove and Kenner, and Mr.. Arroyo,
resigned. According to the constitutional
provisions the first two are debarred from
serving, one being United States official
the other candidate. The board is ele
ted by the Senate, and has power to fill
any vacancy that may occur during the in
terval. This leaves the selection Of three
members of Che board to the two negroes.
Wells and Anderson are both absent from
New Orleans. The former, who the re-
publicans claim has right to serve, was
expected to arrive in that city on Satur-
day night. The New Orleans correspond
ent of the New York "Herald" says, af-
ter prolonged search, he was unable to
find the negroes, nobody appearing to
know anything about Them. The board
will meet on the 18th, at their office in
the State House, when and where the re-
turns will be counted.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA RETURNING
BOARD.
To comprehend the situation in South
Carolina it must be understood that just
as soon as the election is ended the man.
ayers count the votes in public, and make
their return to the county canvassers.
These rectify the count and make return
to the State Canvassers. These last can
vass the returns of the whole State and
declare the election. On the boards OF
managers, each consisting ofthree persons
two are republicans and one is demo
crat. On the county canvassers the same
proportion exists. The State board OF
canvassers is composed of the secretary OF
State, comptroller general, attorney gen.
eral, State treasurer, adjutant and inspec-
tor general, and the chairman or commit
tee of privileges and elections ofthe House
All of these are republicans, and four ol
the present incumbents are candidates fol
the same offices now. Ten days are al
lowed the board to count the ballots and
declare the result.
THE FLORIDA RETURNING Boz RID.
In Florida the returning board is under
the control of the republicans, being COM
posed of the secretary of State and State
treasurer, republicans, and the attorney
general, (W. Archer Cocke,) who is q
democrat. Under the law, thirty days
are allowed the inspectors of election to
make their returns, so it will be seN eral
days at least before the votes officially
reach the hands Of the returning board.
THE FORM FRAUDS OF The LOUISIANA
RETURNING BOARD.
In view of the dependence on the re-
turning board contrivance in Louisiana
and the two other Southern States whose
presidential votes are now depending, i
is well to look at the official record in re
gard to action of the Louisiana board two
years ago. The reports of the Senate anc
House committees of Congress on the
Louisiana elections in 1874 both bore
testimony to the corrupt and altogether
indefensible action of the ''returninc
board of the State. On this point re-
publicans Senators and Congressmen
were in accord with the democratic mem
bers of the two committees. The testi-
mony of witnesses indicated that on
election day frauds had been perpetrated
on both sides, but a fair count OF the
largest vote showed that McEnery, the
democratic candidate, and majority OF
democratic members of the lower house
of the STATE Legislature had been choosen'
As respects the fraudulent action of the
returning board in ousting democrats
legally elected, and in awarding republi-
cans seats to which they were not EMIT
tied the House select committee, though
differing ON other points were unani-
mously reed. Because of these points
of difference majority and minority re-
port were made. To the latter Mr.. VIM.
A Wheeler, the Republican candidate fol
Vice-President of the United States al
pended his signature, and it is interest
inglat this time as foresh allowing in the
following extract what has just come to
pass in Louisiana. After referring to the
election frauds the report goes on as fol
lows:
"But the evil goes on much further
Upon the elections in Louisiana, as in
other States, depends their right to thei
seats of senators and representatives who
are to aid in making laws for the whole
country, and the choice Of presidential
electors, upon whose vote may depend
the title of the office of President of the
United States himself. No party in tht
United States will like to submit to re-
suit decided by the votes collectors chos
en- by such means. Each party will bt
likely to credit charges of fraud ant
violence made against its own side. Their
is, in our judgement, the greatest DANCE
that these elements may enter into TIN
next national election to so great an ex
tent that it may leave the real expression
of the will of the people in doubt"
The New York Herald remarks signifi
cantly on the above:
"NIr. Wheeler's record in this matte
makes it difficult to believe that he woul
accept victory at the hands ofthis boar
| if there was any fair doubt upon the in
tegfity ofits work. Says President Grant
| NO man worthy ofthe office of Presiden
should be willing to hold it if counted il
| or placed there by fraud This appeal
with equal force to the candidate who a
the death or disability of the Presider
must take his place. Mr.. Wheeler there
fore,i particularly interested in the result
Hehas placed his knowledge and his cor
demnation of the fraudulence and CORFU
ton of the Louisiana returning board S
| ., H.. t. ~,