The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-12-23
Augusta Contested E ection Case.

The House of Delegates, on Saturday last,
adopted the report OF the Committee to which
was referred the claim of Capt. Jno. n. Opie,
a delegate in the Legislature from Augusta
county. The report declared that there was a
tie vote between Messrs. Stuart and Opie, and
that the natter should be rewarded to the peo-
pie of Augusta county for determination. The
action of the House will nccessitate an order
Of election from the speaker to fill the vacancy
thus declared to exist.
We are not informed whether either Mr..
Stuart or Mr.. Opie, will be candidate. As
soon as tile order for an election is published,
and the time fixed, we presume candidates will
be announced. Or more than probable, the
curb stone statesmen will insist on another
caucus, in which event the usual iieipient in
culents of packing delegates, ETC.. will trans
pire. We shall await future developments,
ard be governed by the lights that may come
before Us.
! Since the above was written. the Speaker has
issued thc order of election, fixing the 18th OF
January, and Mr.. Opie has announced himself
Il candidate.
The Enquirer of Monday gives the following
notice OF the debate:
The Augusta contested election case was
taken up when Mr.. Fowler, OF Washington,
advocated the adoption of the minority report,
which proposed to seat Opie. He laid special
stress upon the fact that under the constitu-
ton each House Is Il Judge Of the qualifications
of its own members. Mr.. Davis, of Peters
burg, followed in one OF the most thoroughly
sensible speeches chat was made during the
ri ,I,,fa f.f.tltpp1tr that Aa 3aU uith which
Mr.. Opie had failed to comply, in Vests case
was a law enacted in pursuance OF a constitu.
ton, and that the House had no right to over
ride it. Mr.. Lacy made very earnest speech
ia defenseof Mr.. Opie' right to the seat, follow
ing substantially the line OF argument adopted
by Gov. Smith on Friday. Mr.. Purcell spoke
in favor of the minority report, agreeing with
Mr.. Fowler that the House had full power to
; Judge of the qualification of its own members
/ Mr.. Shelly, chairman OF the committee, closed
, the argument in favor of the majority report,
saying that the theory of the other side wa;
founded on a fallacy. as to fact and law. That
t so far from Alexander Stuart ever having re
G signed, his name is called daily in the House
and lie had the certificate OF election. which
Mr.. Shelly exhibited. The roll being called al
the close of Mr.. Shefry's speech, the vote
r stood: for the minority report, "a; against
a II. The majority report, which declares thu
election void, and reverts the matter TO thu
people, was then adopted without DIVISION,
The following is the vote rejecting the mi
nority report and referring the matter back tt
the people of Augusta:
Ayes-Messrs. Armstrong, Arthur, Bagwell
/ Bogart, Craig, Curett, Fowle, Fowler, cor
y don. kellam, Lacy, Lampkin, Lemmen, Letch
er, Mathew, McCaull, McEroy, Moncure, Nc
Mullan. Male, Nicely, Purcell Sibert and W
Smith-24.
9 Noes Messrs. Allen, Aylor, Barlam, Bets
e Branch, Bristow, Burke, J. A. Carter, p. j
Carter, A. 1. Clarke, G. I. Clarke, Coale, Cog
hill, Coleman, Conner, II. Cox, r. Ii. Cox
Crump, Dabbs, Davis. Dooley, Dyer. Ed
inunds. Flood, Gaines. Giddings. Gilman, Gray
e Green, Hale, HAMILTON, Ilornniger, Howard
HUBBARD. Johnston. Jones. Kerrick, Kindriek
Lewis, Lipscomb, Lowell, J. Q. NORRIS. w. $
: Morris, Paul, Pierson, Poindexter, Powell
S Price, Rains, Rusin. Scott, Scruggs, Sheffey
1 Simpson, II. f. Smith, J. w. smith, r. N
Smith, S. Smith. Strayer, Swami, w. !. Talia
ferro, W. B. ralaferro, Talley, Terrell Wall
Wallace, Watts, Whitaker, c. U. Williams,
5 B. Williams, Woodbridge and Young-H.