The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1877-02-10
THE NATIONAL RETURNING
BOARD.
by EMERSON BENTLEY

As If conscious the illusory hopes
of its originators would be dispelled
by a few days of discussion and pop
Mar expression, the compromise cleo
toral bill was hurriedly engineered
through Congress. 1t is now a law
and mixed commission is engaged
in the work of superseding voters,
Electors, Congress and the Constltu-
ton in the matter of election OF
President of the United States. Plead
ing necessity as higher law, legls-
lators in sentimental speeches con-
sented to overlook the dangers OF
fallacious precedent, in the desire to
preserve relations of amity with the
party of bulldozers, and to escape the
disagreeable duty of contending IN
the hour of danger for principles as
firmly rooted as the government ITSELF
After six years of impassioned rhe-
torical aourishesEover the assumed
Irregularities of Louisiana Returning
Boards, and in view of all the STRIFE
which has arisen in their train, we
, have witnessed the national Democ-
f racy remarkably unanimous in max
e ing of record an approval of every
motive and principle which actuated
q Louisiana Republicans in defense OF
a their rights and liberties, and eagerly
e assisting in the creation of a colossal
6 returning board for the nation
v The Louisiana Republicans, to meet
: threatened emergency, and as a
= check to the intense partisan ard in
tlammatory appeals of the period,
created returning board with minis
q terial and judicial functions, and
If membership of opposite parties, tt
receive certificates of election, ant
n atfidavits bearing upon the same, hea
a attorneys of the opposite parties, re
. iect certificates based upon intimlda
ton. fraud or violence, and count tin
lawful vote. The national Democ
racy. in self defense, voted for tn
,,o representation of parties by member
-. and counsel, involved five member
:. of the Supreme Court i'll the proceed
inus, leaving to all members no def
mite restraints but their conscience
70 in the taking of testimony, hearing {
en- attorneys, and rejection of certif
~, Gates! In Louisiana, Democracy d.
g., mands the discharge of ministerial
H., and denies the judicial duties of ii
-, Returning Board; in Washington,
-, denies the ministerial duties of Il
III President of the Senate and cente
III judicial powers i'll an extla-coIlsi
.;:,f tntiunal manner upon an impromp
tribunal! In one case they plead Il
=, s1vei eign rights of citizens; in t
,,f other they ignore the sovereign rigl
Of States! Democracy impriso
Messrs. Wells, Anderson, kenner al
Casanave in contempt, and lauds
authors of IL national returning boa
t as statesmen!
'''0 Comparing the doctrines of Calho
nus with those of his disciples of tOda
'ho is turning from the sublime TO
ans consideration of the ridiculous. The
is even no reason to suppose
election of Nichols will be denied
cause as national policy the arg
ments of his defenders are reverse
for Democracy stands true toits colo
,,s steadily battling for success agail
,,os all obstacles, it's banners fiaring W
and the military motto To the VIC
mis- belongs the spoils
Re How thankful we should be tina
jul
oned was after the close of the Centenn
:sa You Exposition we witness this astoul
right ing feat of our political acrobats-
inrns national returning board-else
ceiV- might have suffered from a dimil
1,.l ton of patronage, and stockhold
;vod would be receiving less than IS
+ro cent. of their original investment.
,ma it is, that giant director of sn
ain mechanisms, the Corliss ..engine,
r;th found rival in the great polit
.oral machine which in its workings,
thu higher pressure and requiring m
,alor frequent lucubrations, jars a co
aon+ nent!
' In their establishment at the "
inconsistency of their enemies,
publicans will not fail to observe
o"'' a respectable minority of their