New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-09
NEW ORLEANS, TUESDAY, JANUARY 8. I877.

Of the humblest citizen In every portion Of
the national domain.
Laws are the common property of all, and
their administration will be an assured sue
cess In every part of the State, when every
citizen who claimg their protection for him.
self shall resolutely aid in their execution.
There 10 neither dignity nor virtue in
harbOring partisan who offends the laws
OF God and man. No machinery, however
perfect for the administration of justice,
can be efficient when pablic sentiment is
not such as to discountenance every overt
act of selt-vindicstion without authority of
law, through the courts Of justice.
The people must, in q free government,
be allowed to exercise freedom of thought,
and, as consequence, be expected to have
contrariety of opinions upon political, re-
ligious and other subjects, and feel that the
peaceful pursuits of agriculture, manufac-
lures and commerce, requirement of learn
ing, the cultivation of morality and good
feeling, the growth and enlightenment of
the mind, the general diffusion of
knowledge and every art of peace are the
only sure guarantees of prosperity and
happiness. A condition of good feeling
and confidence between the races should
be restored. Glass should not be arr aged
against class, and, above all, there should
be full acquiescence in the title Of the
government, 10 secure all the benefits flow
ing from it.
LEGALITY OF THE STATE ADMINISTRATION
At this pOins it may not be inappropriate
for Ee to present in very brief manner
the reasons and the facts which es-
tablish the perfect title of this admins
tration. Article I03 of the State cOnstitu-
tion declares that 'the privilege of free suf-
frage shall be supported by laws regulating
elections and prohibiting, under adequate
penalties, all undue influences thereon from
power, bribery, tumult or other improper
| practices."
The General Assembly, under this broad
constitutional authority, has enacted laws
to regulate the oonduct, and to maintain
the freedom and purity, of elections; to pro-
vide for the election of returning officers,
and defining their powers and duties. The
wisdom of the people in OrdainiDg this pro.
vision in behalf of free suffrage has been
repeatedly shown In the defeated conspir-
acIes against the free ballot, heretofore al
luded to.
The law enacted in support of this con.
stitutiOnal provision declares that when II
ehall appear from evidence adduced to the
Returning Officers that there existed
during the time Of registration or revision
of registration, or on the day of election
any riot, tumult, act Of violence, intimids.
tion or disturbance, bribery or corrupt in,
fuences, at any place within the parish, al
or near any poll or voting place, or place Of
registration, or revision of registration
then the said Returning Officers shall moi
canvass OF compile the statement of votes
of such poll or voting place, but shall ex
clude il from the returns.
The COnstitutionality Of this law hal
never been successfully questioned, nor hal
the power of the Returning Officers to rejec
statements of votes, where the vote haI
been influenced by these unlawful methods
ever been denied; on the contrary, botl
parties have, since this law has been upor
l
jurisdiction of the board to reject state
ments of polls, irregular in form or fraudu
lent in fact, as well as statements Of voteI
polled under the influence of intimidation
or acts of violence.
The party opposing this adminiItratioI
and denying its valid title because certain
votes polled by violent and unlawful prac
tioes, were not compiled and counted
though the evidence was conclusive, are es
pecially estOpped In such denial in conse
auence of the action of returning officers
known as the "Forman Board" which mad,
and promulgated returns for the election
held in the year 1872, which board was con
stituted by and in accord with that party.
Ia their return this board rejected pol
In this city, one in the parish of Jefferson
for alleged corrupt practices, and the v holt
vote of the parishes of Iberia and st. Martin
on account of violence and intimidation, ant
the parishes of st. Tammany and Terre
bonne for want of returns, and informal re
turns from Iberville. These returns go pro
mulgated and signed were the evidence O
the pretended title of the McEnery govern
ment, sO-called.
Though this board of returning officer
was declared by the Supreme Court of thi
State to be unlawful and not to be the Re
turning Officers, and, therefore, had NJ
right in law to assume to make and pro
mnlgate such returns, nevertheless, tht
hearty and universal acceptance and adop
tiOn of their action by the entire party o.
this State opposing this administration
shows their willingness to accept Office
under the operation of this law, although
such results were obtained by the exclusion
Of votes 'aCtually cast" in certain poll
and parishes.
REPUBLICAN, Principles AND PROGRESS.
1t Is greatly to be regretted that the in
cessant conflict In which the State admins
tratiOn has been involved for some years
past has prevented fair illustration OF the
principles established by the nation, and
the enactment of measures indispensable
to restore the prosperity of the SOuth.
These principles are familiar to the South
ern people as the creed of the national
Wing party, with the constitutional amend.
ments which have been accepted a. q dec
lAratiOn of the paramount authority of the
Federal government, and as q full and fdal
settlement, in spirit and in substance, Oi
the deplOrable controversies which had SC
long distracted the country.
Under ihs power to provide for the COm
mon defense and general welfare, Louisi