The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-10
Report or the House Committee on
Louisiana Election.

AOuAShdho AAcCuons
WASHINGTON, February 9...The House
special committee on louisiana affairs
made report to day, in the course of
which they say: In the late canvass the
policies pursued by the two parties were
entirely different. The Republicans do
not appear to have made any strenuous
efforts to MAINTAIN order and secure
peaceful election. The Democrats not
solely, it is believed. on the part of all
of them, because of their love Of order,
but for prudential reasons also, know
ing any violence or distur-
Dance would be seized upon
as spretext for reversing the action of
the people at the polls, did counsel pres
ervation of peace and the observance of
the law. On such course could they
only hope to succeed. The interest of the
Republican party lay in the direction of
disturbance and violence, and the past
history of that organization in Louisiana
assures Us of its readiness to consult
Its advantages without scruple as
to the means to be employed.
The committee conceive that the means
by which a large number of colored
voters were secured for the Democratic
ticket at that election were not such as
can be rightly or legally characterized
as intimidation. They were, when strip
ped of the false representations made OF
them by the knavery of those who are to
profit by the success of their scheme, no
more than sHch as are resorted to IN all
cities and si.tes OF this Union at every
election IN which large public interest
is elected. Conceding for the returning
board all the judicial dignity claimed
for it by the admirers of its unparalleled
iniquities, it can not be denied that
to give validity and effect to its decision,
where it has attempted to throw out and
reject returns from polls, the jurisdictional
fact required by statute must attirmst vely
appear, and unless that TACT does SO ap-
pear, its act wds without jurisdiction,
and on its face null and void. The
Board had no right, under the laws of
Louisiana, to throw out or to count out
the polls and votes they have thrown out
and counted out, and their act in that
behalf is without the authority of law,
and null and void. The committee fur
ther states that il there is any law in the
State of louisiana providing for the
election of electors for President
and Vice President, the canvass and
compilation OF the vote for electors must
be made under special acts Of the State
on, that subject and by q board composed
oAother persons or officers than those
constituting the Returning Board.
o. II. Brewster, one candidate for
elector on the Hayes ticket. held on and
after the 7th day of November last the
office of Surveyor General for the State
OF Louisiana, and could not, therefore,
be. and was not, chosen or appointed
elector.
A. b. Levissee, another candidate for
elector on the same ticket, was
United States Commissioner, and was
not chosen or appointed elector subse.
quent to November 7th and before De-
cember 9th last past. Said Brewster and
said Levissee pretend to have resigned
their respective offices of Surveyor-Gen-
eral and Of United States Commissioner.
When the other electors, pretending to
be elected en- the same ticket, met TO cast
their votes for President and Vice Presi-
dent, Brewster and Levissee did not meet
with them, and the places OF said Brews.
ter and Levissee were declared and
treated as vacant, because oftheir absence.
The other electors then filed the places
of Brewster and Levissee, vacant be-
cause of their absence, with the same,
Brewster and Levissee then being pres
ent, all OF which doings were trsudu-
lent device TO avoid the consti-
tutional provision which rendered
the same void and of no effect
in law even had any of the electors on
said ticket been elected by the people, as
they were filing of such vacancies
without the authority of law, and con.
ferred no right on Brewster or Levisse
to vote for President and Vice-President
OF the United States. The law made
only such investigation or inquiry into
the election and canvass OF the votes for
State officers in Louisiana as was IN
cidentsl TO the inquiry. As to the general
fairness of the election in said State,
and the result thereof the testimony
taken discloses the fact that by both
tho votes actually cast and the votes as
forwarded to and received by the Board
of returning officers, Nichols was elect
cd Governor of louisiana by a majority
apProximsting the msjorities received
by the Tiden electors, and freed from
The condition growing ou! OF the PreSi-
Dental contest, he would be accepted as
the duly elected Governor Of Louisiana
by the almost universal scclsmstion Of
her people.