The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-28
IEor the pispaleh.l

feel constrained 'Dy a sense OF duty,
against my inclina.. ION, TO make the follow
ing statement ~ answer to tbe extraordi-
nary COMMUNICATION OF Mr.. Massey which
appeared n the columns OF the wing on tue
18th day Of this month. THIS bas been ae'
layed by The pressure OF other engagements
which could not be postponed ordlsregarded.
The communication alluded 10 was upon
the subject OF his appointment OF collectors
Of delinquent taxes. Declining ID enter into
n newspaper controversy with him. shall
refrain from comment upon its character
and temper. and shall permit his ill.tem-
pered structures TO pass unnoticed, content
ing myself with simple statement Of facts:
Whether be has The right to appoint col
Iectors Of delinquent taxes is legal ques-
ton which / do not propose now 10 con-
slider, hut surely ii IS no crime 10 dlffer
from him rs TO the construction OF the act
under which he assumed the authority to
appoint them. Certain 1t Is that several
very able and learSed' lawyers have eS-
pressed the opinion that Mr.. alassey had no
right to make the appointments which he
did. But, Is above said, do not propose
in this connection 10 discuss that question.
After making his statement, he ifiputCs to
others "tbe purpose to prevent full
vote, and q fair and impartial election"
Mr.. Beveridge received his appoint
ment on the attn day OF October, and en-.
tered upon the discharge OF bis duties
The Injunction granted by Jndge Cloptcu
applied TO Richmond city atonc, and vas
not served before about Z O'Clock on the
evening Of tAe day preceding The election.
The Constitution and laws OF NIrgiHss re-
quire that the cGpit1tlOn tax for the pFtced-
ing year " shall have beS9i paid to tise State
before The day OF election" To entttl9 ell
zen otherwise qualified II vote. So that
a. the tiEac OF the service OF The M junction
there Femained only about eve bours
during which pers@ls could hsre legally
qualified themselves to vote at the
recent election by the pigment to
hp, or any oec else, CT the capt.
taliNR tax for the preceding year.
1t is easy to caicVlIte how many receipts
couid have been issued in thai brief space
OF time. Mr.. StTeridge continued TO dis
charge the duties If his office rs collector OF
GdirQuent taxes from the 25tt day Of OctO-
Der TO about % clock Of the evening Of NO
Vember 1t tSEnday ntervPningl, and du-
ring that time he received capila'iOn taxes
for the preceding year irG4n one bundled
and tweniy.seven. persons. aud gave re-
cripis for the moneys 20 received by him.
lie paid iReO the treasury Of the STATE on
the 1st dav Of November Sl33.Sl. a the re-
cords II The Auditors office show. The
81 hole number Of voters who could possibly
be affected by the injunction was then one
hundred and tTenty-ScYen, aud TO toe
greater portion Of them duplicate receipts
were furu ished in the Office OF the Auditor.
and their votes were received and counted
on the Ciuv OF election. As TO the remain
ing few who did not obtain duplicate re-
ceipts, most Of them were permitted to cast
their ballots. IL any persons holding the
receipts OF Mr.. BeTeridge were excluded
from voting the number l. very small. twill
barGlg be claimed that all Of them belonged
to the same party, because s8ch claim
would eVince a purpose TO u.e the collector
in the interest Of lhgt party 80 much for
"tbe purpose 10 prevent full vote The
qualifications OF suffrage ale left by the
Constitution Of The United States with the
several States. One 81 the qualifications OF
suffrage in this State is the payment OF the
capltatiOn tax for the preceding year be-
fore the day OF election, ~ above stated.
I hat is required by the Constitution ana
the statute TO eufoTce It. And yet IN vlolt-
tion Of the plain provisions 81 Law some 81
Mr.. Mas>ey's qppeintces signed receipts Ia
blank and iS>ued hem to various irrCspGnsI-
bic parties, to be filled up on the day OK
election and then TO be delivered. These
receipts, issued without the payment Of one
dollar By those who received them from
the hands of the collectors, were actually
used on the day Of election in some l)cal-
ties, and those not used were destroyed;
and no account for them has ever been rem
facts, which eau be established by the pro-
duction Of some Of the Illegal receipts when
necessary, and by the afiidayils Of gentle
men OF uDqucstoned veracty. From all
this il is apparent that there was something
more than well.erounded apprehension that
wrong was meditaled. The fact OF its com
mission is established beyond controversy.
and that fact $50 far as giving 10 lrrc>pOn>-
bic persons receipts SIgned in blank was
fully known to me before application was
made for The Injunction. There was not
time TO procure an Injunction To operate be-
yOnd the limits OF this city. Having made
this statement, | shall dismiss the subject
with the remark that the verdict OF the peO-
pie was too emphatic for doubt or cavll on
the part OF fair-miuded men.
Respectfully, GEORGE u. WISE.
November ~.
u. S.-Since writing the above tue com
municatiOn from my competitor. published
this morning, has fallen under my ObScrya.
ton. ] wish 20 correct an error INTO which
he ha> fallen Ohrough information derived
from othrrS) that Judge Fitzhugh. and per.
haps other, d. cned The INJUNCTION granted
by judge CIOpiOn. That Is a mistake. To
tbose warm personal friends who chung n
and supported me with generous devotion
in the recent a. in former elections, and no
less TO those who sustained me, not frOn
personal partIalIly, bur from sense Of
duly, | return NY sincere and heartfelt
thanks. deem il not Inappropriate TO add
that | shall keep the pledges made during
the canvass; aud going 10 Washington with
a liberal and patriotic >pjrIt. without Sec
tional bias or prejudice. shall endeavor to
repay the confidence rep0sed in ice by the
display OF fidelity aOd zeal in the service OF
the people who nave honOred me.
Respectfully, q. ID. WISE.
N, as Ass <,c Ia. UE