Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-03-31
"DLSAPPOLNTED READJUS-
ERSD

lElO.
When Mr.. Farr, of Fairfax, was elected
State Superintendent of the Public Schools
while member OF the House of Delegates,
it was presumed as matter OF course that
he would on entering the new position re-
sign the old. This supposition was based
not any sensibility of Mr.. Farr as to the
matter of holding two places at once, but
upon the following provision of the Con-
stitution:
No person holding a salaried Office I'M
der the State government shall be capable
of being elected member of either house
of the General Assembly.
Mr.. Blair the Attorney general of the
State, on the reference of the matter to
him, gave an opinion to the effect that
| while Mr.. Farr as School Superintendent
was not capable OF being elected member
of the General Assembly, still, being
already elected to the House he was capa-
BILE of holding both places at once and le-
gally. Notwithstanding the extraordina-
ry opinion of the Attorney General, the
House Committee On Courts of Justice
uauO d lCHOAU ClOoAAk WAVA ouAo AOOOAut1Oas
''That the seat occupied by Mr.. Richard
R. FAIR as delegate from tho county Of
Fairfax be now declared vacant, and that
the Speaker of the House of Delegates pro-
coed under the law to have the same filed.
JAMES G. TAYLOR, chairman J
]. N. STUBBS,
ROBERT A. COGHILL,
r. Fl. CALDWELL,
MARSHALL HANGER,
ROBERT M. MAYO,
W. G. DICKINSON,
W. f. GIDDINGs,
A. W. HARRIS,
M. l.. SPOTsWOOD."
OF these names, Messrs. Taylor (former
Attorney General of V1rginia) Mayo,
Dickinson, Giddings and Harris are Re-
adjusters. The Richmond WING advised
that the Readjusters of the House ig-
noring this provision in the Constitut ion
and the report of the Committee on Courts
of Justice, adopt minority report of
the same committee endorsing Attorney
General Blair's opinion. 1t urged the Re-
adjuster members not to give the Funders
cause to rejoice by adopting 1.-The ill d.
gested opinion of few Funder lawyers
and some disappointed Readjusters." In
the House, Mr.. Mayo considering the dis
appointed Readjusters" an allusion to him
rose to personal explanation of which
the following is an extract:
stCan it be that here in the nineteenth
century, here in the Capitol of Virginia,
here in this hall where so many great and
| noble men have stood-can it be that here
we are basely asked to perjure ourselves
| and violate our oaths under the Constitu-
| tion for party purposes? Is the party to
be bolstered up by perjury and violation
| then let the party 60 down to destruction
| and be classed with the miserable rabbles
led by Jack Cades and Robespierres in the
| past"
Can a man be 80 base and low as to be
willing to sacrifice himself for any party
by becoming periurer? No party can
stand long when so bolstered up. tender
my resignation as member of the Com
| mittee for Courts of Justice; and [ hope
| Mr.. Speaker, that you may not be able tC
| find on either side of this chamber to sup
| ply my place member so low in character
| as To be willing to sacrifice his conscience
to SUPPORT party ends, or who is such al
| idiot Is to suppose that any party can Ion.
exist upon such vile principles.
On the same occasion, Mr.. Dickinson. O
| Russell, also resented the imputation thai
| he was a ''disapp >inted Readjuster' and
Mr.. Taylor repealed tAe charge that thu
report of the committee was an Till diges
tea'' opinion. saying he believed 'every
lawyer in the State and the CO urts would
endorse the action OF the commitIee."
We publish these protests DIS matter Of
| justice. and as showing that there is a
! least enough law abiding element remain
| ing in the Readjuster party to enter it,
| protest against the unconstitutional legis'
| lasion which is being attempted, anC
| ed No man can See