Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-12-25
THE LEGISLATURE.
THE DEMOCRATS FROM RocKINe HAM
SEATED.


The House of Delegates on Thursday
last seated Grattan and Soule, Democrats.
from Rockingham county, in place of Harms
berger and Herring, Coalitionists, who
were awarded certificates and occupied their
seats since the organization of the Legisla-
ture
The argument was closed by Judge Mar
shall, of Craig, native of this county,
who showed conclusively that the registra-
tion-books at Conrad s-store precinct were
not opened but twice; that the judges were
not at their posts; and that at other pre-
cincts illegal votes were cast-some of them
by men who had never been heard of. The
sitting members never took one deposition
to disprove a single one of these facts. The
record was loaded down with fraud, errors,
and wrongs, none of which had ever been
denied. Seventy votes had been proven to
have been cast illegally.
Tha report of the committee was unani-
nous, both parties on the committee agree
ing that the vote at Conrad s-store precinct
should be thrown out, and the report of the
committee was unanimously adopted as the
Coalitionists declined to vote. The vote
stood: ayes, 81; noes, none.
Grattan being present was sworn in and
took his seat.
The President pro tenn. of the Senate, in
compliance with the resolution of that
body, on Thursday issued writs for special
elections to be held on January 7th in the
four districts vacated by acceptance Of fed
eral and State offices by four Mahoneite
long term Senators.
Both houses, Thursday, passed bill pro-
viding for a new registration and new cleo
ton machinery in Norfolk city.
In the House of Delegates Thursday
Martin V. Lakewood, Coalitionist, of Hen
rico county, rose to a question of privilege
In the course of his remarks be said his
course as a member of the committee on
elections had been criticised ungenerously
by paper in Richmond. He expressed
his determination to discharge his duties
hereafter by what he considered to be his
duty, and was unwilling to act as a mere
partisan. In response to question by Mr..
Duff Green, Coalitionist, of Stafford, Mr..
| Hazlewood said he was a Republican, but
would not endorse the ISLANDERS against the
people of Virgins which had been so freely
distributed over the country. Mr.. Halle
wood read the following extract from the
Whig of Wednesday:
"All free government is overturned in
Virginia. There is no liberty here. No
man has any rights which the Bourbon
Funders respect. Life has no protection
and murder has full immunity. 1t took a
war to free the colored people of the South.
1t may take another to fully free the South
ern white people. If need be, let it come.
We repeat it: Let it come. Give us liberty
or give us DEATH
| Mr.. Lakewood declared his opposition to
policy which proposes to precipitate war
among our people, and said that if his fu-
ture political advancement depended on
his sanctioning the ISLANDERS OF his own
State and race, he would prefer to be re-
manded back to the obscurity Of private
|
life. He said that he was opposed to the
Democratic party On the question of pro-
tectivs tariff, and thought that, as the
Democratic members Of the Legislature
had voted for known Republican, he
might also afford to stand by the party
which represented his national principles.
| Mr.. Hazlewood's remarks indicated that
he has renowned Mahoneism and will not
be bound by caucus dictation Of that party
in the Legislature. The Democrats now
have sixty-five members in the House of
Delegates, within two of being two-thirds
majority. The seats of ten Coalitionists in
the House, yet contested, will be decided
upon the reassembling of the Legislature
after the Christmas recess The seats of
two Mahoneites in the Senate are contested
The Democrats now have twenty -four
members in that body, and lack but three
of having two-thirds. The result of the
elections in the four districts and the con-
tests may give the Democrats the three
Senators necessary to make the two-thirds.
1t requires two-thirds to pass any bill or
measure over the Governors veto.
The Legislature took a recess from the
Doth of December to the End of January.