Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-03
OUR BALLOT SYSTEM.
CONFERENCE LAST NIGHT TO CON-
SlDER NEEDED CHANGES IN
THE LAW.
Tho Subject Fully Discussed and n Com
mittee Ordered TO Prepare
Suitable Bin.
Tho necessity for some alterations in 4

Suitable Bill
The necessity for some alterations in the
election laws is apparent to all.
whether they shall introduce radical
chance or merely amend the existing sys-
TEN is q question.
Some people favor one plan, some
another: and az the first step in the way OF
getting at the best opinion conference
was held in the rooms OF the POwhatan
Club last night.
Il was a meeting held in response TO an
invitation sent ont by President Belyln
and about Fifty gentlemen were present
members of the Legislature and others
| representing all sections of the State.
Mr. Belvin called the assembly 20 order
and Mayor EllysOn was elected chairman
and Mr.. 5. J.. BlOomberg was made secrc-
tary.
VARIOUS VIEWS.
Views as 20 the necessity for changes IN
the law were expressed by Mr. ". +. At
kns. of Mccklenburg; Lleutenant-l5oy-
ernor John l.. Massey, of Alb"marle; Hon.
Il. G. Marshall of Portsmouth; Delegate
Shepperson. Of Charlotte; Second-Auditor
Eunin. Mr.. Duke, OF Elizabeth City, \. B.
Guigon. President Bclvin, Jackson Guy,
Esq.. and MavOr Ellyson, of Richmond.
| Letters containing suggestions were read
from IL. T. Barton. Of fredericksburg
James l.. Gordon, Of AlbemaTie Senator
f. II. Barnes, Major Baker i. Lee; Mayor
{. +. Collier, Of Petersburg: Secre'ary-oi--
the-Commonwcalth II. W. Flournoy, and
a. NJ Bowman, Of the Ninth district
coNMITIEF.
After full discussion Of tho subject 1t
was resolved that changes in the law are
necessary. but the conference did not
| r.4al, o,tr oouYlu-ler a. fup exact form
they should take. This was ordered 20 be
| referred 10 q committee Of two from each
congressional district to be named by the
Chairman. Mayor Ellyson.
When the biz is framed il VIII be sub
mittcd 10 the General Assembly, when u
viii undergo such further revision a. may
be necessary. and then adopted or To-
President Eclvn thanked the gentlemen
for their presence and the conference all
Views OF sir Lamb.
Yes. something rvfbc donc," said llr.
james G.. Lamb yesterday, when asked 10y
g UisDo'1 reporter about our election sr-,,
tom. " II tins were December, lSss,' SAID
he. there would not Doe two Opinionsamong
Democrats on this subject. We had then
narrowly escaped losing the State in the
presidential election. and lt is useless 10
deny that we were alarmed at the result
| i3ut the overwhelming result ot our re-
! cent victory Is iu Itself % source OF danger.
! continued Mr.. Lamb, since II VIII tend 10
deadcu oar people 90 sense Of their peril
which is not aycrted. but only postponed.
We ayealreadv heard 10 SAID that system
which enables us 10 carry the state pY
10000 majority is good enough. lhe reply
was obvious and conclusive w. that lO
L. the same system under which we came
ncar losing it one year 400.
ACTION NECESSARY.
Then. Mr.. Lamb, YOU consider that some
/ action is necessary!
~ DO. he replied 1T would be fatal
mistake to ignore the foriuitous clrcum-
stances 10 which. i'm a large measure, we
owe our recent great victory. hcse cu-
cum.tlrce- cannot arise i'm national elrc-
t0n and thCv are not likely 20 occur agiuh
i'm q State election in quarter Of cen,
J 'urv The effect of the iate election Will
be felt To- "a considerable degree IN the cleo
tion next fsll. But lt viii scarcely, be ap-
prcciAhle i'm the next presidential election
and then. under the present system, II we
may Judge the future by the past. Virginia
must be regarded as very doubtful state
THE THING TO DO.
What shonld be done, Mr. Lamb
What shall be dOncy The prWcpe upon
which any change in the law should proceed
must be the protection II ne rDir, sala ne
The ballot utnst ht 1n10e 5Oh frte anu s'c,i.
At present il Is not free because not secret.
II Is true that suffrage Is not free in this
State. but il .s not as the northern mars
v0lld have the world leheycl because the
whites viii not permit II; it Is because OF
race tyranny among the negroes. he ne
gro who dare 90 vote ANYTHING nut ihe lac
lublicau ticket is Ostraclscd Dv us race, is
| dismissed from the church, expelled IRON
I societies. and refused and and succor lu
in time of need. They are ignorant ana
. eruor.titiouS and cannot be expected To
Withstand such pressure ~ tins. Inc re-
suit j. that thousands OF them vote unocr
absolute coercion.
THr NEGRoEs' PRESENT SLAVERY.
"Close Observers of current events Mr..
Lamb said "havc remarked strong ten
dency among the most intelligent ana
th0ughtiul negroes 10 break away from
th.ir slayish adherence 10 the Republican
party. After twenty-five years Of such
slqvcry they are beginning 10 see that thclr
real interests lie with the people who feed,
clothc educate. and protect them. those
who are familiar with tine details of pollu-
cal aneir- i'm tins city dGrng the late can
Vass know hOy tructhis IS. It's not rash
prediction that if the ballot ie made really
secret the next few years Will snow Won
dcrful results in this respect.
The State should see that every qualified
citizen has not only the right but the OPP
pOrtuuify 10 vote according TO his Will. i
believe that the germ Of system which
will accomplish this Is found in the Aus
tralan system. The details viii require
most careful consideration and they must
be left to the Legislature.
rHE RIGHT OF CHALLENGE.
One point must be guarded. The right
of challenge mustuOt only be preserved tut
) the challenge must come before the voter
, receives his ticket from the official ticket
holder Then he must have an oppor-
tuuity in private to mark the names OF
those for whom he wishes To vote with the
assistance, if desired By him, OF a sworn
officer not negro challenger.
Another feature desirable in any event,
: but more necessary under such system,
is this: Ii should be made the duty OF the
clerks of courts in cities and towns 10 GER
tifv to the mayor or other officer the names
and full descriptions of all persons con-
victcd Of d.sQualifying offences lmmedl-
ately upon conviction, or at stated periods,
( the mayor. &C., to certify such names to
the several registrars, 10 be az once stricken
from the poll-boOks And this might be
appied to the counties also, though of less
importhnce there. But whatever 1t may
be. son,ahingm mus, DC d0ne, said in conclu-
sion.
, Mr.. Lambs "A member OF the City Demo
cratic Committee aud j. an active worker
I'm our cause: besides he is a prominent
member of the bar and was for years editor
Of the Lar Journal.
THE DANVlLLE ROAD.