Year: 1874

thank us for explaining that it is popularity


of an election in Louisiana that the election


does not begin until the voting is over and


the returns are received at the Capital. The


laws of that State were framed with the


simple purpose of securing to louisiana


Republican Administration for all time.


The choice of officers is, therefore, vested in a


Returning Board, which is lf-perpetuating


body, being empowered to fill all vacancies in


its membership. An appeal from its decision


even to the courts is forbidden; for although


the Election law casually refers to contest,
! the Supreme Court of the State has expressly


decided that the returns shall not be ad-


duced to set aside the decision of the


Board and the certificate of the Governor.
The Board is empowered to canvass the whole


vote and to throw out any portion of it al


most ad ibitum so that it is quite possible
for candidate whose politics are approved


by the canvassers to be declared elected,


although he may not have received half as
many votes as his opponent. Indeed the bogus


Returning Board of 1872 went so far
as to do this kind of work without the scrap


of return before them; and thus it was
| that upon partisan estimates and false af-


fdavits Kellogg and his set came into power.
! 1t is the fear of the perpetration of some


variation Of this rascally trick that causes
| the present excitement among tho people


of New Orleans. The Returning Board was
until recently composed entirely of supporters
of the Kellogg Government. Popular clamOr,
not unmixed with threats, caused the resigna
| ton of one member and the appointment of
| Conservative in his place. and by the same
| influence the Conservatives secured the poor
privilege of having a committee present dur
| ing those sessions of the Board of which
| they might have knowledge. But these
concessions may have no practical
effect; nor would the appointment of
another Conservative insure the McEnery
party fair play; for there is provision of
law which makes minority powerless by
authorizing any three Of the five members of
the Board to do the whole work. The major
ity may meet privately, canvass the returns,
and declare the result without any cOnsulta
ton whatever with the minority, and the
signatures of the latter are not necessary TO
give validity to the certificate.


That the Conservatives are not without
grounds for suspecting their opponents OF
deliberate purpose to count them out, is proved
not only by the fact that such things have
been done again and again in Louisiana, but
by developments of a most startling nature
made since the late election. Without going
into detail, we may mention among these
developments the printing of an immense
number of Republican tickets the attempt to
strike from the list Of voters several hundred
names because they did not appear upon the
printed list Of registered voters, although
they were upon the manuscript list; the tam
pering with the returns from st. James, Car
roll, and other parishes, the effect of which
would be to deprive the Conservatives of
advantages fairly gained in the bal
loting; the intentional Irregularities of Re-
publican supervisors committed with view
to the rejection of the vote of Conservative
precincts the wholesale manufacture of affi-
dayits alleging intimidation as soon as it was
apparent that the Conservatives had carried
the State; and last, but by no means least,
the recent claims of leading and
unscrupulous Republican politicians that
they have triumphed by extravagant
majorities, whereas they at first ad-
mitted that their defeat was complete if not
overwhelming. Fortunately the Conservatives,
knowing by sad experience the tricks OF the
Kellogg party, in most instances are not
dependent upon the manipulated returns.
The United States supervisors appointed
to represent this party kept tally-lists
showing exactly how the vote was cast, and to
these they are prepared to mako affidavit. BY
this means the frauds in st. James were dis
covered and rectifcd, the Board probably
deeming it prudent to yield when the discrep-
ancy was Enthusiastically chargeable to the
officers conducting the election, they being
Republicans.


We are inclined to think that the evidence
of the vigilance of the Conservatives will not
be lost upon the Returning Board. Nor will
their firm determination to accept no mani
festly partisan ruling be without effect upon
men who since the 14th of September have
been in constant terror of the vengeance of
an outraged people. AS an additional incen-
tive to do right. we tender them in due season
q reminder that the whole country, having
been advised Of their character and purposes,
is watching their proceedings with much in
terest and that if the late elections mean
ANYTHING they mean that the North is deter
mined that the Southern States shall have
not only peace, but honest governments
fairly chosen by the people. The
patience exhibited by the people of
Louisiana during the last two months
deserves all commendation. Having demon
strated the utter inability of the Kellogg
Government to stand alone, they have borne,
without resort to violence wrongs to which
few people claiming to be free would have
submitted. Their patience must be exercised
still further; but the day Of their deliverance
cannot be distant. The Congress which meets
two weeks hence cannot afford to decline an
inquiry into the case Of State for whose