National Republican., 1876-12-06
"GN EXAMPLE OF FAIR DOING"

Baltimore San of Thursday goes into &C.
stacies over the Virginia Board of Can
ysssers having given the certificate Of cleo
tion to DR.. Jorgensen, the Republican can
didate for Congress from the Fourth dis
trict of that State, and cites it as an Eek
"ample of performance Of duty unbiased
"by partisan desires which is worthy Of
Especial admiration at this moment" II
should be remembered that the majority
for Jorgensen, as appeared before the board,
was over 1000. IT. therefore, their action
in giving the certificate to the individual
entitled to it was can example of perform
ance Of duty" we fail to see where they
deserve special mention for deing what
they were sworn to do, and what they
have, on another memorable occasion,
failed to perform, and that, too, as we
shall show, in the interest of partisan de-
sires The Sun further says:
"Capt. W. E. Hinton, late Democratic can
didate for Congress in the Fourth district,
came before the board and simply asked, not
that the certificate of election should be re-
fused 10 Mr.. Jorgensen, Republican, but sim
ply that the board should append to that Ger
tificate statement of the facts of the case
intimidation by troops quartered near the bal
lot boI-s fact notorious by the proclamation
of the Governor of Virginia. The board de-
cided that Its authority was wholly mfniste-
rial, and declined to append such statement,
as one they had no right to make. A brighter,
contrast to the work of the Republican boards
In the Southern States could not be desired. A
ard In State giving 43 900 Conservative ma
jority, and with every partisan-perhaps we
might say patriotic-motiye to increase the
Democratic majority In the House of Repre-
sentstives, refuses even to do what It might
possibly do, lest 1t offend the law which Is its
guide"
With the usual disregard of truth that
chsracterizes the San, it asserts that Hin
ton "did not ask that the certificate be re-
fused Jorgersen," when the contrary is
the fact. He not only asked it. but tried
TO obtain the certificate himself by max,
ing an impotent effort to have thrown
out the vote of county that had given
Jorgensen large majority on the paltry
pleas that the judges of election in the said
county had not been appointed at the time
contemplated by the law. Failing in this,
he next tried to have appended to the GER
ti6cate a statement of Intimidation by
troops quartered near the ballot-box."
This application was so supremely ridicu-
louf, as we'll as at variance with the truth,
that it is not to be wondered at that the
august board, in refusing il, fell back upon
their ministerial functions" But the Sun
says of it: "a brighter Contrast to the work
'of the Republican boards in the Southern
States could not be desired, when it re.
fuses even to do what it might possibly
edo, lest it offend the law which is its
guide" OF course, there is an ulterior
purpose to be subserved by this board in
their late conversion to the doctrine of
ministerial functions" as well as in the
editorial flourish made over it by the Sun.
If our readers will let their memories go
back for the short space of two years, and
contrast the political situation then and
nO,c, they will be at no loss to account for
the "cat in the meal tub" and just how it
got there. 1t will be remembered that in
Novembe., 1874, J. Fl. Plat (Republican)
and the somewhat notorious John Gooie,
jr., Democrat,) were opposing candidates
for Congress in the Norfolk distric! of Vlr-
ginis. Platt was elected by large ma
jority, but the Democratic election officers
and county officials Of the district exer-
cised. in counting the vote, judicial
functions" to SO great an extent that
when all the returns were collected in the
Office of the Secretary of State, Mr.. Platt's
majority was reduced to s94. To count
Plstt out and Goode in was the evident de-
sire and purpose of this board, but to do it
they must exercise judicial functions,
and the sequel will prove that they were
equal TO the occasion. The clerk Of the
county of Prince George Democrat,
who had held the position of clerk thirty
years and never before made a mistake
had, instead of using the printed blanks
furnished by the Secretary of State on
which to make his return, written it out
on foolscap, and omitted to write in one
place on the blank the words, Robert
Gillian, ST., clerk" In every other par
ticular the certificate was perfect; aud one
perfect in every respect, under the seal If
the county court, and containing the words
OuIIltu III IuC uIbl1 was uCiOiC buC uOaiu
at the same time. Yet this Democratic
board rejected the vote of the entire county
of Prince George because of the absence of
the words indicated, threw out the ma
jority of four hundred and twenty-five that
had been given Colonel Plat, the legality
of none of them being questioned, and
counted Goode in by fictitious majority
of enc hundred and thirty. one. The yir-
ginia Board of Canvassers in 1876 are the
identical men who composed it iu 1874.
when judicial functions were so promptly
assumed, even to the extent of doing q
great wrong to Colonel Plat, the district aud
the country. 1t is very safe to assume that
this body Of Virginia Democrats in 1874
failed to perceive the party necessity that
might arise in. 1876 for refusing judicial
prerogaiives to canvsssing boards in the