Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-08-10
The Voting in the Hospitals.


We very cheerfully give place to the following
the manner in which the voting was conducted in
Pettgrew hospital. Dr.. Haywood admits that the
names of the Counties to which the soldiers belong
were written on the backs of their tickets and the
clear inference is that this was done by the inspec
tors or pollholders This is in substance, wh at We
have heretofore stated.
The tickets or ballots of the soldiers were, there
fore, opened and the names of their Counties writ
ten on them. This as we stated in lest issi.e,
was not only unconstitutional and Illegal kut un-
necessary. If such writing on the lacks of the
tickets was necessary, in order to distinguish the
tkets from each other tina. were cast by the SOL
diers from the dersc: Counties, the soldiers them
selves should have been directed to do this; aud
they might have been told, in advance, that every
tioket that might be found in the box not thus
written on, would be counted as blank. But the
idea Of an inspector opening a. ticket and mriting
on the back of it! The law of the State is most
emphatic on this subject 1t declares that "every
person qualified to vote shall give to the returning
officer, in presence Of the inspectors Or in the ab-
b
ticket rolled up in which shall be written the name
or names Of the person or persons for whom he in.
tends to vote" The presumption in law is that
the voter will hand in folded ticket, and provis
ion is, therefore, made against frauds by declaring
that it two tickets shall be found rolled up together
they shall not be counted. There is no authority
whatever in law for opening ticket and writing
on the back Of it; and though we have no idea Of
contestng the election and especially votes cast in
any manner by soldiers, yet we have no hesitation
in expressing the opinion that if the election should
be contested all such ballots thus marked on the
back would be declared illegal and void.
What we meant when we said that Dr. Haywood
"did all in his power to have fair election" was
this That he caused it to be understood that every
one under him would be allowed to vote as he
pleased, and that he resorted to no means of any
kind with the view of influencing votes But Dr..
ID. and others have involved themselves in grave
error in adopting the plan of marking the ballots
themselves and not leaving this to the voters. If
voters in Petigrew Hospital not deferred from
voting As they wished by the adoption Of this plan,
they certainly were in other hospitals and in the
camps generally, especially when this was accom-
panied by violent thr eats against the Holden men
by those having control of the polls.
We may feel it our duty to dwell at some length
hereafter on this subject
Fer the Standard.
The Late Election at Pettigrew Hospital.
The following statemen. is made in justice to the
authorities and to correct any that those who
do not know me may have been led tn entertain in
regard to the fairness of the election held at this
hospital. l received no orders from any one how
the soldiers should vote. The manner of voting
Was the SINE at all the hospitals in this city, and
was adopted after consultation with legal friend.
who suggested that endorsing the name Of the
county in which the voter resided would obviate
the difficulties Of obtaining correct result where
voters from fifty two different counties deposited
their tickets in one box. This plan was also sub.
mitted to gentleman who has acted as an inspector
Oh elections in this city for number of years. He
pronounced it fair and just to all parties and the
only one practicable under the circumstances. Mr..
Holden says: so far as DR.. E. Burke HAYWOOD
is concerned, We expressly stated that he did all in
his power to have fair election"
E. BURKE HAYWOOD,
Surgeon in charge.