The New York herald., 1877-02-10
THE LOUISIANA INVESTIGATION.
REPORT OF THE HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE
ON LOUISIANA AFFAIRs


them because Of their love Of order, but for pru-
Dental reasons also. knowing that any violence
or disturbance would be seized upon as =
pretext for reversing tho action OF the people
the polls, did counsel the preservation OF peace
and the observation OF law. Upon such q course
could they only hope 70 succeed Tho interests OF tho
republican party lay the direction OF disturbance
violence and the past history OF that organization
In Louisiana assures us VI It's readiness to consult lis
advantages without scrupe as 10 the means 10 % en-
ployed -
The committee conceive that the meats by which
the large number the colored votes were secured
tor tho democratic ticket at the late election were not
such us can be rightuy or legally characterized AZ
intimidation They were, when stripped Of the lalsc
presentation made OF them by The knavery OF those
more than such resorted 10 IN all the cities and
States Of tins Union ut every election IN which large
pubic interest Is elected.
rnx RETURNING BOARD
Conceding for the Returning Board all the judicial
dignity claimed for II by the admirers OF IT'S un-
paracled utquities cannot be denied that, In order
10 give validity aud eect 10 It's decisions whero II has
attempted to throw out and reject the returns from
polls, the jurisdictonal TACT required by tho
statute must aiirmatvcly appear, and unless
that iact does appear It's action In tho case was
without jurisdiction and ITS face null and void
Tho Board had no right under the laws OF LOUISIANA,
To throw count out the polls and votes they have
aud counted out and their action In That
behalf Is without authority OF law and null aud void
TUE LAW OF LOUISIANA.
The committee further state that II there is any law
electors OF President and Vice presden: the canvass
and compilation OF the vote Tor electors must
upon that subject and BY board com.
posed Of other persons or officers than those
constituting the Returning Board. Q. y. Brewster
held and alter the Ith day OF November last tnc
ofcc OF Surveyor General Tor the State OF Louisiana
and could not therefore be aud was not chosen or up
A. Il. Levssee another candidate for elector on the
samc ticket was United States Commissioner and Was
not chosen or appointed clector. Subsequent TO No
vcmber and before December last past me
said brewster ana the SAID Lev,ssee ~ pretend
han
Surveyor General and United States Commissioner.
When the other electors pretending 10 DO elected on
tho same ticket their votes tor President
and Vice President, Brewster aud Levissce did not
meet with them, and the places OF SAID
as vacant because OF their absence The
other electors then flied the places oi Brewster
and Levissee vacant because OF ner ABSENCE WIN ,ns
which doings fraudulent devices TO void
the constitutional provision. which rendered the
same void anu OF effect IN law, even had any
or the electors on said ticket been elected by the
people, AZ they not The alling OF such vacan-
ces was without authority 0f law, and conferred no
right upon Brewster Levissco vote Tor President
and Vice President OF the United States.
into lho election and OF votes TOR State
officers Louisiana was incidental 10 inquiry as 10
tho general fairness OF tho election IN SAID state ana
rHx ouBxRSAroRrAL QUESTION.
The testimony taken discloscs the tact that by both
ns W",osS sS'ss 70 anG tho 0''s Board Of
Returning officers, Nichols wns elected Gov
OF Sy nS
freed condition growing out 0i the Presidential
contest he would be accepted rs the duly elected Gov
ernor Of Louisiana by the almost universal acclaim
OF her people.
THE ALLEGED INELIGIBLE HECTOR LEvIsEE
ON THE sTAND-HIs STORY OF AN ATTEMPT
TO BRDR HIM TO VOTE FOR TILDEN.
