The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-11-20
Tenth Ward Election Breeze.

Rot Storm on tho High 9, but q Tempest
In . r P0t-Those Rejected Ballots.
Perhaps We can not better explain the
circumstance Of the rejection Of ballots
at the Hercule Landry poll, tenth justice
ward,sthan By publishing the following
statenanllt III tho Commissioners upon
tte .9votes were thrown
To r. E.BcntIey, Esq, Clerk Of the Twcnty-
Second Judicial District Court:
Sir-We the undcrsixned Commissioners
Of the first precinct Of eighth Police Jury
aud tenth Justice of tho Peace ward, would
most respectfully represent that we rejected
a large number of votes deposited in the
box over which We were acting as Commits
sioners, for the following reasons, to-wit:
We.rjected sixty-eight ballots supposed
to be in favor of Democratic Electors, for
tile reason that said votes were endorsed on
the b,sck Of said ballots = Centh ward" We
also rejected eleven votes or ballots sup
posed to be in favor of tho Greenbnck Elec-
tors, for the reason that they were endorsed
in various numbers, but none OF which were
endorsed Tenth or 10th. We also rejected
two votes OF ballots supposed to be in favor
of the kcpu6lfean Electors, for tho reason
that said votes or ballots were endorsed on
the back 18th. We would also most respect
fully represent that we regret very much
that large number of the duly qualified
voters were SO unfortunate rs to deposit
such ballots that precluded said ballots
from beng tailed and counted. We had
much rather returned all the ballots Is de-
posted, but from the factHit was decided
by the unanimous will Of the Commissioners
that no ballot should be counted or tailed
that was not endorsed Tenth Or 10Th ward
on the backs of said ballots.
In conclusion, we most respectfully assert
and declare that we acted in the premises
rs to us seemed fair and just to all parties;
and in strict compliance with our Oaths and
the duty incumbent upon us as Commission
ers, and We confidently expect any future
proceedings will ratify our action. Thus
read and signed, this Ind day of November,
1880. II. L. BROWN,
ALBEIT FLATEAU,
Commissioners.
Mr.. Hercule Landry, the third Com
missioner, declined to endorse this state
ment, and signed the returns and tally
sheets under protest.
ALI versions of the affair we have heard
correspond with that given. above, so far
rs the circumstances attending and lead
ing to the rejection of ballots are con-
cerned, and the only difference of
opinion is upon the character of the en-
dorsement on the sixty eight Democratic
ballots which were thrown out. There
is no doubt in our mind that the initial
letter which was taken for G was really
q 7, formed in style quito common
among French writer's and those educa-
ted in French schools-that is, with the
lower portion of the "capital stem
curved to the right instead Of the left.
While we think these ballots were legal
and should have been counted, we also
think that no wrong was intended by
their rejection and that the Commission
ers acted according to their construction
Of the duty imposed upon them by law
and their official oaths. At all events,
no more harm has resulted from this re-
lection of Democratic and Greenback
ballots than from the tliminntion of the
Republican vote through the errors COM
mitted by the Supervisor Of Registration
and Commissioners of Election at several
polls but, for the sake of the principle
involved, and the danger that, under
different circumstances, serious conse-
quences might be entailed, great care
should be taken to avoid such complica-
tions in the future.
Ladies who desire work in the dress