board recognizes the importance
which may attach to the result of their proceedings, and that the
public mind should be convinced of its justice by a knowledge of
the facts on which it may be based, therefore, be it

_Resolved_, That this board does hereby cordially invite and request
five gentlemen from each of the two bodies named, to be selected
by themselves respectively, to attend and be present at the meetings
of the board while engaged in the discharge of its duties, under
the law, in canvassing and compiling the returns, and ascertaining
and declaring the result of said election for presidential electors,
in their capacity as private citizens of eminent reputation and
high character, and as spectators and witnesses of the proceedings
in that behalf of this board.

"J. Madison Wells,
"Chairman Board of Returning-Officers.
"Hon. John Sherman, St. Charles Hotel, New Orleans."

On the same day I answered in behalf of my associates as follows:

"St. Charles Hotel, }
"New Orleans, November 18, 1876.}
"Sir:--I have received your note of to-day, with a copy of the
resolution of the board of returning-officers of the State of
Louisiana, and have communicated the invitation contained in it to
the gentlemen who are here at the request of the President of the
United States to witness the canvassing of the vote at the recent
election in this state for presidential electors, and am instructed
by them to inform you of their acceptance of the invitation, and
that they will designate a committee of five of their number to
attend the meetings of the board. And I take this occasion to
express my thanks for the courteous terms of this invitation, my
deep sense of the importance of your proceedings, and my confident
hope that they will be so conducted as to convince the public mind
of the justice of your finding.

"John Sherman.
"Hon. J. Madison Wells."

A similar invitation was extended to the Democratic visitors, and
substantially the same reply made. The returning board then
proceeded to perform its duty under the law. At each session the
Republican and Democratic visitors were present, and I neither know
of nor have ever heard of any act being done or testimony taken by
the board except in the presence of committees of the two bodies
of visitors. The proceedings of the returning board were reported
for each body of visitors and for the returning board, and all the
evidence taken was not only