he replied "certainly." Immediately upon receiving this advice I took such returns as I had brought, and, in company with Mr. Benham, went to the auditor's office and lodged them in his vault, taking the receipt of his chief clerk, Mr. Schultz, for the same. That evening I left for home, and, on the 17th of Nov., I mailed a registered letter to Mr. Geo. C. Benham, the necessary paper to make my returns complete, requesting him to get the package from the auditor's vault and turn the completed returns over to the returning-board, which he finds was done on the 20th of Nov., as per receipt now in my possession.

Deponent was received by Mr. Benham, at his boarding-house on Jackson st., in the front parlor, and we sat at the center-table, while the doors and windows were all open, and, during his stay, persons, either ladies or gentlemen, were constantly going or coming either in the front or rear parlor. Deponent makes this affidavit because he is informed that one T. S. Barton has made an affidavit to the effect that on this particular night he saw Mr. Benham at this same place with another person engaged in tampering with the returns from Carroll, when it will be seen by the foregoing such was not the case. If Mr. Benham had only been anxious to serve himself he would not have called my attention to the defect in my returns from Morehouse, because defective returns would have aided him greatly, as the parish went against him.

SAML. W. REILY.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 25th day of November, A. D. 1874.

C. B. WHEELER,
Parish Judge.
OFFICE SECRETARY OF STATE,
New Orleans, March 19, 1875.

I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the original affidavit on file in this office.

[SEAL.]

P. G. DESLONDE,
Secretary of State.

EXHIBIT 40.-Affidavit of Fred. M. Schultz.

STATE OF LOUISIANA, Parish of Orleans:

Personally appeared before me F. Schultz, chief clerk of the auditor's office, who, being duly sworn, deposes and says: That Mr. Reily, of Morehouse Parish, and Mr. Benham, of Carroll, called at the auditor's office on the morning of November 11, 1874, and informed me that they wished to leave a bundle of papers in the auditor's vault, and asked me to give a receipt for the same, which I did. On the morning of the 20th the receipt was produced for the package, and I turned it over.

FRED. M. SCHULTZ.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 3d day of December, A. D. 1874.

WM. WEEKS, Assistant Secretary of State.

STATE OF LOUISIANA, OFFICE SECRETARY OF STATE,

New Orleans, March 19, 1875.

I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the original on file in this office.

P. G. DESLONDE,

Secretary of State

116

Exhibit 41.—Official returns of election held in Louisiana in 1874, giving vote for and against amendments to the constitution of the State.

OFFICIAL.

Consolidated returns of the general election held in the State of Louisiana, on the 2d day of November, 1874, for State treasurer, amendments to the constitution, and limiting the debt of New Orleans, pursuant to a writ of election promulgated on the 10th day of September, 1874, ordering the same, and in accordance with act No. 98, entitled "An act to regulate the conduct and to maintain the freedom and purity of election; to prescribe the mode of making returns thereof; to provide for elections of returning-officers, defining their powers and duties; to prescribe the mode of entering on the rolls of the senate and house of representatives; and to enforce article one hundred and three of the constitution, approved November 20, 1872."

UNDER ACT NO. 4, SESSION 1874.

First proposed amendment relative to the issue of consolidated bonds.

Parishes.

Second proposed amendment, reducing and limiting the State debt to fifteen millions, and limiting taxation.

Parishes.

Third proposed amendment, devoting annual revenues of the State to the expenses of the same year.

Parishes.

Amendment to article seventeen, relative to day of electing representatives.

STATE OF LOUISIANA, OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF STATE,

New Orleans, La., April 14, 1874.

I certify that the foregoing is a true extract of the original on file in my office. [SEAL.]

P. G. DESLONDE,
Secretary of State.

EXHIBIT 42.-Promulgated returns of election in the parishes of Concordia and Carroll.

OFFICIAL.

Compiled returns of an election held in the parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, on the second day of November, A. D. 1874, under a writ of election dated the tenth day of September, A. D. 1874, ordering same, and pursuant to the provisions of act No. 98, to regu late the conduct and to maintain the freedom and purity of elections; to prescribe the mode of making returns thereof; to provide for the election of returning-officers, and defining their powers and duties; to prescribe the mode of entering on the rolls of the senate and house of representatives, and to enforce article one hundred and three of the constitution, approved November 20, A. D. 1872, to wit: