Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-05-11

comparing c polls penalty or efssig 70 tSte IRE yoH ~,
oy eonsiss,s or C'eo' % penalties ior refusing
congregational district law and Is. H. aud 90 sections Of he
general elections all concur "a nyovc h, S. W
bestowed and duties imposed uPon officers appointed 10 con.
duct elections in countless aud cities, aud boro"ghs arc COM
monsIrae and equal
But sir II further ustrauon be required look a, the ena,
nens oi Virginia relating this matter anutniny hr r,o
eesdns en- the po framed fer the government Of Seers in
electors to choose President aud Vice lrcsiden, of The Jri
ted States" section p WE Gnd this provision. "if 4, shall
pear TO the said the pcrscns en-, 10 o
were prevented from attending by had weather or lom INV
o,he they hereby empowered and rcqurrd n, kc
The poll open io term exceeding three DAYS No Dis
nenon Is hero made between a county and borough I'll.
commissioners holding the election either are charged Will
e powers and arc required do the same acts in both be
are "u'h0IEe" l" Eo poll open, should they see cause 10
suppose therefore, that this power aduu,nny the proceed
ns on Tie poll was not intended cGne,d on the mnvn,
OF city or thorough entitled representation in elections H.
senative Of United States when the moe ans :" mSe
T ~. 's p9ose ny Inc act ePpon'ins electors choose
nv IN inc s'rhrge anomalous faulty having left
mrs vital privilege without adequate provisions for lis free and
'Ic,e M The one case, whilst to preserve unimpaired In
the other the utmost caution has been obcNcd And win -
nv .ess Important that the people, original con.
N"B source OF lcsaon should DC and untcs,,I,cJ
N TINS invaluable right when exercised In the choice Of %
charged with their best and dearest interests their
mere assembled, than in the election Of ,r,c
adfs agents tn choose President aud Vice President, ~ H.
United Sa'es' In further confirmation that the rover o
GERS appointed elections whether m c;,, It
or q" coune the legislature Virginia. recently in
e" IN" prnvi;ing the manner which polls shoI
W "e' upon ne question OF adopting rejecting the cons,
uon recommended 10 the people by the convention which
contains The provision just read almost to,f-.r rerb,s
IL is alleged however that IL tie mayor of Norfolk borough
"oS posses he power to adjourn the proceeding the poll
~ !" we causes secied M the of Assembly occurred
on TINS occasion 10 justify exercise Whether n,v ono 80
causes w,hn The view and meaning of the did or did
10 'saze the proceeding complained Of rests unor
testimony before YOU and which, trust every member viii
sNSne oi ninei hu' SIR admit for moment, that n ca-
u"e uouot may exist as 10 the rghtul authority this Off
GER under circumstances adjourn the pol over or II ,
an" ss,i. na iny iay be Questioned whether
l VII" y" ' causes spccned were to justify its IN.
present. case! baSe It ms question Joro eonccatG TO what
end was the power used To enNIee and sppon the eIec
franchise when the refusal cxccire must have ,xcISS
rom INC poll large portion Of the vote of Norfolk boourh
Inc testimony adducrd 20 sustain tho authority exercised II,
SSnS inc roll oren beyond the first day that the officer
himself who conducted the election drninr n,inu,rlv 49,,
clearly All the Incidents and his testimony confirmed by the
Puhe " o'her persons nigh IN public confidence vino
as candidates for the uHgcs peopls-hcnr pesen, d.
knowledge Of what occurred dspa.ona,e exnn,ip,,;
ol all the evidence cannot fail think sir to satisfy oc
ha chasing the poll on the first day would have amounted 10
an open unqualified denial Of right Of sagc IN l,ro
portion OF the Of Norfolk borough in this election Ss
pn se'i shows that considerable number had voted on
the first day md the dispositions referred 10 prrsors -
most c0mpeten as we'll o official responsibility as from the
positions they occupied to speak every circumstance and 10
give to every circumstances its appropriate and st eb,
prove that time aio,red 10 po them twin bs seq.
mat N ,he words Of the law they numerous they
could not all he Poicd before setng" and the officer Lo
conducted the election did hesitate therefore in eyerc
e power conferred upon him by wise and saluary enact.
men to avert the papable and crying that must o,he
wise have cnsued II should ecoecred tina, il was M, -,
election Tor Repnscu this House only In obs5;
ence TO law, election held the same time for Senate,
and Delegate TO the State legislature Polls were
he
time consumed IN entering the in poll books and
stu more IN settling the right Of disputed votes, to which from
the peculiar character Of the chartered and ,.
number Of challenges the face Of the poll exhibits no small
space was devoted When, say with all these
hlngS calm and deliberate consideration is BESTOWED IN
other facts touching this point disclosed in the dcposions
must be perfectly Obvious that yo had but the aeTna
i've TO ADJOURN the poll of putting an absolute ptedc,
on te elective franchise Indeed but lle attention. N ali ,bs
circumstances of the must persuaded produce con-
Vcon IN the mind Of member Of this committee that
being hs vote r =, nIT for any human
ed
appeal with confidence 10 the testimony which sneak. pain
as 40 ha prevented the officer from opening the poll
me SUBJECT and the part taken by either candidate for coat ~
this House, producing delay which lie t , u.
have controlled without suheoing himself TO the hipbes
sure II not mered excavation, of The sitting member vLn o
charges him with gross the responsible inst cns
to -a usurPaton reprohaed by every dictate Of i,cc
and every principle Of honor II for me sir 10 defend
now Tar IS sustained by the evidence the House ili de-
ierminc ~ ''O"'e VIII ue-
But sir, you to TIC contested election NJ ,,
aud Bailey In Of the documents upon your table the s
hg menoer says that sit remarkable strange cas-. in
Oi' OF ms objections yet after round ascertain all ,h,
ne has thought N let you about il s Thai ,,,hs n,
OF Acc9mac one Of the largest State fYnia This
important fact will dispute; but take leave ~, sx,s %
we" little farther, by reading par, of the reo,, tie
committee in The case which relates the point IL ons.o
w III dia not appear nor it pretended that any rain
haa acn or that any rise OF taken place hs
only question was whether the condition had bapn,ne5
on Whoh the law authorized continuance the po beyond
me hrsl day, with the effect of such continuance ID was rovr
that the election commented early and progressed randi aud
yum no nermssions, except such appeared necessary in
determining the right Of disputed votes aud small space oc
bed NY friend nj the r-tioner in addressing the people
mat towards the close Cf the day voters became more rare
au io hs an hour previous 10 setting very few II any,
woes were gwen nSomuch that the sheriff proclaimed several
tunes AT the door OF the house. that unless other voters
would come forward the election would be That about
gun setting four persons appeared and tho privilege
10 Voc TWO oi these deputies IF the ssG who were nT
eh curing the day. assisting IN the election; did not appear
whether the remaining had been present during the day or
bad just appeared that late moment The sheriff continued
9e election over to the second day. the request agent
Of the sitting member, though objected time by Inc
agent OF the petitioner unauthorized illegal From this
your committee very clearly the opinion that the event
dd not happen which eS'ed the Of the sheriff IN
adjourn the cccon that the question whether more
persons had appeared than could nc poed ON the frs, dav
was mere QUESTION Of fact allowing discretion whatever m
the officer and That the subsequent proceedings we're Illegal
ana that the votes received the second third DAYS oe,
~ be rejected appears that 80 given on those
days ior the sitting member, and for the petitioner
(To BE CONTINUITY
see dispositions ~ John t. loli VIM C. Ilo,t ard TIuor
r. Gugsby. 49, ''"b'
rHnn