Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-16
HAVE WE AN ELECTION LAW
CONSIDERABLE DOUBT TABOUTiT.
'sint Committee OF the Two Heases 70 ~
qsire-Plan Of Les,siadsn Adsptsd-Sev
Business-PersonaI,A &C., &s.

Du'ness-SersohaI. &C., re.
In the Senate yesterday Mr.. Thurman
introduced resolution, in accordance with |
the action OF the Democratic caucus, d. |
recting committees net to report any busl-
ness except such as come within the ioi-
lowing scope:
i, the passage Of law apportIoning the
State into electoral districts for presidential
electors; 2, 10 the r, r,cnactment OF the law
dividing the State into congressional dis
tricts. II deemed necessary; 3, the reenact-
ment OF the laws concerning election ma
chinery as they existed prior to the session
OF 1884, II deemed necessary; 4. to such
legislation touching the State debt and
finances rs may be necessary; 8. to the cor
rection OF such mistakes. clerical or type
graphical, 10 may exist In the acts OF 1855
'S4 G. TO the amendment OF any act OF
1sS3-'s4 not political, which affects any
county, city, or town, directly and not In
directly, or through any body corporate;
Z, 10 such matters as may be recommended
by the Executive; s, 10 the election OF
judges and the passage OF such laws az may
he necessary TO fill vacancies IN office; 3,
TO the reenactment OF law for the re.issess-
ment OF the lands OF the Commonwealth.
Mr.. Grim tRepublican) moved TO strike
out the Sd section, holding that the old
election law IL in force, and that the Su-
preme Court could not make an unconstl.
tutional law repeal a constitutional one.
Mr.. Wickham thought the old law in
force, but as other gentlemen had some
doubt about il, he saw no objection to re-
enaciiEg II. When that law comes back he
would watch and see that there was no i0ta
OF change in II; and yet II IL were gene
RAJ session OF the General Assembly he
would, perhaps, prefer to reenact the
electoral board law. He thought that the
county courts ought to be relieved OF cleo
ton appointments. He had let 1t be known
in advance Of signing the call for this extra
session that he would not consent TO any
| legislation Of that sort.
Mr.. Meredith insisted upon Mr.. Grim
telling upon what authority he relied in
saying that the old law remains in force.
Mr.. Meredith thought it very doubtful.
Mr.. Grim said that he relied upon the
opinion Of the Supreme Court OF Appeals.
Mr.. Gaines (Republican) said that he
would vote for bill to take the appoint
ment OF election officers out OF the hands OF
county judges; but he waited non-parti-
san appointing power.
Mr.. Mccormick said that If the gentle
man would vote for such a bill, he (Mr.
McCormick) would prepare it.
Mr.. Gaines said that he would, but the
| appointing power must be non-parts an.
Mr.. Mccormick said so It would be.
Mr.. Mccormick contended IL the cleo
tOral.board bill was right last year 1t is
right now. and lie appealed to General
Wickham TO take that view OF it. IL ac-
c0mpished Just what General Wickham
xrfe fe1a fror ha al
political power. Lookingat the call signed
| by two thirds of the members, and at the
proclamation OF the Governor. Mr.. Nc
Cormick could not see where there was any
| limitation put upon the work OF the Gene
| raj Assembly Mt this session. Mr.. McC0r-
mick thought it was usurpati0n OF power
fer the Supreme Court TO undertake TO put
in force a law which had been utterly re-
pesltd by the General Assembly.
Mr.. Wickhsm To whom will you ap-
peal from that decision?
Mr. Mccormick: TO the law-making
power.
DIR. Wickham: But what will you do il
they decide it unconstitutional and the
Legislature l. not in session.
Mr. Mccormick said that he would
amend the electoral board law (McCof-
mick's bin in accordance with the decision
Of the supreme Court OF Appeals. [In
other words. strike out "freeholders."l
He held that it was the duty of the General
Assembly at least 10 see that there was some
election law; either the old one or the new
one.
Mr.. Grim, in view Of what General
Wickhsm had said. withdrew hn Ohioc-
tons, and the resolution was unanimously
passed.
THz CONGRESSIONAL RsAPPORrIoNAENr.
Br. Rogers offered a preamble and the
following resolutions:
ResOlred, 1si, That the Committee for
| Courts Of Justice be, and Is hereby, instrust
! ed to inquire and report as 10 the right and
| duty OF the Senate so TO amend it, Journal
~ Aforesaid.
[The preamble proposed TO amend the
! Journal TO show that two thirds did not
vote TO pass the bill over the Governors
! veto.
Resolrtd, Cd, Tba, said committee also
! inouire and report what further legislation,
! II any, will be necessary in the event that
! SAID journal be so amended 10 cfiectually
provide for the just representation Of thus
! State in the Forty-ninth Congress OF the
| United States.
The question being on agreeing to ths
preamble and resolutions, Mr.. Thurman
moved 10 strike out the preamble OF the
resolution oi the Senator from Petersburg.
and said: | do il upon the ground that
! there IL no evidence OF any kind before
| this body that there is any error in the
journal such a. he proposes to correct,
simply and only his own ipSo DIRT; and
not one iola Of evidence does be olier 10
show the necessity Of this correction. Nv
| opinion, and that OF every senator with
whom have conferred, l. that the Journal
Is correct as il is. and that the statement.
contained in that preamble are not true. |
move, therefore, to strike out the pre-
amble.
Mr.. RogcrS's preamble was . long one,
and TO support his view he had read by the
Clerk a case from the Illinois Reports.
Mr. Edmunds submitted resolution
that Mr.. Rogers appear before the Commit
tee for Courts Of Justice 10 enlight"n them
on the subject Of his resolution. Laugh
terl Subsequently withdrawn.
Mr. Meredith, in a iOcular way, inasmuch
as he believed Mr.. Rogers did not pretend
to be a lawyer, attempted 70 ascertain who
had drawn the preamble and resolutions aud
furnished Mr.. Roger. with the law on th'
subject. His efforts, however, wer'
wholly unsuccessful.
UpOn Mr.. Thurman's motion TO strik'
out the preamble az misstating the facts
Dir. Grim called for the "ayes" an(
"noes," and they were ordered. Mr.
Wickham and all the Democrats votel
"aye," and the Republicans voted ono
Mr.. Callahan was not present. The resul
was announeed-ayes, %; noes, 7.
Mr.. Thurman now moved TO lay the reso
luton on the table. Agreed to-ayos, ~
pots,9.
CoNHrTTEBs-EoRhAL SCHOOL.
Among bill. reported from committee
, was Mr.. Lovenstein's "to amend and re
. enact section Of an act entitled an act 10
, the establishment OF State Female Norm'
School, approved March 7, 1884" Subse
quently Mr.. Wickham asked inasmueh q
the bill votes away large amount Q
money-sl0,O0> per annum-that it b
referred TO the Committee on Finance, an
il was 80 ordered.
, INTERCHANGE OF BOSDs.
: Mr.. Wickham, from the Committee o
l Finance, reported, with m amendment, n
4 bill allowing the interchange OF coupon
and consol bills. The amendment requir'
{ fee OF fifty cents for each bond issued.
!, JUDGssHIPs.
Mr.. Heaton offered a resolution calm
upon the Governor for information col
: cerning vacancies In iudgeships.
Mr.. Wickhsm' said that be had reason
believe that the Governor would OF his o"
l. motion very soon send In the inforrnatlo
:, | Mr Hurt mr. IoysnStein In the chhi