New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-09
ArRapsns This Time

A Washington special to the CineinHatE
Times sage:
The Democratic leaders have been 90
quick to take advantage of every tsehak
cality affecting the eligibility of some ct Ezse
Hayes electors, and have given 80 mHoas At
tentiOn to these points that they have taflBA
to look after the proceedings Of the ehPetura1
colleges in several overwhelmingly Dsn1-
cratic States, and TO see that Tue daisies
have been performed in accordance win
existiT avs.
grave irregnlsrity exists in regard %
the certificate of the electoral vote OF AR
kansas, as filed with acting Vice Presi1ent
Ferry, and if the Republicans are dispOse4
TO take advantage and to follow tho prape-
dents established by the Democrats and OBJ
ject on technical grounds, the vote Of this
State may not appear in the Iilden column
on the second Wednesday in FebFaatE
when the certificates are opened an&
counted.
Tne messenger bearing the electoral yots
of the State, presented himself to Mr.. FerRys
and rendered package which he said esni
tanned the vOtesoast by the Electoral Cox
lege. Upon examining the wrapper Of this
| sealed package, it was discovered THAI the
| necessary certificate of the electors tnAs EhG
package contained the votes Of the Stafap
4 was wanting. The messenger could prs
| duce M certificate of his Apprenticeship ~
| snch, and DO had nothing to snow that be
| was what he claimed to be, q duly APP
| pointed messenger of the Electoral Col
lege of Arkansas, The law of March 4.
| 1872, provides that "the electors in eauh
| State shall make and sign threa certificates
of all the votes by them given, aud shall
seal up the same, certifying on each that .
list of the votes Of auch State for President
| and Vice President Is contained therein.
and shall, by writing, under their hands, eE
| under the hands Of n msj lEity Of them, apr
point person to take charge Of and do
liver to the President of the Senate ae thu
seat of the government, before the hEas
Wednesday in January then Gext ensuing,
one Of the said certificates"
Mr. Ferry declined Ia receive the sealed
package unless the messenger could prove
his identity, and even then was II ec1ae
| doubt whether he ought TO accept Is. Inc
messenger withdrew, and shortly reap
peared with some Democratic lnem oers Of
Congress, who vouched ior hia identity az q
duly appointed messenger.
MIR. Ferry again directed attention 20 lhe
law above cited, and the tailnfe Of the
electors to enter the necessary eertitcasa
on the package, but concluded TO receive
, II, aud let the question Of It's irregularltY
go until the second Wednesday in February
Several days aftefward, tho messenger
| again made his appearance, and asked thsk
might be allowed to withdraw the pack
Age previously fled, and to substitute ans
other cue, which, he said, met II the re-
} quirements OF the statute This request
was, of course, refused, and the irregalae
2 certificate must stand until action GAP bo
] taken by Iha constitutional authorities 10
2 determine its validity.
E The question is, how did the snesasngaE
: get the second scaled package. and Il che
{ electors failed on tbs day prescribed BY es'
+ iafiDg law to draw up the certincaso Az
a proper form as 70 their action, had they any
4 legal right to aset on subsegnsnt day
{ and rfosify their mistake ct tho telegeapnls
: request of Democratic leaders heref "a
, ulsy be that the Republicans will pos SA.a
/ first return, but that point has net yet bo&
. determined.