Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-05-12
SPEECH OF MIR. LOYAL,

House of Representatives for the Congrcssiona
District cf Norolk, in the State Of Virginia il
place ofthc sitting member, Mr. Newton.
CONCLUDED.
~, Mr Chairman, upon n full examination Of any
ono or more cases hch had been decided by thC
House OF Reprcs 3ntatlvcs they should be found
initiate against any principle of law right, they
would not be considered binding authority upon
yo but, as IN AL other cases, even before judicial
bunals, be oyorsulcd. am d,sposod, however,
test point dccid1di IN the of Basssett aud
Bailey. Every word Of the report in that cese, which
has relation to tins, has been read. In that casc
the question to the ::iority of the officer to ad
ourn the pol, Twas question of fact and
sppcare most clearly, from the eyde.ce that the
event upon which rested his authority did not appsn
There proved that tho election commenced ear
~ and progressed rapidly. Sc In this ii pro
we'd. the testimony of the sitting member iiscli
proves that the election did not commence tH a
lIte hour n the day: the deposition ofhe officer con
ductng he election aRd others prove that the poll
could not have been opened at all earlier period,
without a waptUn departure from n usage which pre-
yals throughout VtgnIa of clio ing the candidates
FIRST should ihey be disposed, address the pco
pie; that tho sitting ncnbcr, d0ailug himself of TIL
privilege madc IL incumbent me To reu'y: that The
election progressed with but little in;crn,sson ex
ccpt such was necessary in dctc- mining the rnht
OF disputed votes till sun-scttinc, when in corEr.
Qucncc oil the appea rance Of voters, demanding the
exercise OF their right, the poll adjourned over
Il cannot b. denic that -e all the material f,c.s
TGry from the case Of Basscjs-ant Bliiey The frs,
event upon which rests the authority of the officer
as alleged in that case wasdisiincy proved not IN
6aDe happened. In this the evidence conclusircly
establishes that a. lid occRr. The case of Rnssc,
and Bailey then, instead of supplying any principlc
or feature ADVERSE come strongly support of the
n1thority exercised by the mayor of Il Orl1lk. For
wirSycan DOUBT from the view presented by the TO-
portHtine committee, il in hat case it had been pro
vcd.as affirm Is beyond all question in this that
the voters could not all have been poed before sun
set on the first day, thai the decision Of the House in
tx former, would have legalzcd tho proceeding on
tnc po uiIiii Tie neat dIV.
This, Sir, was most ardent contest lToyinr
passed through four Counties. il reached Norfolk ho
rough where 1t wus obvious, tho friends Of both can
dItstes would come, with their whole strcnrth 10
the polls full election was demanded as well
tom the deep interest with which all were LOOKING IN
the result from the fact that here it must be do
termned was one entire ordinary election day
then, too much for the people, such all occasons
And be ii remembered, that whilst the interest of
the sitting member could not suffer by stiGn, Tho
popular voice, at this pinch Of the contest the other
SIDE hau an interest equally strong in removing eve
~ obstruction, consistently with the laws of the land
10 tair and full expression of that voice Was on,
entire day, ask again, SIR, from The hour mean NJ
'0t'ch elections usually commence 10 suY-sei, foo
long for the such an election az tb,ss nd
here permit me 10 notice remark mad. bv the si,-
ting member IN one of these papers. Il have knovD
instances he says. land they have not been untra-
quent, when the candidates being disposed to make
!o9 steecles ana waste time, the people came for
ward and demanded that the poll should be ooannI
ana compelled the sheriff to open it and taIH ,beir
yo es IL reply TO this would inquire. who man.
Nested n disposition TO make long speeches on this
occasion! The gentleman himself who until tho
contest was brought 10 this point do linn The ms
tce u say, had not wasted much time in that WV
here boldly challenged discussion which co1,rbyy
ted, 10 no small degree, 20 delay in opening the poll
Instead OF the usual hour ten, the VOTING did not
commence till between one and two; and Iook;ng N
the peculiar nature of the suffrage ouaiAcation. IN
this borongh-the keen vigilance exercised nv the
contendlng parties over the poH-not unf-eanentlv
10 Pnn fvaf,
right ola single vote. be said TINT reasonable
time was nlowed-ibat it Was even practicable 10
taGc the whole poll the first day or that the
OF IN aournng II over, is really obnoxious TO the
charge OF partially and usurpation! You are told
that the voters had right TO demand that thu no
should be opened to receive their votes Re !. so -
WHAT evidence have you, that the demand ,y,s
lot mace: Anu II not made, by what exercise of
nutAorlty-by what sort Of management could
the officer have contrived record the votes of
Who alone had right TO give them, before the dis
cusslon terminated The discussion (comronncoJ
SO lar as this election was concerned by the sitiin
memoerj no one can doubt, delayed the opening of
the POLL and the argument which denies the mower m
ADJOURN over, would lose force if double mr.
ton OF time had been consumed by the speeches In
such case, who so hardy as to maintain that the con
urgency for which the law has provided would NOT
lnfalbly occur! 1t clearly occurred in The 1r,ssDI
cafe. The dispositions conclusvely prove tia, the
poll was not opened Till nearly four hours Of cute
inafy election day had expired; and that from this,
~0'''NA"SN IL
merops to be poIled before sun-setting" The net
VIII show that, the poll not closed On the first
day. 1t required "to be kept open two days thereafter
al least But the testimony produced IN SUPPORT of
these facts, fortified you will find it, must Weld ,o
certain facts and remarks contained in pauer
edA This paper you gravely told by tho sitting
taember, "show5 clearly that one of the causes
specified IN the law occurred, to Justify the officer in
Keeping the poll open beyond the first DAYS eection,
et strange as Il may appear, this said paper, which
from the tone OF imposing authority in which II ia
uounccd, you might conclude would put this matter
10 rest is nothing more nor less shan protest spread
upon the list Of votes taken for me in The borsuyb Of
Norfolk & objected to By the sitting nembsr;--s GRO.
Test setting forth facts which DO not even pretend Ia
AIRY with them shadow of proof and remarks adj.
'ancng any, certainly the smallest possible clnu
70 argument. say this, whou. intending any sort
% oence TO the member; but meaning to state what
is literally true. II have deceived myself howoyer
ana there really be IN this paper marked a. some ma
gicai incarnation, OF mysterious power eludnp INV
comprehension, winch settles the point n oues,ios
then sir, instead IT coming here az supposed Ind
10 support the peoples right, deserve your scorI
iormy folly and The sooner you dismiss me from YOU
presence the better.