The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-10-25

sHStTUSttSnS 10 supervisors vi EtSS-
ton.
OFFICE OF CHIEF SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS, !
Eastern District of Louisiana.
| Cust61 rn-Honse, New Orleans, Nov. IL 1854.
sse9zs INSTRUCTION No.2,
| 70 each Su,ervssoy Of Election.
The following instructions for your guidance
| on the tlay of election are hereby issued and
| your faithful COM 'hance Herewith IS required
i. Yonr post Of ,..--1ty is inside the polling
places to take. occupy remain ~ s.leh p9sa-
hind the ballot-boxes. as will est ena i you
to see each person offering to vote. aiia otiief'
wise discharge your duties.
| z. You are to prevent fraudulent condueJ vi
| the part OF persons seeking to vote. and also
! any fraudulent or improper conduct upon the
part OF election officers. IGu are not. however,
| authorized to make arrests, except in extreme
| cases, when no deputy marshal is present..
3. IL any election officer violates or emits to
| comply with any provisions of the State law,
| he should be arrested, and that without wait
ing for warrant. 1t should, however, be a
| fragrant case in which an election officer should
be arrested without q warrant, while In the
actual performance of his duties. Such an ar-
rest should be made as a last resort, where
obvious fraud is persisted in, and repeated
after remonstrance. As. however. a fraud in
| counting the ballots, IL not stopped while in
process OF execution. may accomplish its OBJ
| ject beyond. practical remedy, an arrest Of an
I
made without hesitation, if he is found, dur
| ing the counting Of the votes, to be engaged III
any Illegal act, which can have an effect upon
the canvass.
| 4. You are authorized and required by law to
count and canvass each ballot IN the boz provi-
| ded by the State agthorites for tho reception
OF ballots for Congressman. Sec. 2018, Rev,
Stat, requires you to personally serutInize,
| count and canvass each ballot whatever may be
| the endorsement thereon, or in whatever bog it
may have been placed or found; to the end
that each cand1 date for the Office of Represent
ative in Congress may obtain the benefit of
| every vote for him cast. and make due return
of all votes therein cast, to the Chief Superyi-
b or, upon blanks that have been furnished you.
This should be done with as little inconve-
| nlenca and annoyance to the State officers as
possible but must be well. carefully and hon
estly pert ormed.
5. Yon will not relax your vigilance in watch
ing the Congressional ballot box and any other
box in which ballots FOR Representatives in
Congress may have been placed or found at the
poll to which you are assigned. nor leave them
for moment until they shall have been deliv-
cred to the Clerk of the District Court at the
parish seat of each parish, together with the
RETURNS from each poll In said parish, certified
to by the Commissioners thereof as required
by law and delivered to the returning officer
of each parish to be by him complied as re,
CURED by State law. You are not to be elected
from the room or forced out of sight of said
boxes, under any circumstances, and should any
attempt be made to that end you will at once
summon the U; ). deputy Marshal to protect
w.
shals have already received instructions in
consonance with this order, and if necessary to
obtain a full and fair vote and honest count
the entire board Of election Commissioners will
be arrested, under 20t9, Revised Statutes.
o. Remember that you are a sworn officer
subject to severe penalties for any neglect or
breach OF duty, aud that the greatest care
should be taken that your every duty is hon
estly and Inpartialiy executed. No power or
authority, save that of the United States.
through its officers. can modest, interfere, him
der, obstruet or prevent you In dlscharglng
your duties. and should any indictment be
found against you IN the State courts, the pro-
visions of the national statutes. which at once
transfer 1t to the United States courts, will be
promptly made of.
z. Bear In mind that you can not be arrested
by any State officer, with Or without a warrant
upon any day of repatriation Or election, when
discharglng any duty required of you under the
place of registration Or polling precinct. If any
one assaults you, or threatens OF attempts SO to
do, or endeavors to arrest you at any such time
the law protects you in resisting any such at
tempt, and authorizes You to cause the arrest
OF the party so offending. The police are re-
quired to aid You if called upon and it is made
nllsdemeanor for them to refuse OF neglect
to do.
8. No question of party politics enters upon
your sworn duty. which is of the highest char
acter; your province IS to see that no fraud is
perpetrated. Your conduct towards every one
should be characterized by courtesy and pa
thence; your duty should be discharged with
Judgment, hrmness and decision. Observe care
fully the instructions you receive, and follow
them implicitly. Do not go beyond them. Do
not fall short of them. In SO acting you will
be within the law, and will be fully protected
by all the power OF the United States
9. You will obey no orders or directions from
any one, save such as You receive from the
Chief Supervisor direct, or from him through
his aid. You will note in writing full particu-
lars of all attempted frauds and violations of
law, and will bring your report of the same to
this Office immediately after tie election No
compensation viii be made You until you have
returned your poll books, election returns and
memoranda to this Office
TO. 1t Is to be hoped that there will be no dis
agreement between you and your colleague in
your precinct, but it is to be understood that
each Supervisor possesses the same power and
IS governed by the same law.
Respectfully yours.
GEORGE n. GORTON,
Chief Supervisor of Elections.