The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-05-24

the strict enforcement of this prohibition,
and will promptly arrest and hold for trial
all persons who may transgress it.
T,renty-second-Any person attempting,
| by force, intimidation, or fraud, to prevent
any qualified voter from voting freely, shall
ut once be arrested and charges preferred
/ against him, in order that he may be brought
| to trial before Military Commission. The
Use or exhibition of firearms or other deadly
weapons ut or near any polling place on the
day of election or during the counting or
canvass Of votes Is prohibited, and will sub
/ .icct the offender to punishment upon con-
| viction by a Military Commission or other
/ military tribunal.
| 1renty-third-No voter shall be compelled
to work on the public roads, or to attend
any court as sutton, juror, or witness, on the
day Of election, or be subject to arrest under
any civil process during his attendance at
this election, or In going to or returning
thcrefrom, nor shall any such process be
made rcturnable on the day preceding or
! Succcedin" the election, if thereby his right
! to vote would be defeated. II arrested on
! the day Of election upon a criminal process
| for other crime or offence than felony be-
fore he has voted, he shall be allowed to vote
before he is imprisoned.
Trenty- fourth-Thc Board of Commits
| sioners shall possess full authority to main-
tain regularity and order, and to enforce
obedience to their lawful commands. during
| the election and during the canvass of the
votes after the closing of the polls, and shall
| have full authority to preserve the peace and
good order at and around the polls, and to
keep the access thereto open and unob-
! Structcd, and may appoint one or more cleo
| tors to communicate their orders and dircc-
| tions, and aid them in the performance OF
| their duties.
If any person shall refuse to obey the law
| ful commands of the commissioners, or by
diSorderly conduct in their presence or hear
ing shall interrupt or disturb their proceed
ings, they may make an order directing the
sheriff or any constable of the county to
| take the person 20 offending into custody
and dctan him until the final canvass of the
votes is completed, but such order shall not
prohibit the person so taken into custody
from voting. If no sheriff or constable
should be present, such order may be exc
cutcd by any other person deputcd by the
Board in writing.
T,ceniy-ffh-Thc constable Of each dis
trict and Of each ward-two or more police
officers to be selected by The Mayor of the
| city-wilI be required 10 be present during
the whole time that the polls are kept open
and the votes arc being counted, and will
he held responsible for the preservation Of
ubUl OluCI uul lut anu lDl lIlt tit-
| forccmcnt of sections 81 TO II. The She
riffs Of counties will he present at the
county-scats of their counties during the
same time and will make such distribution
| of their deputies rs may be necessary to Sc
| cure the same end.
Trenty-Srth-Military interference with
elections. "unlcsS it shall be necessary to
| rcpcl the armed enemies of the United
states or to keep the peace at the polls" is
| prohibited by the act Of Congress approved
| February -, 1863, and no soldiers will be
| allowed 10 appear at any polling place ull-
| less, aS citizens of the State, they are quail
| fled and are registered IL voters, and then
| only for the purpose of voting: but the
| commanders of posts will keep their troops
well in hand on the days Of election, and
will be prepared TO act promptly If the civil
authorities are unable to preserve the peace.
7renty-Scrcnth--It is hoped that the ctl-
zcnS of the State will give their aid in sccu-
| ring full and free exercise of the elective
| franchise; but if, in any county, city, OF
| precinct, the balIot-hoXcs or poll lists should
| he stolen or destroyed, or the voters should
| be prevented from voting by force or intim-
| idation, Il new election will be ordered for
| such county, city, or precinct.
nty-cighth-Immcdiatcly upon the clo-
| sing Of the polls the commissioners shall
count the number of the votes pollcd and
| compare them with the separate poll list,
and correct, il possible, any error that may
| be found in the respective numbers. There
upon, all the ballots poled at this election
for the constitution and against the conSti-
tuition will he counted, placed III separate
| packages, and the number Of ballots marked
upon the outside Of each package. The >cpa-
rate ballots pollcd for and against 'Clau>e 4.
| Section l, Article ILL.," and for and against
4 rfipIn - of this rOnSt it'll
ton shall also be counted and placed in
separate packages, and the number OF bal
| lots shall be marked on the outside OF the
package. If two or more ballots should be
| round wrapped in the same paper ana cyl
| IDENTIFY cast by the same person, or If the
writing upon any ballot he so illc@iblc that
the intent Of the voter cannot be deter
mined. such ballots shall not be counted,
| but shall be placed in Il separate package,
which shall be marked on the outside, " Re
| cctcd balOtS.' The separate packages,
| after being sealed, will then be placed in
| the ballot-boS, which will be locked and
sealed and signed with the names of the
commissioners in such manner that the box
cannot be opened without destroying the
| signatures. The President of the Board OF
| Registration for each registration precinct
| will then convey ali the records OF the cleo
| ton, including the original registration lists
| and the ballots. to the seat OF justice OF the
county or city. If there should have been
more than one polling place III the precinct,
| he will first collect the records OF the cleo
ton at the other polling place or places.
and take them with him as above directed.
| The presidents of the Board Of Registration
| for each county or city shall constitute the
| Board Of CanvasSerS for that county or city.
and will assemble at the seat Of justice
thereof on the second day after the election.
| The Superintendent Of Registration for the
| district will be president OF the board, cX-
cept in districts which are composed Of
more than one county, in which case he
will be president Of the board for the county
| in which he is stationed. IN the other
| county or counties Of the same district, or
| in case Of the absence Of the Supcrin-
| tcndcnt, the Board will be organized by the
| election Of one Of their own number us Pre-
| sident.
| Itrtniy-ninth-Thc President, in the pre-
| >cncc Of the commissioners, or majority
| thereof. will open the packages, count the
| ballots, and verify the poll lists and canvass
returns, and enter the summary OF votes for
and against the constitution and for and
against the sections of the constitution upon
| which separate votes are pOllcd, and the
number of votes pollcd for each candidate
for election to office, together with the dc>lg-
nation of the office upon the canvass re-
turnS-blanks for which will be furnished
from these headquarters. The summary Of
votes will he entered upon the canvass re-
turns complete for each county, and for each
| city in which separate election was held,
and the results will be certified 10 by the
! President and 10y all the members Of the
Board Of CanvasScrs for each county or
! city who were present at the canvass. The
votes shall then he placed in packages as re-
ceiyed, and shall be brought by the Prc>i-
| dent Of the Board of Commissioners, in per-
son. with the poll lists, list OF persons adj