The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-08
MADE PRESIDENT BY FRAUD.
TORGERY added TO THE CRIME or
STEILING THE ELECTORiL VOTI.

aud Acceptance Of spurious Certificate.
from the state of r.ouisiana-rhc Startling
Import or Aaron li. Levisee's Testimony.
WAsHINGToN, June Tho full effect Of
NE startling discovery made 10y the Potter Conn
mittoe yesterday OF the true character Of the
Hayes electoral returns from Louisiana did not
ippear until to-day. The points made per-
eciy plain are: First. that the Hayes elcc-
.ors mt the meeting OF their Electoral College
IN the State House nj New Orleans on Dee. g.
1876. did make out their returns in triplcatc; /;
hat ono Of these was sent 10y mail to tho Prcs-
dent OF the Senate, and mailed from New Or
leans. according to the rostmark on the
envelope. on the 9th Of December. 1876 that a
duplicate was sent by Special Messenger Thos.
c. Anderson to the President OF the Senate and
a triplicate deposited with the Secretary OF
State nt New Orleans.
Second-The one sent by mail wns received by
the President Of tho Senate. On the envelope
was an endorsement to the effect that the within
was tho electoral vote OF the State OF Louisiana
for President and Vice-Presdcnt. which was
signed by William ?. Kellogg. This WIS not in
accordance with section 139 OF the Revised Stat
utcs Of the United States. which is as follows:
The electors shall seal M the certificates 50 made by
them agi etruy upon each nat ie istsM All the votes
tyr wee PRESIDENT are contained therein.
on the envelope by the electors. each signing
his name. This was not done. The envelope
Of the first return received by mail did not have
the lists of all the votes OF the State OF Louis-
ana for President and OF all the voters ior Vice
President written on IT,
Third-The duplicate Of the return sent by
mail and which Thomas c. Anderson the
special messenger of the electors. was intrusted
with, does not appear among the papers which
we're presented to the Joint convention by the
President of the Senate and submitted to tho
Electoral Commission.
Fourth. the first return received by mail from
New Orleans and presented by thc President Of
| the Senate 10 the joint convention was not in
accordance with either the Constitution Of the
United States or the laws made in pursuance
. thereof. The twelfth article OF the Constitution
| Of the United States provides that the electors
Shalt make distinct list. Of all persons voted for
President ana Of all persons voted Vice Pre- sdeut
mall ,en md ecruy ana transmit eal,d 70 ne seat oi
dent OF the senate.
The law is rs follows:
slcrioS lss The electors shall make and sign three
teruacacs shall contain distinct lists one OF the
as @ ANA ne 9nsT OF OF IN ,ae vote tor Vice
bshed to them b- r, cton OF the Executive
The first return Ia as follows:
sTArr HousE. Nrw ORifaSs pee u, 1873
We the electors President Vice Of the
sS % a cn s. S % he sS % ag " i DO N ner S
s,ioi ior Prs.iieh, q i6e United ,stSs, On
q the STATE Of ONO received votes Tor of tfs
Sss H @s yo oS's sy sa s & a
81 q, s., sneS a Si@ies wnSrSnron William wh.esr Of
oi The United States. being all the votes east In iest
s.Hsd our names on ts the first wsdnesdsy 6cng The
e da e. a m ~ g ea Nsa 81 our G Lord is snd
snd arst '"' O'' '"''''D
This. II will at once be observed. was only ono
list, The Constitution prescribes that there
shall he distinct lists, one Tor President and one
for Vice President. and the law. section l35 of
the Revised Statutes. prescribes the same
Fifth-There We're two other returns. purport-
INK to come from the Hayes electors OF Iouisi-
ana. received by the President Of the senate.
and presented by him 10 the Joint convention
and submitted to the Electoral Commission
One Of these came. 10y, mail The envelope in
which It was contained was postmarkod New
Orleans, Dec. 29. 1876 1t complies with
the Constitution and the law IN every
this which was received 10y messenger Both
Of these arc now discovered 10 b. forgeriss.
Aaron B. Levisee, one OF the Hayes cleo
they appear in the lists Of electors aud
on the envelopes containing them are clumsy
inr-ercs; that be never wrote them; that he
never authorized any one to write them: that
he never knew that SUI IN returns had been sub
S'qu,nty made thnt he was not in the city Of
New orleans az the time th'y must have been
nale that he was up in the Red river country
OF Louisiana from the 22l Ot December, 1876.
totle G;h OF January. 1871.
siNh-lt appears from the proceedings Of the
20 Convention of the two Houses l,ee page
zjoi Electoral Count Of ls77l that the Presi-
i.nt OF the Senate. in opening mud presenting
tre-rflii 'ateS from the State Of Louisiana pre-
s'niri one received by mail. and stated no
Corresponding one had come by messenger
I'll one was opened and read IL WAS certih-
Dl" ~. which IS not in acoordance with
,N'r lne Constitution or the law, ms has been
t'rri1'0re po.Eted out Then he opened and
Ii7rnlea the Democratic certificates, one re-
Til,cd Tird ly mail and one by messenger.
a. and No; duplloate Then h. opened
ana pr,sentrd another Republican certificate
spending one bad been received hy messenger
IAey were read. They are certificates No.
anl No3 duplicate. They are in acror!nnce
lAV They are the on IS to which the signatures
.. aaron H. LeYisee. one OF the Hayes electors.
,S'Tnl-lt appears by the proceedings Of
ci,. ms E,-.to,al Commission lsee page 209l that
eeri o. Hie NJ. Is Identical with ccrtiiicut" No l.
~ THESE TWO certificates. however, with
nrlf differences ia form ns 10 number uf lists
apparenl. We're before the Electoral Commits
toA blih wer" considered together. Both
If- included i'm the derls ION nf the commission.
i,it in,1itbrarT t'a' Senator Morton was awgrethut
ouy ono hnd the genuine signatures 81 all the
e"'i l7 attached 10 1t. He accordingly pre-
srnlel, va tle meeting OF the Electoral Commits
Ed Snn, tne following resolution. which WAS
et. t'ri Th't te person. named electors in certia
saa ana "c' hg law.n e.'g'or, d The state q Louis,
~ 'rN'Igii ana Nce-Iresident
uIie same lnct appears 10 have been known 10
Commission;
,,, . criacae contains in t,er every certainty
..,',l'..l o' hv lm,ed states and tie Lou.
a. statement which he know 10 be false. be-
,p7e 'it hrst rertiil ate docs not conform |
N,tttp We constitution or to the law.
a.'-tH-l hr Commission in its decision, how
q mt =. md, tt.r fi..t.f..