The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-06-20

The partizan and malicious method OF
conducting the investigation now going on
before the Potter committee cannot be pet
fer stated than the following occurrence be-
fore that committee on the 18th, as given by
the correspondent of the New York Times !:
ssWhile in executive session communica-
ton was received from Secretary Sherman,
reciting that he is charged in the preamble
and resolution authorizing the investigation
with completely in election frauds in Loui-
siana, and requesting that immediate inquiry
be made into these charges The Secretary
furnished the committee with about fifty
witnesses, who, he says, will prove that in
trigues and intimidation were perpetrated
upon white and black Republican voters in
Louisiana to such an extent as to deter them
from exercising their rights at the polls. and
requested that these witnesses be called.
after some discussion, the matter acas laid
on the table by the uotes Of the Democratic
MEMBERS"
Fair men everywhere must condemn this
aEUtIIdTy
and preventing the exposure of frauds. 1t
must be borne in mind that the mere ap-
pearance of numerical majority in the
count Of the ballots, is not the legal deter
mination of the result. CANVASS of the
returns must be had by the officers appoint
ed for that purpose, under the direction Of
the law, to ascertain whether the vote cast
was legal, and whether the laws had been
violated so as to effect the result. This form
of procedure is observed in every State. The
canvassing board of Virginia determined the
result in the Norfolk Congressional district
in 1874 in favor of Mr.. Goode, when it had
been shown that Mr.. Platt had the majority
of the votes cast. The fact OF United
States vessel conveying voters to. the polls,
and that confusion and disorderly demon
strations were made by them were accepted
as evidence by Congress OF intimidation and
the precincts thrown out so as to give q
Democratic advantage. We know in our
own county that the canpassing board has
thrown out precincts by reason of irregu-
larities, because so commanded by the law.
1t is not, therefore, for the purpose of ex-
posing frauds and going to the bottom of all
illegal transactions that the investigation is
being conducted, but to manufacture party
capital and to give excuse for -clamor and
sensation. i'll order to cover up the record
made by the present Congress, SO detrimen-
tai to public interests and violative of the
principles of justice and right.
-- S---
The Washington correspondent OF the
Richmond Dispatch has become SO entirely
partizan and unfair in his tells graphic re
ports of the proceedings of the Potter inves-
tigating committee, that scarcely any thing
he says conveys the correct version of what
is going on. Being personally rather par
tial 30 the correspondent, we regret this,
andfmore particularly so as some time since
we took occasion to commend his correspon-
dence as in every way reliable. The at;nos-
phere of Washington and the pernicious
political influences by which he is surround
ed have evidently warped his judgment and
influenced his facile pen to do injustice to
himself, us well as to the facts OF very
important controversy. or proceedings. What
the people of Virginia desire to learn is the
real truth about the matters now being in
vestigated, and the correspondent in ques-
ton would subserye public interest by CIV
ing an impartial and just report of what is
going on. The Dispatch is more generally
read than any paper in Virginia, and much
of the interest in it, is because of the Wash
ington dispatches. 1t is due to the readers.
OF that paper, as well as to justice, that az
unvarnished and unprecedented stftement III
the facts should be given. Such as kaye
been published do not convey to ti,ss mind
of the reader a correct under X ding IL
what is going on and cerrai there is no
reason in Virgniaeto witbtesd the truth to
accomplish partizan end sae D6hoeratc
majority is large encus5s 10 dismiss apprc-
tensions.