The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-04-21
IocAr. 1eArrnRs.

eNEAD, subtfed to the CITY Council ~ III u1esf1nr
on WednesdAy afternoon, relative to the late eiee
tions in Monroe Ward, which was laid on the table
for future consideration
othe President and Members Of the Council.
GESrLEMEr;--Inv indication of my own conduct
touching the anomalous state Of things Connected
with the returns from Monroe Ward in the recent
election. and the subsequent action of the Council
thereon, ask leave to submit to the Council the
It Is known to all that at no time have /, by any
means. direct or indirect, sought seat ia the
Council of the city of Richmond In the election
before the people took part and In the decision
to which the Council came in its action between
Dir. Denoon and myself, tits known to you took
no part in shaping your decision. With these pre-
liminaries, permit me to state my views Oh 'ne
whole matter.
In the first place will say that the Commission
were from all the facts far as they nave Deen
made public not only justhable in striking on .5e
vote ofthe minor, but were in duty bound to do
50. -,
Secondly, inregard to the action OF 'he coun-
Gil.
NV opinion is, that when organized, Its power
was limited in deciding between the two persons
returned with an equal number OF votes,to simple
choice between them, leaving an enquiry in'o tne
correctness of the return or validity OF the votes
iven Of the polls to take place under contest by
which the whole subject would be opened to the
fullest and freest investigation But the Council
saw fit to pursue dlfterent course ana appo,n.eu
a
The members of this committee differed az to the
extent oftheir powers and duties. Two the ma
iori,y of the committee, thought they were clothed
with the power and eli to be their duty to go be-
hind the certificate OF the officer and commissioners,
and examine and report 1t the polls had been pro-
perly kept and the returns correct. Under this
sense of duty they informed the Council that they
commenced scrutiny OF the polls, in pursuit. OF
which they ascertained SO many errors and such
irregularities that theysoop gave over this mode OF
inyestig alton, and betook themselves to what they
thought would prove shorter, it not surer mode
of arriving at satisfactory conclusion. The plan
devised, was, to take all the tickets from the files
and count them, and in SO doing what was the re-
ported result One, hope to be pardoned for
saying most strange and singular They report
that they found on the files nineteen tickets (by my
calculation make this the number, though do
not think they specify that number) more for Mr..
Denoon than the number OF votes recorded for him
on the poll books, and for me twelve tickets less
than the number of votes recorded for the
poll books. They did not report that they had ex-
amned to see if the nineteen votes as presented on
the tickets had been recorded for Others and only
were not recorded for Mr.. Denoon; or whether
these tickets had, by some unaccountable manner,
found their place on the files. Neither did they
show by their report that my excess upon the polls
had arisen by twice entering twelve votes nor that
the discrepancy arose from the unaccountable loss
of some of the tickets given in for me. Why did
they not prosecute these enquiries if they intended
to submit report which ought to control the &C.
uOn OF the dan but tney fOunQ the TASK afQuOuS.
and in the midst of the most strange and unaccount
able Irregularities stopped the investigation and
reported what they called the facts in the case
Also in their remarks before the Council in support
OF their report, they argued that in much the
investigation had shown that Mr.. Denoon had re-
ceived thirty one votes more than had they
should feel themselves constrained TO vote for him.
il an election was gone into, however different they
might vote under other circumstances.
Before commenting, let me cay once for ALL
hat mi fullv and fraelv acuuit no E0rnpt
tee of all or any intention of committing wrong
and do this most cheerfully: Yet | must be per-
mtted to say, 1t was even granting their views of
their powers and duties, strange conclusion to
which they arrived at that the Council should feel
itself enlightened as to its duty in the case by such
areport as they had submitted. What was the re-
portt twas, that in the midst ofinextrcable conu
sion OF poll books and tickets, which they declared
they could not even examine to their salts
faction, much less correct and reconcile, that Mr.
Denoon had received thirty-one votes more than
had, and of right entitled to the seat. And
this conclusion was arrived at, when within their
own positive knowledge, as / am informed at least
some OF the names the tickets were those OF
persons who possessed not the requisite qualfica
tons of voters, and had right to at all in the
election.
The minority of the committee not feeling itself
either instructed at liberty to go behind the re-
turns, confined itself to obtaining legal advice to
the authority OF the Commissioners to strike from
the polls the name OF minor, and reported &C.
cordipgly.
The Council next proceeded to choose between
the two individuals, the charter directs
which resulted in my election. Being present at
the time, it will be remembered that as the
decision was announced, arose and asked il there
was present any one competent to qualify me, de-
signing at the time, under the impulses of the mo-
ment, to qualify aud instantly resign not because
felt that Mr.. Denoon certainly entitled to the
seat but for fear that mil be where the voice of
the people had not called me, but another |
wi n hat ,ivhf into and
keep the seat, but that might be in an attitude to
resign. In the delay which occurred in getting
magistrate, was privately entreated, by some
members of the Council not to act hastily. | felt
it due to them to suspend executing my purpose
until the next meeting of the Council. On Friday
last prepared an unqualified resignation, but since
that time so much has been said and written on the
subject, that have been induced to review my
former determination, and have concluded that my
hasty resignation might do injustice to Mr. Denoon
by depriving him of the opportunity of securing a
full legal Investigate of the whole matter by con-
testing my right to the seat. am sure do not
wish the seat it am not rghtluy entitled to it, and
| will not ascrbe to him less respect for the will of
the people. TO this end, on yesterday evening
| addressed him note, of which the following is
copy:
RICHMOND, 18th April, 1854.
Mr.. Samuel ID. Denoon-Dsar Sir: The circum
stances OF the late election in Monroe Ward for
Councilmen, and the late action of the CITY Coun
ell in regard thereto, are all well known TO you
address you this note to inform me- in writing, if it
is your purpose to contest my seat, which desire
you do, and now invite you so to do. Please send
me an answer to this to-day. 7t
Very respectfully, yours,
ALBERT SNEAD.
To this note he declined to respond in writing.
but sent me verbal message by my friend, the
bearer ofmy note, that towards me personally he
entertained no unkind feelings; that he meant no
disrespect by declining to send me written an.
swer, but instructed my friend TO say to that he
will not contest.
Mr.. Denoon having declined to contest; and never
having sought the place or position occupy, am
reluctant to remain in it any longer than may be
necessary for the Council to do whatI now pro-
pose:
1nasmush as the Committee of the Council have
gone behind the returns and report that they have
made very strange discoveries, which appear to
have set the city in frment, propose to the Coun.
Gil the appointment of committee (Mr Denoon
having declined to contest which committee shall
be clothed with full power to send for persons and
papers, and all other powers necessary for the &C
eomplshment of thorough examination and re.
port on the whole matter notenly relates to the
keeping and return OF the poll book and tickets,
but also as to voters whose names are found on the
same. propose this that the Council may look
into the whole matter. and ascertain how sucL a.