National Republican., 1884-05-15
A bourbon Dilemma.

Since the adjournment of the Virginia
legislature a question has been raised as to
tho number of presidential electors which
tho state is entitled to choose. Under the
new apportionment Virginia is entitled to
send ten representatives to tho popular
branch of congress, and she has ten repre-
sentatives in tho present congress, Hon. John
S. Wise being elected from the state at large.
The legislature at its late session divided
the state into ten congressional districts, but
failed to give them the additional desigua-
tion of electoral districts. Under the
existing law, therefore, it would seem that
Virginia can only choose nine district electors
and two electors at large-eeyen in all.
Under the new apportionment, however, she
is entitled to twelve, and there is difference
of opinion how the twelfth elector should be
chosen.
There is nothing in tho constitution or
laws of the united States to prevent tho
choosing of three electors at largo instead of
two, or of choosing two electors from the
same district. and whatever objection can be
raised to the casting of twelve votes by Vir-
ginia in the electoral college must be founded
upon some state statute 1t is contended By
the Richmond Wing that the proper course
to pursue will be to choose three electors ut
large, and it finds q precedent for this in tho
action of the legislature in 1872, when, by a
joint resolution, it was declared that nine
district electors should be chosen, although
there was no district in existence for the
ninth man to represent. The point estab-
lished by this precedent seems to be that tho
legislature of Virginia did not interpret the
law as limiting the number Of electors to the
number of districts.
Some of tho bourbon lawyers, however,
are of the opinion that only eleven electors
can be chosen, as tho law now stands, and
that the state will lose vote in the elec.
toral college unless the law is changed. One
vote was of very great importance in the
presidential election of 1876, and q similar
contingency might arise in 1884. This is
made pretext for importuning the governor
to call an extra session OF the legislature SO thai
the law may be amended and the whole ques
tion settled before the election.
It is q somewhat singular fact, however
that the bourbons never discovered the pos
sible value of this vote until they wanted an
extra session Of the legislature called for an,
! hn ne l,a Ia
lature was scarcely mentioned until after the
supreme court Of appeals knocked tho bottom
out of the unconstitutional election law. On,
electoral vote is matter Of small account Il
the bourbons compared with the privilege Of
appointing all the election officers. Give
them tho registrars of voters and thu
judges and clerks at all the voting precincts
and they may be ablo to give the democratic
candidate for president eleven electoral votes
at least; let the law remain rs the supreme
court of appeals has interpreted it, and they
may not DO able to give him single vote
Bourbon check is equal to about any ex
igency, but the editors Of tho bourbon organs
are unable to face the governor with propo
sition to convene tho legislature for the pur
pose of amending the election law SO that il
partisan and grossly unjust provisions can b,
carried into effect. They accordingly asl
Linn to call an extra session for the purpose
of rodistricting the state so that Virginii
may cast her full electoral vote for president
we'll knowing that when the legislature is il
session the election law will receive earl!
attention. When we remember that Coy
Cameron vetoed tho very bill which the
want to revive, the efirontery of this pro
ceoding becomes the moro conspicuous
Enough of legally elected members wer
turned out of both houses to give the bour
bons two-thirds majority in each hou5,
, and this majority trampled upon tho gov
, ernors veto whenever he intorposod it again
their revolutionary legislation, Now thI
tho supreme court has overturned one
% their partisan -chcmes, they ask tho govern,
a TO give them an opportunity TO revise the
5 ill.considored statutes, 80 that they will pa