The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1908-03-31

shall not cast our votes for Leon
hardt, the Republican nominee for
Lieutenant Governor.
"We condemn the action OF the ma
jOrity of the members OF the State
Central ommlttee in refusing to go
behind the returns, under the pretense
that it had no authority to make due
investigation under section 25 of said
law, which directs that the Committee
shall hear and determine the contests
filed before it and under the general
principles that all political bodies
possessed the inherent power OF inveS-
tigating charges of fraud which is es-
sential to their own preservation and
to the preservation of the party they
represent.
"We condemn the action of said
Committee, because before entertain
ing the contest filed, it should have re-
quired the recusation of the seven
teen ward bosses of the city OF New
Orleans, or their agents, who sat as
Judges on the Committee, as no man
should sit as a judge in case where
the examination of the charges might
incriminate him or his principal in
the offense alleged to have been COM
mitted.
because if the Committee enter
tanned any serious doubts as to its
authority to make due investigation,
it's purpose to close the door to inves-
tigatiOn, as it did not make the slight
est effort to obtain evidence to estab-
lish the simple fact that men long
since in the graves and absentees from
the city of New Orleans at the time the
second primary was held had been
voted for Paul M. Lambremont for
Lieutenant Governor.
I'm support of our position that the
Committee could have investigated
the charges if it had SO desired, and
if support were necessary to be sought
out OF the provisions of the primary
law and the general principles inner.
ent to the existence of political bodies
we refer to the celebrated antilOttery
campaign of 1891 and 1892, when, not.
withstanding the fact that there was
then no law legslizing primary, never.
theless the Democratic State Central
Committee appointed a special com.
mittee of seven which made full inves'
tigatiOn of the frauds committed anC
rendered judgment setting aside the
majority appearingon the face OF the
returns in favor of the Hon. Samuel
d. McEnery and declared as the nomi
nee of the Democratic party for gov
ernor our present distinguished Junior
United States Senator, Murphy J.
Foster.
SIN conclusion we take pleasure ir
stating that we shall give our active
earnest and loyal support to all tht
other nominees on the State Democrat
ic ticket whom we know have received
q majority of the votes cast in thu
| first and second primary, even aftel
eliminating the votes cast in the parish
of Orleans. and at the same time VI
take pleasure in extending to Oul
worthy parishoner. DIR. A. O. Clark
member of the Democratic State Cen
trail Committee from this parish, Oul
!. cordial appreciation for his manly
Democratic and honorable course il
voting to go behind the returns and tC
expose the barefaced outrageous and
defiant fraud committed by the ware
DO sses in the city of New Orleans II
the second primary
Mr.. Campbell moved theil
adoption when A. M. Martin ant
/. A. Broussard both rose an de
manded that Mr.. LambremOn
be given a hearing, but so muct
noise was made that but little
that was said could be heard
Finally the chairman succeeded
| in getting order and announced
that Mr.. Lambremont was en-
titled to a hearing and appealed
to the people to listen to hin
respectfully. There we're some
demonstrations when Mr.. Lam
Fremont began speaking bu
the crowd soon became quie
and accorded him q full hearing
He was interrupted, however
a number of times by questions
which were promptly and pleas