The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-26

To tho Editor OF tho New Orleans Democrat.
In your issne OF tho twenty fourth Instant In
y statement OF Mr.. +. r King candidate for
state Senator from this Tenth Senatorial Dis
trlct, composed OF the parishes of ST. Mary.
Calea5ieu. Cameron and Nermilllon, concerning
the returns from that district occurs the fol-
lowing closing paragraph
Why the ele tion returns from st. Mary arc
no mpt promnRated am at u loss to understand
Ihe proper returning officer, the sheriff of the
parish. made out aud forwarded his relurns TO
me me r1 ngeretary i OF state some time ago M re-
CURED by lAW. and tho tally lists and sfatementg
OF the election now on file In that Office verify
the truth OF the sherilT5 returns"
Recognizing. ut all times. a strict response
biity to public opinion on the part OF govern
mental officer for his official action I ask the
insertion of the following explanation Of my
reasons for refusing to promugate the RETURNS
of the late election held In the parish OF ST.
Mary. so far rs the senatorial election is con-
cerned:
BY tho return Of votes forwarded to me by
the sheriff Of St Mary parish the franklin polI
second precinct. third ward stood George III.
Wells 268. r. r. King AT. which would have
elected Mr. Wells; but the tally sheets. sent SUBJ
sequenty by the clerk Of court Of said parish
although showing the same result In the fig
ure9, given rs totals, at that poll the talliea
themseves by actual count show Wells 26B and
King 547. thus electng King. These last ngures
added together, show s5 votes poed for Sena-
tor. making 100 votes more cast for Senator
than for any other office at that poll none other
exceeding 706. In support OF Kings having re-
ceived 5a7, at that pcl, the sheriff filed an affi-
davlt. The returns being thus conflicting and
contradictory on their face the three following
questions present themselves for solution boz
fore can reach a result to promulgate:
l. Ihe original statements OF votes and tally
sheets, from which the law provides | shall
compile, having recently been destroyed In the
disturbances in st. Mary can receive and pro-
mulgate the duplicate originals lodged with the
clerk and by him forwarded there being no
provision OF law for so doing?
O.. Those duplicate originals being conflicting
and contradictory, and on their face. Ia one re-
hundred than cast for any other Office and In
another the reverse can | decide which Is cor
heIT ,tr,,,rsI,I VI ttvas turBe qugstfUns seem5
to me to be plainly In the negative, as they IN
voiYe judicial powers. Such as wore IormeIly
exercised by the Infamous trio VINO uSuIpeu
| those functions while my duies are plainly.
under the law. ministerial llmlte ana CON
| fined to the bare compilation OF the lace OF me
| returns which. in this case, are c0ntradLctory.
! While this Is my own opinion, ana mat must
| refer the papers and the matter TO the senate
| for determination. | have referred the supl9ct
tos the Attorney General ~ the law officer OF inc
| Stnte government and. unless differently ad-
yised by him, | shall adhere to my present de-
termination which | believe to be In strict
accord with the discharge 81 my duties, unher
| the law, and with impartial Justice 70 all parties
These facts aud determinatioq, were com
| muniealed to both Mr. Wells and Mr. hlnR De-
| fore tho publication of the Ath inst, ana. a5 l.
| thought to their mutunl BatiStacll0n. 1 must
own to some surprise. therefore. that Mr. Ming
should 50 soon thereafter, stare that NJ - az "a
loss to understand" a mater which had afehdy
heen SO thoroughly explained 20 hm; ana tth59
reasOns for when he ~ - lawyer, could not IAN
to comprehend and fully appreciate.
WILL. A. STRONG,
Secretary Of State.