Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-11-22
PUBLISHED DAILY & TRI-WEEKLY BY
EDGAR SNOWDEN.
MONDAY EVENING. NOVR. " l0eV'
We understand that s. P. Bsgly. tho defeat

We understand that s. P. Bssly. tho defeat
cd republican candidate for Congress 10 This
district, has addressed c,mmunlcahon 90 Tue
State c,nvassers Of the recsnt election VINO
mset iu Richmond to day. in which he claims
that be WAS legally chosen By mel ,rlty or the
o,aEfi ID voters as representative IN Congress-
and protests against the issus Of the certificate
to MIR. John 8. Barbour. on the ground Oh
fraudulent and spurious votes received Dy Inc
latter. and bis iueligibility to serve as member
of Congress on the ground that he WIS sn 10
habisaut of the State Maryland. and not OF
Virginia. This proceeding strikes US as being
i'll advised 90 the part eff Mr.. Bayly. snd not
calculated to II faot any credit upon his position
before the people Of the State and district. The
Board of State Canvas5sr5, under the election
laws, have simple duty to perform OF count
ing the returns certified to the Secretary OF the
Commonwealth By the Judges of the election 10
tbs several counties Of the district, and OF CIV
ing 10 the candidates receiving the highest
lumber of votes polled certificates OF their
election. Any ether action under the stat
ute would be illegal and mare u'urpa.
ton of power. which The courts would cor.
rect if required. Bat aside from tho legal
question involved 10 the case, upon what honest
ground can Mr.. Bayly claim an el;c:lo7. tie
received only about onethird of the total vote
cast 10 the district. snd fell short OF reaching
the vote given Mr.. Barbour on the face of the
official returns 6.37S votes. Would he foist
himself on the district as its representative
when be has not obviously been chosen as such
By the will of tho people? The allegation that
Mr.. Barbour was ca iababi!aut of the State OF
Maryland at tho Tina Of the election
is ridiculcu,,y false ard absurd. Wills
his family posseIs q patrimonial estate 10
the ali ,inng couaty in Maryland, where they
usually spend part Of tbs summer munshs.
Mr.. Barbour hes never even mad, it bis teu'
porsry home aud kao6s probably as little ct
Maryland ss Mr.. Blyl7 bins,It. TIE original
charge preferred against tee eligibility ct Nj.
Barbour Was that DO was resident Of Wash
ingtou city, but ls senators in Congress, and
governors of States are continually bsing chosen
from quasi residents Of the Federal capital, tie
ground bad to be shifted and the attempt is
mads now to make him out an inhabi.ant of
Maryland The facts arc that Mr.. Barbour
has always claimed and maintained oontitu ausly
his rights as ci:iz,n of Virginia. For purposes
of private aad ofi,ial c,nvenierc, be has kept
a winter residence 10 Washington City. but bis
headquarters. postofico address, residences fer
the seryios of all legal process and eeuera
TRANSACTION of business has been established 10
Alexandra without any break Of couiou!ty
size, April, 1866 -Rhen he regained coatro! OF
the railroad of which no has been since Prcsi-
dent and Rsceiver to tho present time. The
constitution of the U0ied States, ia prescribing
thu Qualification OF Representative il Coo
gress, does no. req1re him 10 bs vo;er CT q
citizen really, but only provides that M shall be
an iphabitsnt Of tbs State ct tho time Of bis
election. We Know tho. MIR. Blrbour. bsfore
accepting ID, nomination Of his party fer Con'
gus', examined the qles.ion carefully with
the assistance of ADJ, legal counsel and oil enter
t,ised no doubt of bis eli :bilits; but to prevent
oavi and exclude the possibility of doubt 10
the premises he secured at orc) house for a
domiciIe 10 Aiexandrie, AID has Inhabited it
since September. and expec:s to do SO until he
tsk,s his sea! 10 Congress next year. all the
conditions required by Law are fully met 10 Mr.
Barboue's case and any attempt to contest his
seat will result 10 signal failure on the part ct MIR
Bsyly. Uader the circumstances, what Mr B,yy
means by his motion We cannot understand
unless it be to attract importance to his position
With the administration of General Gatf:ld IN
distributing Official patronage or to bolster up
his credit with the republican managers. who
furnished him with large sam of mobey to
c,ny tho district upon bis representations of
su,cess, as is alleged upon good Authority. lie
has not even pima lacis case FIR contest,
and With mt j,rity sgaiLs! him Of moro than
Two thirds Of bis ontro vote, it is not creeitsb!e
TO Mr. Bayy personally that DO would claim
the seat 10 Congress. and seek 10 represent 8
district which has disclained him by tuch 40
overwhelming maj ority.
Sine, writing the above telegram has been
recsivsd from Redmond this evening. which |
states tbs! the board of oaavassers unanimously |
refused 10 entertsia Mr.. Bayy's petition. end
awarded the certificate Of election to Mr.. Bsr !
bour.
All the weather prophets conour IN the be-
lief that the current winter will be QUO of ex'
osptiopal severity. 1t this be 80 the liver, Of
course, will BE- obslructed BY ice. and comnuoi |
cation between Washington and this city DO nc
csssarily impeded. 10 view Of the probabl, iteon.
venieroa, would it cot 10 veil to mako another
attempt to induce the Washington aud Alex |
ndr;o r ,;Irood floronanu IN ohonoo tha sito 4