Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-03-07
THE ALEXANDRIA ELECTION


Geerge Tucker, the Repu blican candidate for
Mayor of Alexandra, and fourteen other Low.
allsts IN that city, including Judge Under
wood, have prepared a memorial 10 submit 10
Congress, stating that the military re construc-
ton bull, passed by Congress on the ID of
March, has been openly defed by the author
ltIes OF that city in the election lust held for
municipal officers; said authorities having
based their refusal To receive or record tn.
votes OF colored citizens on the ground that
the laws of Virginia are paramount to those of
the United States. The memorialsts say: Al
though 1919 votes were cast for the Union
candidates-a large number OF them hy dis.
Charged Union sOldiers-and only I.I0t votes
Tor both the disloyal tickets-mauy OF these
berg cast by retained rebel soIdiers-yet the
existing provisional government insi SITS upon
Ignoring the Union vote and declaring the can
didate of the opposite party elected NJ tyor,
although he received osly $50 votes and is
moreover, disqualified by the law above re-
ferred 10 from holding the Office Thsy refer
10 threats made by disloyal employers to dis
charge employees for voting the Repuslicaa
TICKET, and to shed blood if the negroes were
allowed to vote, and aIlege that nothing but
the presence OF the military prevented a riot
ihey say the "military reconstruetion
BILL Is defective, because it "msk.s no
ioree,' that the disleyalis whose ap.
parent interest il is TO nullify the Law, I'LL
every Office. from the highest TO the Lowest
ana loyal reconstruction is possible only
tnfousn Inc assistance of loyal elec. ION OIL
GERS; "that peaceful elections cannot be secured
unless the arrogant, domineering. blood -tbirstv
oisloya elements kept from the polls entirely
until such time as 1t shall have become at lea Il
partially purified. or the loyal Element orga-
nized and thoroughly entrenehei in power,
sre that IL is absolutely necessary that there
should be a registration Of voters, SO that ali
dlsfranchised individuals may have Inc notice
not only that they are disqualified. but tia,
that face rs known. The memorIalists favor
the LOUISIANA bill, but would have il 50
amended that no person having an honorable
oseharge from the army or navy of the United
States shall be disqualified from voting or
noioing ONCE on account OF previous com.
Piicity In the rebellion; and that it should he
made the duty Of the Government and Conn.
Gill; from time to time, to prepare lists of all.
except certain classes OF the DISTINGUISHED
persons, who are nor truly loyal, and send
them 10 Congress to have their disabilities
removed. -
The authorities OF Alexandra NAV tha,k
themselves II further action should be taken
oy Congress to enforce the provisions OF the
reconstruction bill. If the Commissioners of
Election doubted the right Of the colored men
70 vote they should, instead of rejecting such
votes, have received them in separate ballot
boxes, TO be counted and retained until such
time as the uestion of the right Of coIored
men to the elective franchise ON this occa-
sion should have been determined BY COM
petent authority. This plan was adopted in
Baltimore recently in reference to contested
votes OF white men, and IL the Alexandria
COMMISSIONERS had pnrsued q similar course
no one could have taken exception to their
conduct They would thus have shown q dis
position TO conform TO the law IN any event
and, instead Of putting their own interpre,a
lion upon It, to have performed q simple duty
and have left the decision Of the noosea point
to the Courts or Congress. As il 10, the Alex
andria city authorities have damaged their
own cause, and TO some extent that OF other
southern communities, by their foolish at
tempt TO retain the government in their @ YIN
hands. The first result of such action is shown
by the fact that in the Senate yesterday Mr..
Wilson, of Massachusetts, introd aced a Joint
resolution declaring the municipal offices OF
Alexandra vacant, and imposing severe pen
aipes upon any parties attempting to hold
such offices. -.... ....- .-. a. .-