Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1830-03-24
SPECIE OF Mr.. DoDDR40GA
, :. - nE ELREINIl.

NnE IICNlNNlf -.f...I,rrr.
ibad tboughtlhe argument o. 'he 'o 3SI.
able gentleman from New lofh vi
S,encer) sufficient to produce u'''J u,
convection. and win no, subject W' -o'' "
t5e task of repeating what has been 80
much better said by him than . e'l'- ''' 70
any prcteosi0ns TO say.
NV honorable colleague ( Nlf'oa' oo"'
who has Just taken his seat' has iAs'S'5u
tlat whenever 1t IS necessary - Supply
words in statute, in order % s''0v 0'l--'
10 tine known. apparent viii @. the Legs
ature. the words necessary may De So sup
BEe5; AMI that 10 the case onae' discus
sion, an tho election laws Of E''gnia' as
other statutes. made n pan r'aisF'a, are 20
be construed together.
I agree with my colleague perfectly
The laws, then, far choosing e.ec'or. OF
President and Wee President OF me UNI
te3 States. for electng members Of Con
grsss from Virginia; and the general cleo
ion lazy ofthat State for MEMBERS OF the
Senate and House of Delegates, are To- oe
evo0unded together as one law; and inc
question is. whether, from fair eXamna-
ton of these laws. a power can be inferred
I'm the Mavor ofac.ty. or town corporate,
40 adjourn or conunus the poll at an cleo
ton tor Congress Or for members of the
State Lerislat1re} maintain thata May
or has no such power, and that until our
towns and cities shalIyastIy increase their
population, &c would be unwlsc 10 confer
f.
The reason for allowing The polls To- Doe
continued ODD the counties, does not exist
i0 our cities DR. towns. ln the latter, .hc
people arc are at home, and are Tot liable
to- lose their votes on account of ''roIns OF
rise of water courses, " the only Coutngen-
cies deemed su.Ecie0, Tor an Adjournment
in the counties. The power in question is
not given To- thc Mayor expressly; and d
It Is to be supplied by construction, d
should only be supplied TO give effect TO
ihe kngVz, apparent viii Of the LeSs.a-
ture.
Ii win be conceded that fairness IN cleo
ti0ns is great and controlling desIdera-
tum with tle legislature and people, and
the desire 90 promote it IS manifest through
out our legislation on the sublect That
all those qualified should vote, is indeed
very desirable; and Do is 10 effect this OBJ
iect tlat an adioJnmeutof the poll IS per-
mt.ed under anv circumstance. The
..rrrlI election law was e71rJ9l ln -f1J.
in has. like the other laws i1 p1ri mg'e~ia,
gone through several revisions unchanged
except by that of 1919 When tlis law
was first made in 1885, Norfolk was a
small place rising from its ruins. Rich
mond was but begun; and Wl.lamsburgh,
perhaps. never contained more than one
hundred voters; and these were then the
only towns entitled 90 separate representa-
tion TO these a fourth, Petersburg, has
since been added Who can suppose that
in 1873 a single member would have tho't
of the necessity 0fau,horisiDg q Mayor 10
adjourn Jbe pol iu these SINAI. towns on
account of GRAINS or rise Of water cours
esq Iu 17S5 we had counties M winch
voters had to travel more than a hundred
miles 90 exercise their ri2hts-countes
hundred and fifty miles square, and cons
fsiri.v nero '.en one river. aud more tlll
orc ac-L-aiu l5cr1ss, and fuwas, as aa
admit. am object vth the General Assem-
blv to afford opportunities 10 all, It was
necessary t0oulhorZe q continuance ofthe
poll under certain contingencies. One of
INV honorable colleagues has spoken OF
as divided By q rapid stream.
Towns so divided are apt TO erect bridges
over streams within them; and the small
creek m Richmond Is 30 bridgod that the
traveller does not know when he passes BE-.
i'm towns, BE- am adjournment was permit
ted, many opportunities would be afforded
for tlmpeung with voters-lor intrigue 81
management by candidates Sc their friends,
(when men could be found base enough TO
employ unfair moans) TO prevent a fair
and honest expression of the public wdl.
The voters are at home and can be assail.
ed. while n the counties they are numbered
from assembling by the very causes which
authorize continuance Of the polls
Should tle Norfolk election be overturned
o precedent win be established by which
unfair practices viii be sanctioned. A few
friends of either candidate may remain at
home engaged Do their town or city pur-
suits, on even lettering i1 The streets, bot
Whoi appearing on the sunseh1g. may re-
qure a continuance Of the poll Time
w,.I be thus afforded for au that unworthy
Pracuces ote.ecuoneeuug can effect. The
precedent we may be about Co establish
ST." teen with evils YOU little tbink Of
My Hon. colleague has sail that within
our state candidates are in the habit ofad-
dressing the people, and The people of
hearing them, and ifan officer should ven
t1re to open the poll before this Is done be
would incur the ceuSures of those for