Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-09-18

fcer snail fail in this duty, ne Sais - ~ ,ar,rv
.oei Ss,,,,~.,nh for the benefit OF the Literary
Fund, 500. or;o, which your COM
,,;,,ee viii bring TO your n"ice, as important :" pr
seyinc this invaluable right IN IT'S parity: ., va
e INV 6cer conducting election shall directly - ".
dctr so interfere IL the election as to sue" Past'ay
Car any of the candidates, he shall cFet anu p"s nv
n, i-si, hundred and sxty-sx dollars ana s'Hty-S1
cents. to besrecovered by BILL plant or nlo''as ,.
INV conrt of record one moiety to the use OF tie M
forlne rf1nd the other TO the use oil 'he So
for the. benefit of the Literary Fnna -. .hro h,,e
ynnr committee would also remark, that there nave
heen numerous decisions by the LEGISLATURE "P l
ticular cases, presented to their mor,,nt n
- ~. Instruction which has been given oy .ie Nc
neral Assembly to arising under .ie rs;aa
and laws but they are too numerous ,r.d th.,
into a report of this character; ana u - - ~ 800
fan General principles have been estaoi'sheo'
- haen usualy decided upon ITS own merits, upon
tbs ,n1tcplar facts and the evidence ny ~
,bav are aupported--and slight vafia'oh III Wy
r ~ the circumstances Of the case, not unfequent
Nv PRODUCES entirely opposite oecisiohs "PF'N! r.
the same general principle
Your committee do not hesitate to express y DO ' "
fs,np Sc nse of this Convention, that these laws
I've faithfully carriedout, and the pending
II fairly decided by the ma orty OF the feope. hey
would disdain to achieve temporary party triPn "
prostituting the great principles OF the hePuolI, u
The lofty character Of this good oid Commonwealth
1he party which would stain the glory OF Virgins W
abuses and outrageous Eduas, y $50
ef corruption and the violation OF the law, "ouiu ne
servo the execraton Of every honest tirginian we
do not wish to run the race OF some OF tue o'''e
Ave abbor the Infamous attempt which was ihuae W
the Wings of Pennsylvania 10 usu.p slv nJsr foot
The LEGISLATURE of their State by tramPng undel ioo
The minority of the People. We deprecate the uai"s
attempt to set aside the voice of the People IN ne"
Jersey and to palm upon the Congress OF 'he = -
- Inc cover Of the broad seal of her Governor, the
representatives of the minority OF the feopie. ne
recent elections which have taken place have iurniseo
additional reasons 10 suspect, that anna the whi"nu
of these times in the phrensy OF party SPIRIT IN 'e
rectless determination 10 effect their objects, by IN
worthy means the sanctuary of Liberty itself has been
desecrated BY the frauds OF the wings, IN some Oh %
other States. The vote OF Indiana mas traiscehaeu a'
previous calculation 1t has increased from e 10
uuO-and there is much reason TO tear, that thoo-
s,nds of voters have been introduced from The CONT
Uuous States to colonze severa! OF her counties ne
same dark suspicion rests upon the votes OF i-ouS'i'e
and Mobile-and has been confidently asserted, tiat
more votes have been gven than were recorded on he
REGISTERS of their votes And even North Carolina er-
self has not escaped the imputation OF fraud.
Your committee will cast no such reflection upon the
Wings of Virginia, without the plainest ana most pam
Fnl evidence of their reetness. But they conceive u
20 be the duty Of both Parties to watch the first symp
toms OF its appearance TO prevent all frauds, ana 10
punish all offenders 1t is the wish OF tins committee,
and they undertake to say OF thus Convention, 10 see
the right every voter respected and to every
violation Of the law All that ask is fairness and
Justice Let it be the principle Of every Democrat not
to vote unless the right plainly given him by the law
and the constitutions fit has been granted tearlessy
to demand it. and TO let nothing deter hn from eNe'-
csinr his privilege 1t should be the duty OF every
man of every party, TO that none shall vote VINO
are not entitled TO sufrage-and that every man who Is
so entitled shall be allowed fair opportunity to express
his opinion openly and Independently like Tree cItzen
Of this great country.