WASHINGTON Feb. 0. 1871
The Senate subcommittee Louisiana met at ten
sht A nf I.Oui m
alleged ineligible Hayes cicctor, sworn and cx-
amined by Mr. Salisbury. Witness resides at Shreve-
port but spends half OF his timo In New Orleans
has been Circuit Judge four ana half ycars and has
held the ofncc OF United States Commissioner; was
elected Hayes clector ut tho last election; was also
attorney for his district Of Shreveport; was ap-
pointed United States Commissioner September, 1874
was appointed by Judge Wood. of tho Circuit Court
tho appoiatmcnt of Commissioner, witness thinks
may be maze by tho Judge, whether assisted by tho
court whether the court be In session or not; he
held tho Office Of Commissioners until about the goth OF
November, 1876; took afHdav.s IN relation 10 tho
election; was holding that Office on November Z last
ana continued to discharge duties aiterward took
adavits concerning the election ut shreveport; the
latter place is about TOO miles from New Orleans by
the river or by rail through Texas; acted cector
on tho 9th day Of December; met In the College of
Electors not the 1rst meeting they held, but did
finally during tho day. and cast his votc for Hayes and
Wheeler Tor President and vicc President; did not
act Ut FIRST with the Electoral College, but did finally
Mr.. wadieigh Submitted copies from tho Circuit
Court Of Louisiana OF the appointment resignation
and acceptance of tho resignation Of the witness
United State Commissioner, which tho witness admit
tod u be true copies, and were by common consent
admitted AS evidence.
BY Mr. Sanlsbury--W ness was notified OF the
ccptancc his resignation on tho date when It
made; cannot say what court was In session ut tho
time; witness was not present IN tho court when The
order madc cannot say whether the Circuit Court
or tho District Court was In session.
Mr.. Saulsbury-rhe Transcript shows that only
Judgc Billings, of The District Court. was present
The witncss-rhat IS probably true; the resignation
was Intended have tue elcct d: vacatng the 0ico
aud not SIMPLY the OF witness
as AN ecctor ~ made in entire good faith and not
as dodge or evasion; witness aas never since that
said 10 any ono that his resignation was not neccs
sary but has thnt he had great doubts whether
| his Office of Commissioner was disqualification
| under the constitution; cannot say that he ever
argued such proposition with Judge Eagan; George
L. smith witness resignation 10 the Court, aud
tu mn hour uttcrward 1t wns accepted; received
formation from Judge Wood OF the acceptance Of tho
| the matter; witness scnt hs resignation TO Judge
Wood enclosed IN letter To smith, from Shreveport
reuuestlpg Smith 10 nuvo II attended TO; smith neg
| lectcd to see to II until ator witness went tO New
Orcuns; thcu called his attention to It, and he
did so mas no idea that Wood received tho rcsig
nation IN person otlnr than tho records OF the
Mr. salisbury read from The sherman report an al-
dnv,i with no atlantis signature attached To IL taken
before Icvlseo tho 10Th vi November, 1876, which
| the witness thought must be q mistake.
ANOTHER ixcuRRuPrlBLs ELkcfOR
BY Mr. WadiclghA proposltiou was made to witness
for cast his electoral vote Tor Samuel
j. T,ucu: on the 4th of December last witness IN
Now Orleans ut the residence ot Mrs. Barlow, Ia Con-
oplc street; that day witness dined out and
rcturuud home about nine O'Clock IN the evening;
soon as he TO tho parlor, Mrs Barlow
and her daughter beng present, ono OF them
| gavo tho witness notc asking witness u
meet G. NJ Johnston ut Cassiday's Hoto
nj nine A. NJ, Cu important business; Johnston wrote
| tnc moi nj
! note aud the Indies asked witness wha. II meant
witness replied that hc had no 'doa; the ladies' told
witness thoy thought that Johnston wanted 10 go,
Democrat Johnston called next morning before
breakfast ana down 10 sco hum hc ASK cd
witness II he got Duto witness replied yes; he thc
asked witness To meet s. NJ. Ashur OF Shreveport al
| Cassiday's early that day; witness made an engage
mcnt to meet them at one O'Clock; witness had known