Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-03-24
MIR. GOODIES speech.

Congress, published 10 yesterday uaze..e,
was so imperfect that we publish to- day full
report of it, taken from the Congressional Re-
cord: ;.
Mr.. Goode. am sorry, sir, that the dli'
tiuyuished gentleman from Maize has thought
proper to 20 out Of the record 10 discussing d
simple matter Of legislation, for the purpose
of making an unfriendly criticism upon the a''
sion of the people whom L have the honor 70
represent upon this h2or; and | aul sure that
if the gentleman was familiar with the law 81
Virginia governing elections and with inc 1acts
of this Case he would have hesltated before
going beyond the record 10 order to lug In
| this discu sion what he concclVes TO be an Ia
jury done to his party friends in Virelnla.
| Now, sir, | will say for the Information 81
| the gcntIem ~ from NJ .inr that the law Of Vir'
yiuia under which thai election was held was Tor
the pur pose of carrying into operation and IN
| go, d faith the ballot syst EN-, to which We were
| strangers until 1t wa put upon Us 10y COL
| yep,ion kGowu as tn: Underwood convention,
c,.mpos1u, large majrrlty OF it, of the gentle.
| mans friends The law Of Virginia provides
that whenever the ballots are cluscd 1t Shall be
| the duty OF the Judges OF the election TO can
vass the returns; that the ballots shall be taken
| from the ballot-bvx and shall be counted, AID
| shafl be made TO compare with the poll-llst,
aud II il appears after the cunt OF the ballots
| tina, the uumbcr 10 the box does not cor
respopd with the plumber upon the poll-book,
that must be corrected. Aud the law prCcee is
| to provide the manner 10 which 1t shall oc c"t'
rectcd. 1t provides that the two Judges OF
| election, sworn IF GERS Of the law, snail he
biinGtolded, and that they shall draw from the
ballo, box tickets until the number remaining
ia the ballot box shall be made TO correspond
with the number on the poll book.
| Mr.. Blaine. Then stated it with precise
accuracy
Mr. Goode. Allow me a N mont further.
The gen,eman has referred to the case OF Brady
against Gayle, contested election case 10 the
| State of virginia coming from the Portsmouth
district. The gentleman said that all the three
Judges cf election 10 that case We're CoDserVa-
tives or Democrats. say for the Information
of the gentleman that he Is mistaken; that one
OF them was pronounced Republican, and il
| am correctly Informed be has stated that the
drawing of the ballots on that occasion Was
done 10 strict conformity TO laws
Mr.. Blaiue Was he the one that drew out
the ballots? Was be the bIiudfoded man?
Mr.. Goode. No, sir, he Was not; but the
other two proposed that he should be the one,
aud he declined, having more faith 10 the hon
esty and integrity Of his colleagues than the
gent: MN from Maine has, who Knows roth
ing about them.
MIR. Blaine. Then the Democrats got their
hands in aud pulled out the ballots. Laugh
MIR. Goode. | undertake to say that they
pulled them out 10 strict conformity to the law
and in the way prescribed by law.
Now will ask the gentleman question, If
he will permit me- Was be member OF the
Congress that decided the case OF Hunt against
Sheldon 10 the STATE Of Louisiana, and did he
not vote ia favor of Sheldon 10 that case, aud
did DOT the record iu that case prove that the
commissioners and judges Of elections IN the
State of Louisiana counted every solitary vote
10 every precinct giving Sheldon majority,
and threw out every solitary vote 10 the pre-
cucts giving Hunt majority on the ground
that there was fighting at the polls, and there
fore there was 20 freedom OF election
Mr. Blaine. was member OF that House,
but was not on the ror; | was in the chair
when the case of HUT VS.. Sheldon was decld
ed, but should be very sorry 1t the gentle
man, tor the purpose OF vlndicatlDg the excel
lence and purity of the Virginia laws, should
attempt to do SO by taking the revolutionary
proceedings which have occurred IN Louisiana
during the last six OF eight years as prece-
dent.
|
stated with precise accuracy the mode 10 which
elections are held 10 Virginia; aud, if | am cor
rectiy Informed, 10 a large majority of the coun
ties 10 Virginia there is no Republican Repre-
sentative whatever among the inspectors or
Judges of elections, and they have the matter
10 their own hands and they have it by reason
of these small tickets. 1t is simple tact that
under that law. if the judges wish to deprive
| the minority, or it may be even the majority,
of their rights at the polls it is perfectly easy
for them to do it, and to hold an election 10
that way, care not who is responsible for the
law, is 20 better than to decide it by throwing
dice, and 10 that case it is throwing dice with
one party having the dice loaded.
Mr.. Goode | am sure the gentleman does
not intend to misrepreseo the people OF Flr-
GINA 10 regard t. their statute laws; and l viii
say, as he seems entirely msinformed Oh the
subject, that We have laws on the staiuIe book
rcqsiriog judges OF our courts to appoint three
judges of election for each precinct and that
one Of them shall be of the opposite party to
the other two.
Mr. B aine Yes, aud l have the authority
of distinguished gent man from Virginia; |
have 20 concealment about it; it is no other
than ex Gov. Henry A. Wise.
Mr. Goodc. We do not recognize Henry "A.
| Wise as Democrat, if you please.
Mr. Blaiue All right; he does not belong
on our side, and have his authority for saying
that the pretense in Virginia of giving one of
the inspectors 10 the opposite side is an out
right fraud, aud, to use his own words, "a
fraud which Out KcI'oggs kellogg, out carpet
bugs the carpet-baggcrs, aud Gu. -scalawags the
scaawags.' Laughter.
That is just what he said to me; and be is
aching for an opportunity to state 1t to com-
mirtee OF this House.
Mr.. Goode. | sympathizc entirely with the
OH ct contemplated by the gentleman trjm
Maine 10 the amendment which he has propos
cd But it seems to me that his amendment
goes entirely TOO far. 10 my judgment the
amendment IF red by the distinguished gen
| tleuau from Maine is liable to grave and ser
| Gus constitutional objection. The Constitution
provides that
| Each House shall be the judge Of the cleo
tiuns, returns, and qualifications of its own
members.
IL