Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-07-19
RICHMOND, VA.
FRIDAY MORNING. JULY 10, 1874.
TO THE REPUBLICANS OF VIRGINIA. !!

To Tt1f. REPu blICANS VI
> The Central Committee beg leave ino>l re-
spectfully, to recommend 10 you lhe FoS'pon ~
mcnl of the Charlottesville Convention non, n ri
Sd Monday Of August to Tuesday me i w.
I of September The reasons Tor assuming '''i'
responsibility are u,,e
Isl Because we are not certain that all the
r counties in the Commonwealth VIII nave ai' "
porluny OF meeting in primary asSelii'',.,, a,u
appointins delegates and we wish 10 sec G'eiy
county. without exception, fully, ably, ana EN-
cienly represented in that important D1oy-
: ID. Because many of the Delegates appointed,
who are in the habit of visiting oar western
Springs, will find il TOO late in The season 70 81
on these watering places on ihe i'.l ., ~,
gust, and too carly 10 return 10 their iesilcT,isc
homcs--whcrcas the 10Th Of September VIII pc
most an, TO accommodate every delegate oil ms
description
And. :}iv Because it will he scarcely posi-
bic 10 procure that copiouS series ol "oc"lliei,S'
which it is 50 important 10 circulate among NE
people and which ii is. in fact one OF INC great
objects of The Convention To accomplish,
It would be desirable, indeed, 10 place these pa
pers a soon AZ possible in The possession ol INC
neoplc: hut when il is rccollecicd with what ease
and rapidiiy such documcnlS-whcn collected To-
uerhcr N one pont-may be disseminated, like
LIGHT from focus 10 he different quarters oil the
Commonwealth BY delegates anxious 10 dis
charge their duties and prepared win Inc means
of immediate transportation. tins argument, IN
favor ol an early Convention. may he consider
ably weakened. il no! altogether superseded
The Central Committee also think il their duty
10 make another suggestion. There Is but one
nrnbablc mode by which We may be defeated in
| Virgini3 If the laws of the land in relation Ia
The r;all of suffrage I've efficiently carried into
cyrcu,nn-if spurious votes are moi palmed upon
us--ifno pipe-laying votes be poured in from The
horde, Sraies-if votes Of no description be null
tiplicl upon our polls, which are not lcsitmacly
exercised according 10 The awS-and u the Com
mi,sionars of our elections will discharge their
duties without fear, favor or Affection, or he
compelled 10 answer 10 the very laws which some
of them NAV bc prompted By party feelings 10
violate, by the enforcement oil the penalties which
tiey impose We have no earoimeelng our adver-
| saries before any tribunal OF the people of Va.
which they may select for the arhiiranient oi our
respective differences OF opinion This purify
right of suffrage, il is the solid and permanent in
tcrcst of all parties 10 preserve with almoS, al HE
sanclv that is due 10 the temples Tom Holy Rcli-
zion No free government can long exist, IN open
violation othis fundamental privilege IL Is, as the
Charlottesville Convention l l0Ju>lly Observed,
"A rphi incsliinabe 10 irecmcn. II has been qua
raneed 10 every citizen in the Stale, who has in
the language of the Bill al Rights sufficient evil
dcncc of permanent common interest with and al
lacbmcu, 10 the community. II is right which,
when properly projected and guarded. comrfe-
hcnds within itself the powcrIn preserve ana maln-
tain every other rght-lt is the foundation stone
al the Republican ediacelt Is the fountain, from
which flow the great blessings OF free country
Snake that corner stone, and The whole building
NAV crumblc in ruin upon oglr heads CorTnN
that fountain. and you poison liberty al lis very
source. Ii is that formidable power, which at
iorls security against tyranny and oppression
which enables the people 10 hurl from ali uiIde-
served eminencc all uniaiinful servants, who
abuse their confidence, and lcrvet The authority
with which they are invested, 10 promote some
unworthy object or to advance an unholy anol-
lion. Ii presents the opportunity and the occasion
10 discolinlcnancc protligae politicians, and 10
reject those officers. whose principles are IN con-
1ict with the wishes and the interests ot ma
nrjiy of the people whilst it enables liberal, 4
free and an enlightened people 10 sustain, enccu-
rage and cheer on those faithful servants who de
vote their talents their time their lives 10 the ser
,.cc ni their country Ii beStuwS those rewards
and honors which while they distinguish and Gle
yat. The Individual cndow him with the power
Of nromolirg the interest and glory OF The nation.
