The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-11-15
Tho ION District


The returns from the 10th District on
their face give a majority of the votes to
the Democratic candidate for Congress,
Mr.. ii. st. George Tucker. If that result
it more cheerfully than his late competi,
tor and the members of The Republican
party. He and they appealed to the peo-
pie, and the peoples will should have a
free and fair expression. This, if reports
be true, it did not have in the late election.
There seemed to be a systematic effort on
the part OF many of the Democratic judges
to disfranchise Republican voters by deny
ing their right to Cast their ballots. and
by admitting the ballots of Democrats
who were lot legally qualified, and whose
votes, in the eye of the law, were fraudu-
lent.
We mention q few of the many instances
which have been reported to us:
In the 1st Ward of Stanton Demo.
cratic voter was allowed to cast his ballot,
when the voter himself declared that at
the November election of 1887 he voted
in Maryland. and therefore could hot have
CURED time,
A Republican voter in the same Ward
was rejected, because a man of the same
name was registered in Charlottesville.
At Hebron Church four Democrats,
whose names were not on the registration
book were allowed to vote, and one Repub-
lican who bad his transfer from Bath
county was rejected Oh the ground that
Bath county was in West Virginia.
At Middlebrook the polls were closed
before the sun went down. and whilst
Republican voter was approaching the
polls.
In Highland. as will be seen from a
communication published elsewhere, the
judges of election at one precinct failed to
certify the Republican electors. and the
commissioners refused to haye the error
corrected.
At Atwood in Amherst county, the
Republican judge qualified ard five votes
were cast, when the Democratic judges
substituted another Republican, as Judge
who was practically disqualified by reason
of deafness.
AT various precincts the Presidential
bail OTIS deposited in the constitutional bal
lot box We're counted, and at two precincts
at least. Democratic votes were admit
ted after The polls closed.
| AT Lexington a number of Students and
cadets voted the Democratic ticket. who
were entitled to no vote at ALL
AT Arlington, in Nelson county. nine
| legal Republican votes were rejected. and
nine illegal Democratic votes counted.
| At Nelly's Ford, in, the same county,
five Democratic tickets voted double were
counted.
| AT Oak Bank, in Rockbridge county, six
prominent and reliable Democrats certify
that they scratched thu Democratic ticket
and substituted the mama of 1'ost for
| Tucker, and yet no such ballots were
counted.
| These are but few of the many in
stances reported to US. AT many precincts
| from two to ten voters were disfranchiised
by the partzan acts Of the registrars, and
| in some cases the registration books were
changed after the legal day of reg iStration.
Added to this was the almost systematic
use OF money to control votes. Prominent
members of the church openly offered to
pay men to stay away from ihe.pols. and
votes were openly bought at the precincts.
The methods employed at some places
to influence voters were not only repre-
hensible but disgraceful. They may have
accomplished the defeat of the Republic
cans in the District for the time being. but
as certainly as the sun shines they will
return to plague their inventors. No
country can be progressive, the govern
ment of which is not builded upon a wise
and just system of laws. No people can
be prosperous and happy who disregard
and violate the law. Temporary advan.
tage may ba the immediate fruit of such
violation, but ultimate retribution will
surely follow. The day will come and
come swiftly, too, when the aroused man
hood of Virginia will rise in it's wrath
against the despicable meth' DIS made pos
| sible under the Anderson Mccormick law.
Virginia has too much at stake in IA ma
| terial way TO consent To longer endure the
stigma and disgrace of such law upon
her statute books. Her best interests de-
mand lis repeal, and Virginians who love
their state should be satisfied with nothing
less.