Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-29


WH Quay and MALONE dare to make the
effort 90 contest the election Of the virginia
clcctor, ~ President aud Nice-Presidenty
We may reply al once that MALONE would
not hesitate moment 10 DO so # thereby he
could wre,k his vengeance upon "a Democrat
or anti.Mahoneite Republican. He has no
regard for The dsgraceiul results which
might follow 10 bis own friends.
We have said heretofore that we know
a no law, Federal or state, auiho'
rlzing the election Of electors 10 be
contested. But It ~ not impossible to
make contest ia some way or other where
there are such Judges Is BoNp, who IN a
South Carolina case twelve years ago de-
cid,d that the State courts had 40 iurisdic-
ton in a contest as 10 the election OF electors
al President and Nicc-Presideut, and pro-
eeedcd to order the release Of the state
officials from Jail. Seeing that the Federal
Constitution in so many words provides
that the electors stall be chosen under state
Laws, BOKp's usurpation OF jurisdiction IN
1876 Is pretty good evidence that he would
not hesitate TO usurp jurisdiction again
should he be petitoned SO 10 do.
We can hardly credit the rumor that Mr..
OuAY has employed counsel to contest the
election OF the electors IN Virginia, though
we have seen IL stated or iniima,ed again
and again. The latest news from Washing
ton on this point was that QUAY's lawyers
had not decided whether TO make contest
or not. but that Il they decided to do so the
first step would probably be an application
for an injunction on the part of one Of the
HARRISON electors 10 restrain Democratic
elector from taking any part In the electoral
college. THIS proposition TO set aside the
will Of the people and substitute therefor an
election by partisan Judge does not strike
us "a one that Mr. QUAY, OF any other man
Of sense. would either propose or advocate.
However, let us cOncede that it would be
allowable for a Federal court 10 grant such an
Injunction. II 80. a State court would have
much better right to grant an injunction in
\ case OF the same sort. And since 1t APP
pears to be certain that the small majority in
Indiana Tor HARRISON WAS obtained by fraud
aud corruption, QUAY's scheme, II IL is his,
mignt result Ia sn injunction foTbidding the
elect0r. OF HARglsONs Own state from cast
ing their votes for him. Ia the recent cleo
tion. the same condition OF things obtained
Ia New York - ia Indiana. Voters were
Influenced by brides. There seems TO be no
good reason 70 doubt that on the day OF the
election at the last m0ment-QuAY flooded
New York rs well IS Indiana with money to
be used rs = corruption fund.
II does not seem to be ut ali probable un>
der these ercumst snces thst Mr.. QUAY will
seek 10 raise question IN the courts a. 10
The validity OF the election OF the Demo
cratic electors in any State that voted for
CLEvELASD
II, however. It should turn out that the
election OF the CLEVELAND electors In Ylr-
ginia Is TO he contested we may set It down
A. certain that the election OF The HARRISON
electors ia Indiana will be contested. The
Democrats OF the North know that, leaving
out The negro vote, they have majority Of a
million OF the legal voters ia the Union. They
Z know, therefore, not only that New York
and Indiana were carried by fraud aud cor
ruption, but that those two States, noswith.
standing she fraud and corruption. would
have gone for dEyELAND but for the negro
vote. Is it likely under these circumstances
that ibe Democrats Of Indiana and New York
will sit down IN calm eonteot and indifferent
idIeness and allow QUAY or NAHogs or any
body else 70 try to steal the vote of Yir-
ginisl Is likely, We repeat, that QuAr aud
his sbregd lawyers will walk into sueh
tgspi TIE election Of HASBlsoE Is conceded.