Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-12-23

-, ,-scncts Of Patrick county, at which
t'ns as,n,endens who super'ntended them, nad no,
ne taken the oath prescribed by law, were hea
Pe'I,,lv and in manner not conforming 70 Tue
rtssu, n III. Ac, of Assembly; but as no suggestion
iist.. ma lie by the sitting member, the contes''us
ha or any individual of the constituent BODY 'isei,'
practical Justice was operated by snen
iaa' ar hat the result of the election was, 10 'he
'as,ss, degree affected thereby; but, as on .he con
=. il does appear, from The depos'l'ohs a'ole'u'
Ui, Superin,endents did, in ia l. proceed precise
w. ,byy would have done, had they oeen P'ev'ousy
=, il does not appear, tina, single individual
d,ced 10 give, withhold his vote, oy tnat con-
tom. or indeed, even knew oil IT'S exs'ence; out
sysry opportunity existed tor iu'i ana iair ex.
'', o( the sense of the constitutiona'iy quai'led
P'' And as no question is made, as to the legality
'9'. , votes pclled Tor either candidate, your Com
va of opinion, that it would be Inexpedient and
h' a, The ground OF this irregulari,y alone, 10 va
=. hs e,,re election, and thus defeated, instead OF
e' st.c TO the voice Of majority of the voters OF
- county; that the assumption OF the contrary
No mIrh, lead TO dangerous consequences, sub
go. OF the rights Of the people, whose declared
-; mt thus be rendered dependant on the casual
.teeuona omissions Of careless or corrupt officers,
rbsss preliminary qual6cat ons the voters must OF
s..ty IN most cases be ignorant, and over which
w. ueuld have no power 10 exert any efficient con.
"' mai however censursabe obnoxious TO legal
",,,s the officers themselves may be held, whose
l, Of duty shalt involve such irregularities as that
~. uoder consideration your committee cannot
..re in such irregularity alone, sufficient cause
=. .upe.ssdlng the whole election ITSELF and expos
. me psopl. second time TO the inconvenience
- c.led election, at an Indictment season, on no.
20 lrly short, and und.r other circumstances
4,,y rather u obstruct than ensure full and fair
weston OF their will Your committee is of opinion,
~, It - exped,ent in ITSELF and congenal with the
.,- of existing election laws, TO refer again to
80 ,sooe controversy resulting from irregularities
- the part Of ministerial officers conducting the cleo
,o IN those only where it shall manfestly ap
,- that the irregularities were such as TO have affect
a be result of the election itself, and deprived those
le5 to vote of their ust relative weight, in the ex
.s OF the most important of all privileges, the cleo
ne franchise.
u Rssoired, Therefore, That Isaac Adams is en-
asd 10 seat in the present House of Delegates, as
n. member from the county OF Patrick.
motion was made to strike out the whole report
,s insert substitute which rected, that Isaac Adams
~ 3,3 votes and A. Stuart had 273 vo,es-but that it
,,,ssred the persons appointed to superintend the
.so.a,e elections in said county, had not been sworn
an! that at separate elections no sheriff nor deputy
sier; all 'nded to poll the votes and hence De gave
II. certificate Of return 10 A. Stuart he having re-
,.ysd the greatest number of votes polled by an OH
%, authorized 10 conduct elections, &c.
Tns substitute rejected by vote ct 50 ayes, IL
p,asand then the original Report of the Committee
a.s adopted-and Mr.. Adams took his seat.
GoGGrS rs. GlLMER-Ms. Goggin claims the seat
la. Is cluse, without counting the Votes taken on Inc
second and third days, in Greene county, and in Ma
ts,n, a,,he Court House, and at Robinson precincts
he had majority, in The whole District OF 100 votes
Pad That even If the votes, taken on the second and
third day counted still he had majority of three
votes, These statements, the memoralist says. are
duly certified b. the proper authorities" 3rd That
the poll ought have been kept open in Greene
and Madison account of the ,ceather-whilst 1t was
closed every other county Of the dstrct-there not
etog rain enough to justify such measure-and the
sane no. being asked for, contemplated by law, at
the request Of any "canddate nor sis it shown, that
.ny agent of his did"
Isl we have before US "the following correct state
asa Of the vote Of Madison county, (the only county
,1out the amount of whose polls there is any contro
al