/ put m ? heated struggle between excited par
| lies il NAV happen that temporary advantage
! from some loose construction @! the iaHS-iroih
/ some spurious voting created i'll Tie bosom oil our
state or n,crpolaled from the border Statcs-nay
,emni some oithe Commissioners OF elections 10 re-
! Law their Offices and II admit votes without ade-
| ouate cau,ion and rigorous restrictions. When we
| remember too that there Is no subsequent remedy
/ nrny;dcd for this abuse-nO means for purgln9
Inc pols in the case OF Presidential election
and when. in doubtful contest, the very Suspicion
Of rcmissneSs or of fraud is calculated to cnoltler
The issue and excite dissatisfaction ana perhaps
onnosifion TO the result deem ii best on every ac-
4 .GgohlO ri IFS
I ro.sihlc occurrence We wouldn"t hastily suspect
any. marry in virginia of such abuses. We would
moi assume the character OF immaculate purity,
,;r our own par,v. We would not willingly be-
-, leve any Commissioners in Virginia capable OF
knowingly violating the laws Of their country.
Blu, when statements have reached us a'i-
then,icaied by respectable names, mat IN some
counties considerable number ol spurious
votes have Teen carved onl oil waste and noun
tainous lands--thal, in another county, ovcr,Ircs
have been made to Introduce spurious voters from
ono,her S,atc-and when We are told that in an
other county the Wing Commissioners OF cleo
lion refused in the election OF lolo, TO admit
challenges and put the contested voter 10 The
oath We hope we may be excused for calling
YOUR attention 10 The following suggestions;
We advise the Delegates oil The Convention
To investigate the movements III lhe'f respective
co,In,ie, and bring with them statement oil the
/ hummer pI SIullpuS 'v'N'f ''
been created in those counties.
> TO confer al hcmc upon the best and most
rcsncr,fuI mode of enforcing The rigorous cXccu-
lion ofIhc Election Laws-and OF pedging them
selves 10 the enforcement OF their penalties.
The laws relative 10 The duties OF Commits
sioners in the Presidential election, ana Their re-
,ponsibiltcs require them, in the FIRST place, 10
take an oath before entering upon me ul>chal5c
t their du,es To execute faithfully and truly, ac-
l., 49, hp nf -
and hey swear that they will to the best of their
sLnll and Judgment. admd M persons IL rate catt-
Hed 10 do So. who NAV apply, and rcFcf al mol So
,ottlcd-and that they will make TAR and true
rc;urn of the persons voted Tor as Electors, ana
If the number of votes given ior each. The law
also rrnyides 'that nothing in this or any other
ac, shall he 80 construed Or to authorize or re-
uuir. the Commissioners TO permit any person 10
vote unless they shall decide, that such person is
entitled TO vote; and Tor Inc purpose Oh e'.er
enabling them to decide upon cases OF doubt
li,l votes. they are hereby empowered 10 swearany
nerson. (whose right 10 vote may he questioned
Ia answer such questions and make such state
mrn,s in relation 10 his right 10 vote as they may
: deem proper Ii thru imposes me following pen
ally on the Commissioners: .'Or il any Commits
sioner shall fail To attend or refuse 10 take the POLL
!, being required 10 do so by candidate or person
qualified 10 vote, or shall toke c"RfT0fy 10 lar !
or shall make or sign false return, or snail
alsify The polls or tickets by erasnre alteration
or otherwise. he or they so offending shall, for
ever such offence. forfeit and the sum OF three
hundred dollars, 10 re recovered with costs in an
action of debt, before any Court oil record IN ihlS
Commonwealth, b. any person VINO VIII sue lor
, the same
The law of l5il-l2 prohibits any one from
voting. or offering 10 vote, in any election by vlr;
tue Of anv interest or pretended interest, IN real
estate, whether the same shall purporl 10 be a
freehold or only chatlel real, under or pursuant
to any deed. when such deed is without any good
or valuable consideration, and understood between
the parics thereto as not intended to vest in The
E grantees any beneficial interest IN The property
, which they purro,t to convey, but for The purpose
/ merely OF enabling them 10 vote; ana declares