Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-05-29
THE HALIFAX CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT

From The moment that lhe election OF DIR. Ave-
rett was known TO the Wings OF The District, a
systematic game was commenced by them. 10
deprive him of The certificate OF election. Two
letters from Halifax correspondents in the Rich
mond Times; an editorial in that paper: another
in the Danvlle Register, The sudden and mex.
peeled exit OF notable Halifax Wing barrister
TO Danville, ria Pittsylpania C. HI and finally.
the departure OF Mr.. Flournoy "a day or TWO in
advance of the meeting OF the Sherifs 10 com.
pare The pols) ito Franklin Superior Court" az
all plainly indicated 10 every Democrat. who
happened TO notice these several movements. a re-
gular contest, before the Convention of Sherif1s.
OF DR., Avereit's right 10 The certificate OF cleo
tion. lie was therefore advised by his friends 10
attend that Convention; and, al their urgent re.
quest, did 50. Upon his arrival al the place of
meeting, he found that Mr.. Flourroy was moi al
franklin Superior Court, but al Piisylvania G.
H., loaded TO the muzzIc with objections against
DR.. Avereli, and with reasons -xcsod save the
mark lin favor OF his own right 10 The ceItif.
Gale OF the Sherifis.
On the Illh of May, the Sheriffs who coEducl-
I'd The elections in the several counties, or rather
those who conducted Them al The Court Houses
Of the several counties in The DISTRICT, all assem-.
bled al Pusylvauia c H., except the Deputy
who ottciated al The latter place; in MS stead ap.
peared Samuel Stone, Esq The High Sheriff.
As the reader may not be apprised OF the reasons
why this Stone was raised from its foundation,
some twenty miles distant, and thus thrown into,
anc tried 10 be made part OF the frame work o.!
the Convention, Tor his 1.-The readers benefi! they
will be explained: Be 1t remembered, therefore,
that Samuel Stone, Esq, resides twenty miles
from Pinsylvania C. h and had no more 10 do
with conducting The election at that place, than
The President of ST. Domingo He, Stone,
though, is good Wing, and his Deputy, Benz
w. Daniel who conducted the election, better
Democrat. When the reader recollecls this, and
then he ADDS 10 il, the immense Importance now,
as well as Two years ago, c}0ns uots, he will have
a toerable reason why Daniel was attempted 10
be "horned of, and Stone rolled into The Con-
venlion.
This manGuvre, however, was met by the
Democrats at the first hop. They demanded
that the Sheriff who received the votes should
aid in counting them, and as the law demands
the same thing, The result was, that Stone,
raised from his foundation as aforesaid, mot
being Of the true grit, was rejected and
thrown over among the rubbish. After which,
the Convention of Sheriff. 10 wit: James Med
ley, Of Halifax; Benjamin W. Daniel of Pitt
sylvania; James M. Sheffield, of Henry; Green
Ayres, Of Patrick; and VIM. A. Brown, of
Franklin, was organized, and proceeded to
count all the votes given TO each candidate, in
the several counties Of the District, which being
the counts footed up as follows
For Thomas II. Averett, 2437
For Thomas S. Flournoy, 2425
Showing majority for Averelt OF 8
After this result was announced, and Mr..
FourDoy had ascertained, that by the simple
rules of addition and substraction-the only
rules usually employed in such cases as this
be was beaten exactly nine times as badly as
be beat Mr.. Tredway two years before, the
VENUE was suddenly changed and resort had 10
bubbles and technicalities That which had
been lost in dancing, had DOW 10 be made up in
turning round. A short history will put the
reader in possession Of Mr.. Flournoys objec-
lions 10 Dr. Averelt's right to the certificate.
He first moved that the vote Of the Black
Walnut precinct, in Halifax, (after it had been
mind you) be set aside, made null and
void, for the reasons. that the commissioners
who conducted the election at that precinct,
had not certified TO the Convention of Sheriff.
