The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-03-30
Purity in Politics.

punishable with fine. imprisonment and dis |!
qualification fer holding oliicr, for any federal
or any person to gives receive, or
solicit money With 9 view to The election of or
votes for tie office Of President. |
Vice President, Or tic post Of Senator, Repre-
sentative, priDelegate. in the Congress Of the !
United States. or for political purposes. The
debate onsthe maiitsbilI and tiic amendments (
offered thereto took 4 wide partizan range,
and brought up the election fraud case of the
Senator from Portsmouth, Virginr. Mr..
Blaine introduced thersubiect and briefly de-
sailed the method by which the ballots had
been stuffed, by democratic officials, and the
candidate returned, although the
Investigation bya democratic Committee OF
he Senate showed that the republican cantli-
late was elected. But. Notwithstanding this,
i ne Senate seated the democrat.
In the coi.rse Of tire aes,ate. Mr. Goole, OF
Virginia, and Mr., Harris, Of this district, de-
ended the people Of the State from any
,srong-loins in connection with the ballot-boX,
al seemed to be delighted with the argument
: icy used that the ballot system under lHhch
IT elections ans he'll was the work of Repub-
ans. and substantially copied from the Con-
tuition OF New York. -
We were not surprised that MIR. Goode should
.cnipt'to convince congressman that there
no fraud committed in the Portsmouth
'Action, and that everything was conducted
-'.eording to law. In defending the judges of
-:;'ction AM. the commissioners to count the
,ung his own case in advance of the report
=; the committee on contested elections. 1t is
:; III known.tli;l the same species OF corrup
's,n that defeated the will of the people in giy-
j. the certificate of election to Gayle, the
'':mocHatic candidate for the Senate from the
s'ertsmOuth disirieEjis that to which Mr.. Goode
i indebted for lle privilege OF speaking on the
i 'or of enii.:reas. That sraud was practiced.
I'd OF the iisgst unblus!iAg and brazen kind
tine election of Gayle. is not open to debate.
vt two of the Wards in Portsmouth the num-
.r of ballots found in the ballot box exceeded
e number Of votes cast. rs attcstch by the
oil books, as two 10 one. The tickets were
arranged i'll size some of them not larger
ian postage s:amp!-.titaS the judge drawing
.:nt;the excess of ballots to adjust them to the
1''l! books, could easily have Disseminated be.
seen the Republican, and democratic tickets,
AK: that lie did so, was sufficiently evidenced
- the fact thnt, ont OF over eleven hundred
fv,llots at one precinct, where there ware only
'aolit 500 votes cast according to the poll books
Is. left in fire for the Republican candidate.
it'll a similar result. Substantially. at another
recinct. In contentling that the forms of
itw were complied with in blindfolding the
:;id2e who extracted the excess OF ballots when
ficli transparent fraud WAS demonstrated Mr..
'.oode only indicated the desperatcness of his
an case as it will develop before the proper
'mmittee 800 -
Intent upon holding his seat and defending
!:s right 70 if, when the contest shall mature
regardless OF the means by which he received
lie certificate OF election, it was not surprising
nat Mr.. Goo;le showed some sensiliveness I'M
er the vigorous exposure made by Mr.. Blaine
hut why Mr.. Harris shoulll have allowed him
eli to enter the field in defence OF the frauds
-;:'arly conn tilted. is Il surprise. lie we'll
;iows. that whatever may have been the con-
tion of public affairs when the Constitution
a'as adopted that roviles the ballot system,
aid from whatever source its provisions may
i,ase been drawn, or however defective they
may be, these ca1lnot be urged as excuses or
valuations for the heiilous and bald frauds per
.etrated against the rights of the people in
The election Of Gayle. The frauds stand out
.y themselves. They are the product Of cor
rupt Democratic officials. The. ballot system
lad nothing 10 do with their suggestion or
.,erpetriti,n Only rs the convenient instru-
tent of corrupt men, determined to violate
t:,e law and public morality. When Mr. IIar-
IS arose to his feet OH the occasion OF this dis
c:ission, it was dle to his position rs chairman
II the election committee and it was due to
-:lonld have denounced the frauds while he
was giving the origin of the system under
which, they were practieed. lie did nothing
ii the kind. His remarks, ii anything. were ain
apology for the wrongs that had been commit
ED. lie knows as we'll as he knows that he
holds his seat in Congress by q fair election,
that il such oatrAges upon the sanctity of the
ballot-box, the palladium Of the liberties of the
people, as it has beci justly called, were at
tempted by either Democratic or Republican
officials. i'll the Valley of Virginia, which he in
part 50 creditab.y represents, that the people
would not wait for the slow process of the
law TO leach the offenders, but would promptly
notify them that the suresr means of
safety would be to leave instantly and forever.
No man can read the evidence in the case of
Brady We. Gayle wieiiont knowing that the
frie IDS CT Gasle committed fraud. And no
party exigene. o. stress of political despera-
ton will Justify any Fan in speaking in refer
ence TO a case OF that kind, without giving eX
pres SION to his Indignant condemnation. Mr.
Harris knew when he spoke that the ballot.
system did not perpetratc the frauds, but that
the democratic officials who manipulated them
were the guilty parties. And he cannot help
but being convinced, if the evidence in the
case of Platte W. Goode develops as in the
case cited from Portsmouth. that Mr.. Goode-
has 10 business in Congress. Fl X. H..
There are occasions and circumstances which
sometimes demand that a gentleman holding
q high public position should rise above the
IN re partizan, and address himself to his duty
rs an American citizen, feeling the full re-
sponsibiiitv of the trust he represents and the.