Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-01-29
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURES.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES
WEDNESDAY, January 26.
ORANGE EI.ECTION

Mr. Semple offered the following re solution.
Resolued, That the Committee on PRIVILEGES and +.
econs ne instructed to request OF Jane. Barbour The
returned member IRON the county OF Orange TO rive
them statement in writing of the mes of In,
20 whose right oil voting he intends 70 take testimo
ny,in ne contest now dep- nding Tor seat in the H.
OF delegates, between him and Thomas Davis-Tha,
'hey require the SINE OF the said Davis and upon such
statements being delivered, or within five dav. from,
this day, IL such statements he not made that ib.v
proceed 10 an examination of the votes out by
the respective notices in the said contest and moi M
brac"d in such contests.
Mr.. Semple ia, ofe ring the resoIution ss;d th., h
understood from what passed yesterday betws the
person cone sting The tight OF the sitting member from
Orange, and the Chairman Of the COMMITTEES of Privj.
legs and Elections that no step would be tak.n nv
the Committee until fifteen days had passed. That /,
dld not become him to complain the decision of bs
nouse' oy which this time had been given to the
member IRON Orange, but he must be permitted to saw
mat unless the Committee would take up tho subject
before the termination Of the time given to the parties
70 take additional testimony would virtually give the
'tting member the right If representing Ofange whe.
ther he was entitled TO his seat not A volume of
evidence was already before the COMMITTEES stuff MT
~ large to occupy them many day. in tho exsmina
non, and their convenience "a we'll common in tic
10 the contesng party and the people OF Orange re-.
qured that the Committee shoul proce ed with m.
investigation OF the subject so far additional ,stms.
ny was not expected to operate the votes In que
tioB. Although fifteen days had been add I'd TO the
hiteen days deemed by the law adequate 10 the mr.
pose, yet he presumed that the additional testimony
would apply to very small remnant OF the votes con
| tested. ~
MIR. Goode moved TO lay the resolution on the table
for the Present-said he hoped would please the Com
mittee IN meet and devise method of ecopom
time and preventing the delay which mig hit result from
the usual practice in such They had done 90 in
one in'tsnce, aud the effects were bene fetal
Mr. Barbour said, that the gentleman from James
City, seemed to think that he endeavorng TO OBJ
tain time in order TO retain the seat, to which he wa,
not entitled lfsuch were the genteman's impre ssions
he did him injustice. He, MIR. b., had no wish to be
in this contes aud if he conceived that his
was entitled TO the seat, he would advocate his taking
III. But Mr. b. had prima faeie evidence to the con.
trary. The object OF the resolution was IN
to give notice of the votes to be proven That was i'm
possible. He had been here twenty DAYS and did moi
know the condition OF the testimony only from the LEI.
,ers Oh MS friends 1t might be different with his OPP
Ponent, as he had been at home during that period
But for HIMSELF he did not know single voter with
regard 10 whom testimony necessary. II the re-
soiuuon shonn De passed the door would be barred
ganst him. He had a letter from his agent which de.
clared an enlargement Of time absolutely necessary
when he received it, he could ask for time becan,.
no complaint was before the House, and the House
would not have given him time TO take tastimonv in
contest which might never come before IT, When IN,
committee reportedh had supposed il would he final r.
regard TO the testimony relative to the those of
or b were he questioned he could only answer that n,
knew nothing about it. His friends declared that the,
had 1t in their power to procure il time were granted
testimony against that OF the conesng candidate n.
had object in asking delay but To test N. ,ruu
MIR b. then handed in letter from hi. agent sta,;,,
the necessity for further time, which wa. read
On motion OF Mr. Gholson, Mr.. Davis was admitted
| Mr.. Goode withdrew his notion
Mr. Davis said, that the agent of tho sitting rnemb.,
would probably be in Richmond this day liz so ina
individual Would relieve the gentleman from al difficult,
oy stating The evidence to be taken I the Resolutions
therefore, were delayed until Tomorrow could the,
be acted on, In case the agent did not arrive
Mr.. Semple wished u 10 lie till the agent of the sit
ing me mbeT arrived. Mr. s. said that in off ring IN
re'oluon he had been guided by a ssnse of du,v an,
areEard Tor the rights Of the peoplsi hst he Rad N
ae9usiotance with either OF the gentlemen more espe
esily In'ereted: That IL could not fairly be inferrs
rom the resolution from his remarks that ne in
tended 70 charge tbs sit log me nnber from Orange will
asking time Of the House for sny ,ips,er pu,nos. -
he denied the right TO exercise an inouisi,oy;s
oy which his opinions matters of oersona tsndso
, cy, should he drawn from him IN hi. Honse fnn
uaiions against member were non, sub. ,,,,,. q
Argument, and he had INDUCED IN them M, hoaJ
ne. was not proper, except by way OF replv N on
quire into tho propre'y of the deei.ion NJ A.. 49,
As 1t has been alluded TO, he would say tbs, !, :. :
strange the gentleman bsfore skiing time had M, .
amined the evidence he had taken by his agent. :,
= see wherein II was defective. The letter read ~
thought, had not supplied sufficient reasons land n
bad heard none yesterday for the time which had bee
4, graOtcd by the courtesy OF the House. The Ren,Is
: man did not seem 10 kn,w whether he wanted finn
or The only burlbeu that was put upon him W,
70 state what testimony he wanted, and In the meal
lime, allow the Committee 10 examine that part Of N
suyec', IN which no testimony vac wanted.
nr Goode renewed his motion n lay on the table
WIN the understanding that n tbs Committee did %