The causes which induced them TO keep the
polls open three days; and that they had failed
TO state upon the polls, al the end Of the first
and second days proceedings, that "thesc pro.
cesdings are adjourned until Tomorrow or
something to that effect. Upon these objections,
he as I'D the Sherifis 10 exclude that poll, by
which he would have majority in the District
of 70, and give him the certificate of election.
This poll gave for Ayereit l43, and for Flour
noy So votes.
After long debate between Messrs. Averett
and Flournoy, this question was submitted to
the Sherifs-now for the first time in Virginia,
sitting as Judges Of elections! The Sheriifs Of
Henry and Franklin voted TO set aside the poll,
and those of Halifax, Pittsylvania and Patrick
against it.
In order that The public mayjudge of The vail
dily Of this Black Walnut poll, il is proper 10
give here The form in which il is made out. In
substance, al leasi-ior have not the papers BE-
tore me- this is ii: The caption OF Averetrs poll
reciles tha! "At an election held, &C., the follow
ing votes were given Tor Thomas b. AverelL" y
A similar caption 10 made TO Flournoys POLL
Immediately under these headings, The names OF
voters are registered by clerks sworn 10 perform
that duty. IF they voted Tor Avereit, their names
are placed upon his poll; and if Tor Flournoy,
upon his poll AT the end Of The first days vo-
ling, The clerks certify, Immediately under The
name last registered, the accuracy of the polls,
as OF that day. On The second day, The polls are
again opened, The word "Friday, April 81, lS49,
written under The clerks certificate OF The prevl-
Gus day; aud then follow The names OF all yo-
lers who vote on that day. AT the close OF The
polls The second day. The Clerks certificate, as ut
Inc day before, is again appended. The polls are
opened on the third day, vita The words "SatuT-
day, April 2e," written under the clerks certiii.
cafe; all The votes polled on thai day are regis
tered as before, and at the end Of Averetrs poll,
the commissioners certify that The foregoing poll,
showing l43 votes given TO Thomas Fl Avsre,i,
is correct;" and 10 that certificate they all afh1
their signatures. The same course was pursued
with Flour: oys poll.
From this statement the public must Judge how
far this manner OF keeping these polls is liable TO
criticism, and whether they were kept in such
manner as 10 justify The Sherifs OF Henry and
Franklin in setting lh.m aside, aud thereby de-
priving, as far as heir ac,ion could deprive, l99
ireemeG lom being heard in the election OF a
member OF Congress. An honest community will
be APT TO decide hat no possible harm could re
suit 10 Mr.. Flournoy, and no sort OF benefit in
ure 10 his opponent, by the style III which these
polls were Kept; and that his objections, therefore
in lhs Particular, stand immeasura6y beneath
the most ordinary county court quibbler.
Mr. Flournoy did not include in his 'bi O.
particulars The objection, raised elsewhere, as le
The right 10 keep the polls open three days; but in
his argument addressed 10 the Sherifs, he lcomec
at large, upon that subject Its all right 10 KEEP
the polls open in Campbell 10 defeat Bocock-iT
Bedford, 10 defeat Poweli-in Richmond TO de-
feat Seldom; but ha, they should be kept open il
Halifax 10 defeat Thomas SlanhoPe Flournoy
is foul treason, by Heaven! and must be pu
down.
Nor did MIR. Flournoy initiate the unscrupu-
lous "S,aunlon," oil The Richmond Times, BY
charging that fonl play had been pTac'ised il
HALIFAX, in permitting Democrats TO voie "almos
Unfortunately" and rejecting Wing woes up
on the smallest shadow OF Suspicion Sel-re
spect and knowledge OF The Commissioners whit
conducted the election throughout that county
forbade any such base insinuations. But lei u
gel along with our history OF The proceedings be
lore the Sheriffs.
After the Black Walnut poll had been dispo
sed oil, MIR. Flournoy moved 10 sci aside The en-
Tire vote OF franklin, upoa the ground, as he con
tended, iha, it did not appear upon The face Q
the poll book for whom The voters therein regis
tered had voted AMI because, too, The names .
The yoars were written otljdaclg ms cad OF dlrec!