The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-05-27
RICHMOND. NAV 26. 1863.


Sir: have received the questions submit
tel upon the Election Laws
Question lst Can officers osths navy, who
ar citizens of Virginia, of lawful age, vote
IN tho aparnsehing election. and where sre
they to vCtel
Answer-They are legal v0ters in the coun-
ty or ci'y Of their residence, ualess by reason
cannot there vote. In such case they vote nn-
der the Sd sec ion of tho act OF Assembly,
passed Eiarch 26. 1863, aud under ordinant
NJ 90. section 4-that is, az tho court-house o
: 'oftl.s county Or city where they happsn to be.
Question 2d-Can eaiors and mariners,
who are eisizans aud of lawful age, vote, and
where?
Answer-Such persons are prohibited from
voting by the terms Of the Constitution They
are saausn ard mariners i'll the sular sarv ie .
of iiie Confederate States.
|. QGestion 3i.-Csn officers and privates Of
the army, who have been paroled or ex-
changed, but who are not with their. regi.
naents, battalionT, CT companies, veto, and
wtere?
Ans wer-I do not think they Gin vote un-
der the provisions of the act above named fvr
voting in camps. They muss be qualified
voters III regiment, or in a company Cr bat
talon unattached, Or in compauy or bat
taliGn on detached eer9ice, in order TO vote
under the d section of the above.msntO aed
&C.. L uS i1s5L C5ltt& Cu uctAou-S SttESlCo, ILL
less in company or bait lioa on such service,
w:ir,ot bring them within the law.
Blu: sach officers and prlvates may vote, un-
dor tn, frovil; rs Of the act and the crdi-
nance fl he voting cf abssntees FROM coun-
ties or corporations, because of The presence
OF tho enemy.
Tue difficulty, whore s.eh ia the case, under
this qne esiior, is, that taeTe seems to bs no
provisions for ho ding th- polls ia such cases
Taere ,s 10 reason why Suffrage ahoaid BE- des
Li5d 70 such ticors aad msp, bat NJ provision
il made for receiving their votee.
Q estiou 4-Csn If cers or privstes Of the
army on fur,oUgh, who ars net in their
cuin.iea, vote AMI who 10 10 record their
vQtesl
Auswer-I answer this az l answered the
thitd q1eeiioa. Taey can only vote aS absen
t. es und. .r ths 3rd sec,i ID Ct tho law, and the
4th section OF sne ordinance.
Question 5-Hsvs men. who ere detailed
for particular dasss r SS vsg ,s taH sns'
Answer.-Taey may so.e il they are abse1.
tse, fsom their residencs by rsason Of the pre-
ssncs OF the enemy.
I thisk they may vote, too, il they are in q
com;a,y and under ths e1mnasd of como Of
icsr. Ii they are at a post. and there ia CON
lnandsr Of tie pos., should incline to think
the7 might vaJs uadsr his smrasv.sion, aad
withia tie limits of his post. Bl. whess 60
I .ucu w wv uus y, put bOs unsei cviuueuo VI
some Gffcar as q part Of corps for Guy,
,ais.k ,hsre is NJ provision for thsir voting.
Question O. C.a the commandsn;s II p Gs
q. . iiich are wounded soldiefs in hosptais. u
where there are G ,vernnea. employees sho
a-e In the nj itary service bold pcils ~ h.s
post for such pers, Ms 80 vosu
Acswer.-i think those On cesacas d ssrvi ,e
q. u post may vote there upsn the detail oi
tuparis,eadens, 60, by comman Nat Of the
post. G.Eb: very much whether this will
iaaude iayaiidsiu hospitals. They can haTdly :
be sa;d 10 be on detached service, Ecr have
they any csmmandans. If tao be y csm,
mandant Of the hospital, "a post, think the
vots might be taken.
It is very difacult 70 eoustsus tbsee provis.
ions 80 a. TO meet ell tho casas which arise.
Lmsy add that while on tho one hand the
law does not give the right Of sufieags bayond
the constitutional provision, yet It enables
taoss who possess il under the on1utusaon q
exercise il, though abssns by reason Of mill
tary service or the presence Of the enc ny
from their place Of residencs. IN theFsforl
inolinsd 10 give liberal consesaetion 70 tht
terms Of the Law, bnt am not willing 70 en-
brace cases which the terms of tbs law DO uO
fully include, especially whsze the law haa no
slseriy provided he msans for The holding q
thb poll.
with this rule I have snds&vossd 70 stse!
clear Of . stxiot constxestton on he ene Aossd
and . leaiiudinoas interpretation on ~ eehez
! th;aR II Will roaah al thA prac1aoab1o aoao
| Within ~ intonAaon ~ ths LsGialAtnsA
Ian, very Ieapss11ally,
YqSE sss6slt ess!s.A
]. : xvoxaR
! G eMMt A1eAlfs