The Committee beg leave to repeat that they have
no doubt Of carving the of Virginia trumphantly
in favor of Mr. Van Buren, if the voters can be m
duced 10 attend the polls and If all bad voters are duly
excluded But The very character OF the election, IN
which we are engaged demands peculiar precautions
10 be made for such une2ampled contest IL is The
only election in own State, IN when me issue IS
10 be decided by General Ticket This IS so essen
tiay different from the other elections, IN which the
success depends on the majority OF voters, IN single
county or in single district that there IS some reason
to fear several of the voters Will not turn out TO the
pos IN those counties where the ma orty is known to
he decidedly 10 favor al party or the other Fut
II IS obvious the slightest reflection, that every
vote equally effective III those sections, wei! as
IN others A voter is OF much Importance III the
most decided III the most doubtful counties
Whether he live the sea shore or on me BANKS OF te
Ohio-in Accomack or in kanawha-in the small
county OF Warwick or in the immense region OF MO
ncnralia-in nc glorious Tenth Legion OF the Repub
jc a. in the Federal county of Loudoun the suffrage
O, each voter OF equal weight IN the scale OF ihs con
test.
Rnt. as there nay be some citizens, who may have
been rnisled into different impression, II becomes I'M
portant TO remove their and TO summon them
the polls There other voters besides, who mag Tor
ret the day of the FL, 'tion-othcrs, who may re
qure be reused, By personal appeals to attend the
polls.-and some who NAV stand in need OF conveyan
ses 10 bring them . the Election ground. On al! these
accounts, is of great Importance to have commtcc
appointed in every section Of every county and CITY
whose duty it shall he 10 warn N our Repnniicar
friends and TO rouse them up 10 punctua atscHuahe'
al the polls:
Resoired, therefore, That the Corresponding Com
ntteea Of every county should forthwith appoint SUP
Committees for each division Of Their respective coun
ties whose duty shall be to obtain register OF suct
voters as we NAV look for assistance nj the election
10 wait upon all of them at their houses, and notify then
of the day aud place, and manner Of the Election;
appeal their patriotism and when the day OF Eiec
ton comes, furnish every facility winch Their year
or infrmtes require, to bring them TO The ground
Tho Corresponding Committee OF each county is to dl
vide these duties among their subcommittee, IN INT
most iudicious way-to appoint no man upon TINS I'm
portant duty who is not calculated by the energies
his character perform II IN the most eectua man
10 see that lie accepts the office which is confdet
TO him. and to from time 10 time, that this whole or
uaniza,;on be thoroughly carried out.
But as it is extremely desirable not only that all on
own good votes should be brought TO the potts. but
bad or doubtful vote Of the Opposition should be ex
cluded-as this too is an Election in which, from thu
animated character of the contest, more suspicious
votes will probably be rendered, than have ever been
called forth at any preceding perod-and as unortu
nlely no adequate means nave Deen prOVlucu
by the State Federal Governments, to purge the
polls and ascertain the fair and legitimate majority
of the People of the Stac-and as II moreover may
happen, although we have every TO calculate
upon decided majority for Mr.. Van Buren, that the
question may by possibility be brought to very close
issue-and the very nature and high Importance of the
contest may be productive of extraordinary excite
rnent threatening even the tranquility of the country
where the majority depends upon spurious or even
pcious votes conceive II 10 be the solemn duty o.
The iiep-s :" provide against the admission
of all such votes 1t must be recoiiecrcu 40,
where so much depends upon the Commissioners of the
Election they should not be unwilling to profit by the
suggestions of their fellow-ctizens. So far from
weakening any authority which legitimately belong:
TO them does it rather to assist them IN the
execution of their duties in the most efectual manner
Nor can i f- 10 Be recoected, that as majority OF
the Commissioners recently appointed by the Governor
Of Virginia. have been selected from the wing party
even in several of those counties where The epub
lcans carried their Delegates last Spring. the Govern
has been induced by the want of information, or by