Daily Richmond Whig & public advertiser. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1833-1840, 1835-01-24
FoR THE WHio.

MeNrS EdltorS-lt Is known toyou. andto the
public, that for many months past, an EFFORT has
been making in the Senatorial District which
have the honor to represent IN the Legislature 10
instruct me to vote against the reelection OF
Benjamin w. Leigh, Esq. To the Senate Of tn.
United States. have INV received the papers
of instructions, from the town OF Petersburg and
the several counties Of The District and have A.
vailed myself OF the earliest OPP Nriunity of ma
king out the Suhjoined statement, which will
thank YOU to publish for the information Of my
constituents, aud those whom il NAV concern.
Sometime in the early part Of DrcembeI | re-
ceivrd from the CGmmttcc OF Instruction in the
county Of Chesterfield, two communications, sta-
ting, that the aggregate number of 62T qualific
voters had signed instructions 10 their county
Delegate, Mr. Johnson, to vote against the re-elcc-
ton of Mr.. Leigh and, further stating IL as their
oSinion, that the whole number of persons quail
fed TO vote in that county, was about 900 As
could not be supposed TO know the quaihca-
tons, and still less the numbers of voters in the
District, had determined, AT m early stage Of
this movement, 10 adopt, il lSSibic some uniform
mode OF making tho investigation, that mght'be-
come necessary 10 proper conclusion on nav
part; and, with this view, had declared my inen-
ton TO submit the several lists of siguerS. whsn
pIeren,ed TO Ine-which | then presumed would
be some time before the meeting OF the Lesisla-
ture-to those official individuals in each county
who constituted the board OF Scrutiny under
the election Law, previous to the repeal OF last
winter, To wit the Clerk, the Sheriff and the
Commissioner OF the Revenue. and 10 request
then. after examination. To mark those il any
not entitled to vote; and TO make ost list Of all
persons who were, IN their opinion qualified TO vote
in their respective counties. But the laleuess OF the
period AT which these papers have been presented
deprived M OF an opportunity OF maxim: the neces
sary arrangements Except IN nv own county, for
carrying into effect the plan Of investigation which
II was my intention to pursue. | must therefore
in relation TO Chesterfield, avail myself Of infer
in he nf Nr ,bo
county delegate, at whose request Mr.. Ponder
ter and Mr.. Nunnally, the Clerk and Deputy
Clerk o! the county, after long and luxurious
invcSiIga Ion made out and furnished him with
list, certified 10 b. correct, of 1867 persons
legally qualified TO vote in that county The
same gentlemen, after examination OF the two
lists, with the aggregate number OF 62T names on
them, certify, thattwo of the names upon The one
list, are also upon the other, which being deduc-
ted, reduces the whsle number of Signers TO 625
and of this numbgT 65 do not appear upon the
general list of voters and are therefore presumed
To be bad or il considered good, they should be
placed upun the general list, qualified voters
and would increase the number to 1882 but II bad
as presume they are, they should be deducted
from The list of SignerS, together with % others
who have authorized Mr.. Johnson to take their
names from the instruction lists, making III;
but as 1t is possible, that some of the 3D. may b.
included IN the 65, n fact which cannot now a.
certain, as have not the lists hut only the num-
bcrS before me, deduc. only 100, instead OF III,
which reduces the number upon the instruction
list, to j2j.
] received, also, from tn, Committee Of in
struction in the town of Petersburg, paper in
strncting Mr.. Brown and myself, TO vote against
the reelection of Mr. Leigh signedby 23l who
are considered BY the Committee as legally
qualified voters and % others whom thsy state to
be doubtful; they further state, the number of
persons qualified TO vote IN the town, TO be about
400. In this, as in the case Of Chesterfield, |
must avail myself of information in the possession
Of the local Representative. Mr.. Brown has been
with n list Of 5O7 names of persons,
certified by the Clerk, the Collector and, be-
lIeve, the Commissioner Of the Revenue, to be
legally qualified TO vote IN the town; TO which
number he has added two who are on the insiTuc.
lion list, and whose names were inadvertently
omitted Uni the general list. making 500; Of this
number, only l9i have signed these Instructions
From the Committee in PUwhatan, ] have re-
ceiyed paper Of similar import, signed by slO
persons, who are stated 10 be qualified voters by
the Clerk, the Sheriff, and the Commissioner;
and they further slate, that there are about $50
or 535 persons qualified to vote IN the County
houSe-keePcrs and heads Of families
to have paid theft taxes. One Of those upon the
list has requested to take his name
OF, which reduces the number of SigncrS to oOg
From the COMMITTEES in Amelia, have receiy-
ed similar paper, signed by 292 persons. who
are considered By them legally qualified 10 vote.
whole number Of voters ia the County. according
to a list made out, and furnished 10 them, by The
Clerk, Sheriff, and Commissioner ofths Rcyen.
ne they do not state the whole number of
voters but as they say that 292 is maiority of2I
suppose II TO be 563. II seems that this list of
qualified voters, 10 which the Committee have
reference, was made out, rs Of some antccedcnt
period, perhaps the commencement Of the last
year, aud that about II Of them have. by death
removal, or transfer, ceased to be voters IN lie
County. The Committee are Of opinion that none
should be counted but such as are now actually
eaiitled TO vote; and they contend that, there
fore, the II should be deducted FROM the whole
number OF voters, which would increase their
majority 10 SO. Now fully concur in opinion
with the COMMITTEES, that IN making out A list of
the qualified voters Of the Counties, reference
SeOuld have been had to the then present lime
and that II should have embraced those only VIII.
we're HSH entitled TO vote. but is II known how
that would hsyc varied the RESULT Is there any
reason To believe that the number would have
bcca less than 500. # this course had been pur.
Su'dl u 10 not probable that the number of pcr.
sons qualified to vote m that County nj pyrse7f
Is as great sit was twelve months ago, although
that number may not be ma &c up Of precisely The
same Individuals | should suppose so; and the
Commuce certainly DO not assign any reason
for different opinion; indeed they do not sI
press one. Amer these explanatory remarks. I
will close this communication with the following
tabular statement:
Whole No. No on Instruct.
Of Votes ion List.
Chesterfield. ..........l 267............525
Petersburg ............ 509...........I9l
Powhaian"............53 0............20
Amolia".......... .... 500. ...........2g
9s6o 1870
1920