Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-11-23

ORANGE ELECTION

two reasons; first because it was almost the sinue
county IN the State, where it attempted to sink
every other question, and relative qualification in
Jsckson'sm and secondly, from The Sheriff returning
Gov Barbour and the succeeding attemp, to impeach
the sheriff for that return and cast censure upon
ov. Barbour for accepting las If he could do otker
wise This unusual interest will excuse US for again
noticing il.
fne last Reporter in an article of length, ceurness
anu ability, narrates all the proceedings and places
Gov. Barbour's and Mr.. Sheriff Burruss's conduct.
on what appears to us, mpregnable grounds.
Two have had tsays the Reporter) occasion hereto
lore to stale that Gov Barbour acte I'd IN conforntv
the wishes OF his friends, in the he pursued
,hrougneut TN, whole controversy. We verify be.
lieve from oil that have seen and heard that lef
To h'mse although perfectly satisfied that he had
respectable majority of sound votes over his opponent:
sun ne would have submitted to the result, rather
thaa encounter the trouble necessarily ensuing from
continuing the contest. His friends decided other
wise' 10 have refused on his part, was treachcr
ousiy to abandon men, than whom none could have
ehewn greater zeal and friendship. Fastening as he
Cid TO obey their summons on his arrival nj tho Conr,
House on the day after the election he was informed
OF the injustice unintenona! to be sure) which had
oten zone MN by the application of principles diane
trcaiy opposite at the Court House and the me-
cinc.s. At the former the High Sheriff acting under
the highest legal authority of the County. and info
fior 20 none 10 the State. distinguished member al
year IN which assessment should have been made and
paid referred to l6 %. On the contrary at the nre
cincts had been determined that it referred to 1880
50 happened IN consequence, that at the Court
house, wnere Gov Barbour received two to one over
MS opponent all those who had paid only in 1880 were
ueprived OF their franchise; while at S,anardsv;e
wnere the proportion was reversed, they were admit
o ~ the prevalence OF this unequal rule it be-
leved capt Davis gained some fifty or siN.v votes
was OF TINS inequality and of its consequence that
INC Ilenas OF Iov. Barbour complained resulted
entirely from the mode of conducting electisns bv
precincts, mode very lately introduced into an,
system Gov. Bar imme diately proposcd thu,
uniform rule IN this particular should be applied .o
mo poii-take either The that had prevailed at
nc 70 ~ -.a'use or ut the precincts-let all or
none OF the payers of 1880 vo,e-terms which if ac
coded to- were still injurious to him; as manv of tho
payers OF $50, hearing of the Sherif's decision -,
.ne court House, forborc from presenting themselves
" 'ote, row we are persuaded that there ia no
man. who Will encounter :he responsibility ot denv.
ing the fairness of this proposition II was boyeve,
peremptorlly refuaed-and from this refusal of SO
just proposition, bavn arisen the con.eonnncos &c
which Capt. Davis complains We ask and ont g..
dentiy too-f he has any one to censure bu, him
self No! instead of meeting this simDs nlon Nit h
mAness' ny wn'ch the contest would have been
settled, and rightly settled half an hour he ins;s
ted on the strict execution of the letter of the Law
NO intelligent man can read the constitution and
aouot that tho construction put on the constitution
az the Court House, vas the true construction-ta,
tne assessments must be charged and paid the preee
ong year. 1t therefore, Capt. Davis received so q,
OF votes at Stanardsvle, from voters who were no,
assessed Tor and had not paid part of the Revenue
tue preceding year. it is obvious 1.-THE opposite rule
pfeVa''ing at the Court House, his strong ground,
tRat not ne but Gov. Barbour was elected
capt DAVIS however, insisted upon the Anu-unon
the strict execution of the law: and in this be
srdsfed The Reporter proceeds
49,, Inc Sheriff determined to postpone his decis;o,
t'I thursday. On that day at tho Court-Eouse h.
solicited OF the candidates. statement from both OF
eneir views OF the case, it was understood for H.
purpose of consulting some of the nost em;n.nt ~.
III tne Stote-Meanwhile however, an iutelli-ont
inend OF Gov. Barbour, had ascertained thai tka en-
at the precincts had not taken tho oath
prescribed by law that the poll at Stapardsvil haJ
been signed neither by the superintendent no. tbo
eneiiH--t was then urged by the friends of Gov
barbour, as Capt Davis had refused every nrono.;.
t ,nal nsu oeen madc-whosc object to ascer
lan tho real majority of legal votes and ha publicv
ana privately Insisted sticking to the letter of tb
,a"' mat ne SHOULD have the same rule anplisd -
himself that turn about was fair play. Gov. B,r.
pour conforming to this surnes,ion ron,.ndaJ 81.
Inc precinct elections were void as HAVING bon 80
quoted by unqualified persons, and therefore sbouIa
oc ieJceu rom the estimate of the votes; upon he
s'' ' tnat II was notorious the Legislature had
yrided WIN reluctance this innovation of nrecnn,
elections: finally however, when thev did ,,ola =;
some lew instances, to preserve il from abuse thew
sed the precautioD Of requiring five dscreot frec
W oc appointed TO SupeTlncuu
they expressly excluded the idea that ,lev ysro 80
oe controlled by the deputy sheriff because they say
oet the superintendents, shall swear before the eiec
ZION commemorative they will neither reject rood
yole nor admit bad one-evidcnty giving to them
exclusive control of the eection-while the sher
III becomes mere instrument to preserve the neaco
or keep order" '"' peace
Tuner people may possibly think this roorous
'oaISe-that slight informality ought noe to ytia,e
q whole poll, and thus deprive member or IA, ,
0no freenen of their votes Other people NAV think g.
say So but Capt Davis has right to say so: h. was
,pt sucking to the ta~, and every body knows that
this is the law
"e reporter says much more, in explanation and
'sience Of Gov Barbour, but it is not necess,-u
'epeas IT, Ills conduct and that of his friends h,
''sn franF' fair and unassailaoe. Wbere tho case
was "0' a'uOy49-wherc it was plainly in his favor
y lug 0a' Vo'e' at Siauardsville) they eGared to
uomit every thing to arbitration--lo snch ma, =.
heir DoIQhboTs, Robert TavIor Dou,J ~,