Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-02-18
GAZETTE g. VIRGINIA ADVERTISER


senator CIaughtOn's speech.
The following synopsis Of the speech deliv-
cred in the Virginia Senate on Wednesday
last by Senator Claughton, of this city, in the
Knight Johnson contested election case, is
taken irom the Rchmo nd Whig:
Senator Caughtou said he would have pre-
tered not speaking on this subject, but the
criticisms on the paper presented by him, EN-
poiyiug his views on one point IN the case,
had been such as to force him reluctantly 10
speak. He referred eloquently to the past pc.
Rod, when viva voce voting prevailed, and
when men fearlessly gave their votes in the
hight of day, and the. cry of fraud was never
heard, and compared 1T with the present Pc
rod when the secret ballot prevails and the
elective franchise has been so much abused
and prostitut4d He said that in this case the
only evideoce of fraud was the dispositions of
voters that had been taken and they did not
bring fraud home to the election officers. The
contestant had failed He then proceeded to
sustain the posltlou assumed In his paper
that voters are lpadmlSSUu rs Wlt0csseS. de
spoke with some warmth of the criticisms that
had been passed upon his paper by the dis
tluguished chairman OF the committee. tie
had united with that Senator 10 his r,t
port, and yet that Senator had gone ou-
of his way to criticise his views on one
20 ut involved. 1t would seem that the Sena
tor from Campbell was more Interested 10 sus
talniDg his own reasonlugs than 10 the result.
He passed from the Senator from Campbell to
the Senator from Middlesex, and caused much
merrimert by applyiog to one point uade by
the latter Senator certain naturallst's dehnl-
ton Of crab. That Senator had spoken OF his
arguments as fallaces, but had failed to show
wherein the tallacy lay. He referred humor-
ousy to "a love tap" he had received from
the Senator from Augusta, who had taken him
all through creation aud left him on the out
skirts of eternity He claimed that the weight
OF authority was 10 favor OF his views. Ali
the error that had arisen on this question Was
traccabe to the assumption that the secrecy
of the ballot was the personal privilege OF each
voter. He said that all the decisions on the
subject contained this error, except one IN
South Carolina, from which be read. He ar
gued at much length and with great minute
hess to prove that on grounds of public policy
voters are prohibited from disclosing how they
have voted. He said that the principle was as
sacred as the law was sovereign. The Con.
s,ltutiou prescribed the ballot as the mode
Of voting and secrecy was an inherent
part of it. He defined the ballot sys-
TEN, and quoted authorities as to the secre-
cy. He com pared the ideas that he said SEEM
ed TO be held by some of the speakers as to
the nature of the ballot 10 humorous descrlp
tiou of a crocodile, which be quoted. He urged
that the secrecy Of the ballot was not alone the
secret of one person, but was The secret OF all.
10 disclose how one votes may be to disclose
how others vote. Whatever sauctity exists at
the tune of giving the vote exists perpetually,
an when the constitution says 1t shall De secret
when cas,, it meaus that it shall be secret for
cver This secrecy can never be waived. lie
referred to the provisions OF the law as to the
ballot, requiring that it shall be folded, pro-
hibitng he signing of it, and prohibiting the
printing of it on coorcd paper. Franchise is
lost unless these requirements are observed.
The eternal invlolaoiity of the ballot Was a
conclusion that canDot be escaped. The senator
elaborated this point, and illustrated it in a
striking manuer. He asked, if the law ex
ciudes the depositious of those voters, how
dare you admit them? Cherished theories
and preconceived opinions must be sacrificed to
truth and to law. The senators are, In this case,
judges, and judges should be iconoclasts aod
sha ter all idols. The stufing Of hundred
ballot boxes would not be so bad as the inuu-
merable mischicfs that would result from dis
regarding the secrecy of the ballot and open
ing the h1od-gates to universal perjury
Ia conclusion, he left the question with the
Senate, feeling that he bad discharged his duty
without fear, favor, or affection. lfthe supre-
macy oil the Conservative party could only be
maintained by violating the law and trampllng
uuder foot well.established principles, then let
that party 60 down. If there are any who
call for such sacrifice at the hands of the Con-
servativc party, they perhaps wish but an ex-
cusc 10 leave it. The sooner such men leave it
the better it will be. The party will be purer
without them.
Senator Claughtou concluded with some SEN
tcnces of striking beauty and eloquence, which
We should probably mar in attempting to re-
produce. However his conclusions may be
disseuted from, all who heard his speech we're
constrained to acknowledge the mastery force,
aeuteuess, and ingenuity displayed by him.
Not ouly did he eviuce remarkable legal ac.
qurements, but he showed that culture and
IAiDifarity with letters which afford to public
speakers such resources OF illustration and en-
beiIlshment The fasclnations of his style and
mauucr accorded well with the elegance of his
person.
At the conclusion of the Alexandria Sena
tors speech, which Occupied nearly two hours
as 10 oue manifested disposition to continue
the discussion at so late an hour, the bill in re-
latlou to the salaries ofcounty judges was again
taken up.