New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-23
TO FIGHT FOR VIRGINIA.
REPUBLICANS WILL MAKE A CONTEST FOR
THE STATES ELECTORAL VOTE.
ALLEGATIONS OF rRA@ TO DE MADE AND At
ToRNEYs ENGAGED FOR A STRUGGLE
IN THE COU RTS.
fBY TELEGRAPH 10 The rRIBuyE1

fBr TELEGRAPH 10 The TRIBUNE
Washington, Nov. 22.-"Ihe STAR tonight
says that conclusion has been reached by at
torneys representing the National and Virginia
State Republican Committees by which the cleo
ton of the Democratic Electoral ticket Of that
State is to be stoutly resisted. Allegations
OF fraud the article says. are to be made by
two of the defeated Republican Electors against
two Democratic Electors holding certificates OF
their election from the State Board OF Canvassers
and one of the cases to be thus begun is TO be
brought in a State court in Richmond. and the
other in the Federal Circuit Court Of the State
sitting in that city. The movement agreed on
is that as soon as the State Board of Canvasscrs,
which meets next Monday in Richmond, shall
declare the result of their canvass to be the
election of the Democratic Electors the two Re-
publican Electors Just referred shall file jnorma
ton and complaints setting forth the fraudulent
means by which the election of their contestces
was brought about
Technically speaking, the proceedings will be
in the naturc of a writ of quo warranto. under
power of which 1T is contended the judges ap-
piled TO may bring the accused Electors into
court requiring them TO answer all the COM
painants allegations The proceeding thus be-
gun would go on in the nature of any other
contested election case. If the court should
hold that the Electors brought before 1t were
entitled to be confronted by their accusers' wit,
nesses, the writ being In the nature OF IL crmihai
proceeding, then il would probably be necessary
10 have the personal attendance OF many hundred
voters, but If not so holding the testimony would
be- taken in writing before magistrates and
notaries public of the State No unchecked re.
sponsbility appetite sharpened by political
greed is the cause of the important action they
are about TO begin, they say When Chairman
Quay became convinced through statements OF
General Mahone that the Republicans had carried
the State On an honest count of the ballots, he
cautiously sent Colonel Parsons of Natural Bridge,
Va, TO make personal inspection of the charges
and report TO headquarters in New-fort On re-
cciving Parsonss report coniirmatory of Mahone's
statements, Mr.. Quay came TO this city. Hero
he was met by Malone, and a conference ensued
with Generals Butler and Henderson as legal
advisers. Both Chairman Quay and General
Malone deny any desire for mere parry advantage
Mr.. Quay, in OF his earliest dispatches from
New ork, used words TO Malone about as I6l-
lows: Give us your cXnct situation IN VIZ
gina. We don't want your vote but want the
facts Of your election
They DO not ignore however, the Importance
TO tho Republican party of developing and proving
election frauds at the South, and, If foilcd in their
present efforts looking to the courts 1t Will arouse
Congress-, they say, to the necessity OF enactlng
ultable laws for the protection OF the ballot.
It's rather leap IN the dark, Sald one OF
the attorneys to Star representative this morn
ing We are without explicit Federal or State
statutes empowering and regulating our course,
still we have strong hope OF discovering an ell
icient remedy somewhere. Fraud vltiates what,
ever 1t touches, ana ii SHOWN must anyways emu
in the overthrow of the wrongdocr:' Continuing,
he said there was but case in the Federal
courts bearing remotely on any of the points
raised by tie proceedings This, 1t appears, Is
the case of the El,ctora! Board of South Carolina
in 1876 in the great Tilden-llayes controversy OF
that year. The State Board of Canvassers there
met in the time and way provided Tor by State
law, and after canvassng votes and certifying
results were served with notice OF motions before
the supreme Court of that State having for their
object a reopcning OF the proceedings OF the
Board under direction Of the supreme State
TRIBUNAL The Board of Canvasscrs denying the
authority of the State court, were finally i'm
priscned for contempt and tined in heavy sum
of money. Judge Bond promptly assumed juris-
diCtion by issuing a writ OF habeas corpus. under
which he released the prisoners. lie held that
State Board of Canvassers in canvassing the votes
for Presidential Electors, were acting primarily in
pursuance Of the Constitution of the United States,
and could not be restrained IN their duties by
wits of prohibition, mandamus etc, issuing from
State courts. -
Messrs Shelabarger and Wilson, Of this city,
and General Edgar Allen, of Richmond, are the
leading counsel