New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-03
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Nothing gratihes us more thar to see
a political opponent adopt any conclusion
without acknowledging the source from
which they have been derived, nor can
anything produce more quiet chuckle
than when we find an antagonist admit
ting doctrines denied in their application
to Republican interests, yet asserting their
soundness when they favor the success of
Democratic purposes.
1t has been now some time since we ex-
amined the duties of the President Of the
Federal Senate, and argued that before the
electoral votes could be counted by anybody
it must be determined what the "votes"
were We affirm the same doctrine as to
the votes of the people. The lawful au-
thority of the Returning Board must de-
termine what those votes are. minor
or an alien, disqualified by limitation of
time, may succeed in getting ballot into
the box, but no one could certainly con-
tend that this successful trick would make
that act valid which was directly contrary
to law. Our neighbor, the Pioayrne, has
made the important discovery that
The members of the General Assembly
ere o exsmine and count the goteS, and de-
clare elected the persons who have received
the greatest numbet. of votes for Governor
and Lieutenant Governor.
The duty of determining which are the
'votes" has been already performed by the
authorities appointed by law. The DEM
ocratic members will have acknowledged
this authority if they accept its certii-
Gates. 1t will not lie in their mouths to
question the legitimacy of this authority,
nor can they go behind the board returns
to nullify votes certified by them, nor TO
set up as votes the dishonest or irregular
entries which the board has cancelled on
the poll book. We shall be happy to
agree with our political antipode in the
application of this doctrine if we can
agree upon the antecedent fact. We will
agree that the Legislature shall count the
vote if the Picayans will agree that the
Returning Board shall first decide what
the vote is
After that anybody may count that
chooses, provided his moral arithmetic is
all right We have applied the same ar
gument to the electoral vote. Nobody
can count vote until they know whether
it is vote or not Nobody can count a
bogus name for vote. The President
Of the Senate win make out the electoral
ron by placing On il all the votes. To
do this he must exercise the discretion
Of a returning board. When this
officer shall have determined which
are The votes. he win count them in
the presence of both houses of Con-
gress. The same process may be pur.
sued by the Legislature OF Louisiana.
They may count all the ''votss" which the
Returning Board may have cersihsd, bui
they can not count as .sotes" the bogus
attempts Ia vote. With The ascent Of oul
opponents to this reasonable proposition
to let the Republicans determine what are
the votes, and thus invite the Democracy
70 witness the counting, we think all dif
fersnees upon this subject may bo har.
moniously adjusted. What says our po-
lltical antipode9 Shall weenaer the new
year hard and hand, proelaiming oui
agreement in this compE0mise, under
which The Rspubhcans win have TIA
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