Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-28
LEFT TO THE MAYOR.
HE HAS TO DECIDE THE CLAY-WARp
PRECINCT QUESTION.
Talk with Chairman Lamb About the
Status Of the Transferred Voters
Other Political Notes.

| Ward is now awaiting the signature OF tho
Mayor.
If he approves it that will end the mat
ter. but If he sees fit to veto it the Coun-
Gil will be called to decide whether the or
dinance shall become law, notwithstand-
ing the objections of the Mayor.
This question has become avery interest
ing one on account of the legal complica-
tons. and it is likely that the Mayor Will
, proceed with caution in the matter,
Yesterday Dispatch reporter called upon
Mr.. James C. Lamb, chairman of the City
| Democratic Committee, and asked him
what he thought of the action of the Coun-
| Gil in agreeing to the repeal OF the ordi-
nance.
MIR. LAMBS VIEWS.
II was very much surprised at IT," re-
piled MIR. Lamb. I'm its present state 1t -
purely political question. and think
/ the City Democratic Committee had
/ right TO expect that the Council would be
| guided by its opinion and wishes in the
| matter. particularly as we distinctly asked
| them simply to postpone it until after the
| election. The two negro Republican
councilmen from Jackson Ward APP
preciated the situation. When they learn
| ed that the repeal would embarrass the
Democratic party they promptly voted IN
licans really passed the ordinance, for the
vote as first announced stood-ayes. 10;
noes. 8. Captain Ferriter then changed
| his vote from mo" to Ave" in order to
move a reconsideration. and another men,
Der changed from No" to Aye" but Tor
what reason do not know"
QUESTION OF LAW.
"I suppose" remarked the reporter,
THAT there is no doubt as to the right OF
the Council to pass the. original ordinance
creating the new precinct. Is there any
doubt as to their right to repeal that ordi-
nance and restore the old precinct Z"
1T was not only their right but their
duty to create the new precinct" replied
Mr., Lamb. "but they would violate the
statute-law by restoring the old precincts.
If you will look at section ia OF the Code
| of 1887 YOU will see that they are COM
manded to establish in each ward as many
election districts chat IS. precincts( as
| they may deem necessary, and voting
place IN each district, but they are
expressly prohibited from establishing
more than one election district for
every !. 900 voters or fractional part there
of above 500-that ls, they cannot create
a precinct containing more than l,OO0
voters. Now, the old First precinct OF
Clay Ward contained 1850 voters (nearly
| all of them Democrats. by the way, and II
il is re1stablished as they propose to do,
it will be in direct opposition to the
statute"
THE EFFECT on THE ELECTION.
Well. if that be so what would be the
effect on the election"
THAT is just the point to which L was
coming" said Mr.. Lamb. We know some
| thing of the ground on which Repupli-
can Congress has recently based the lar
cenv of two of Virginia's seats in the House
: = 4ofi l0nU
think II would take them to throw out the
First precinct of Clay Ward on that ground
and seat O Republican contestant from this
district?
There are other reasons" continued
the Chairman, lust as persuasive as TINS
for leaving the matter as 1t is, They were
elaborated in the report OF the suD-com,
mittee, which was read before the Councll
by me and published in the Dispatch.
THE STATUS OF THE REGISTRATION.
what is the present state of the regis
tration-books tor the three precincts whlch
have been changed, and what do you
think is the legal status of those voters
who are affected by the changer"
well. | should imagine that IN appear.
ance the books would resemble one OF
Dickens's proof-sheets. and the voters are
like Mahomet's coffin suspended between
Heaven and o nth. More than 1000 OF
them have been struck from the registra-
| tion-books by Hooper and Lewis under
section 50 Of the Code. and Hooper has
made out new books for his new precinct:
But these l 900 have not been registered
in their new precincts, because Lewis lwho
received more than 400 from Hooper, has
not made out his new book, and jacob. the
new registrar i'll the new Fifth precinct
(who received more than 600 from Lewis,
has not vet qualified. So, you see, TO re-
| Il Drlt a
leave these voters off the registration
books altogether. Jacob could not re-
transfer MS 600 to Lewis under section 81,
because they have never been on
jacobs books, and Lewis could not
send his 400 back TO Hooper because
they have never been on Lewls's
books. They could only get back by pre-
senting themselves to the registrars IN per-
son to be registered anew, and everybody
knows that it would take US years to gel
them all back in this way"
NO TIME FOR GENERAL REGISTRATION.
"But could there not be general regis
tration ordered ?"
mo, we have not the time now before
the election. Under section II of the Code
the Electoral Board can order new regis
tration in any election-precinct whenever
made necessary by reason OF the loss OF tnt
observation-disclosures, or whenever they are
so plotted. mutilated, defaced. or other
wise IN such condition as to render II dlfh
cult, troublesome, or unsafe TO use them
longer, which is of course the present case
But that section requires notice OF Sixty
days to be given before the day of election
, WHAT TIE PEOPLE WISH.
do YOU understand, Mr.. Lamb, thai
the people of CLAY Ward were opposed tC
the new precinct and that they wish the
or6;pauco rapealqNrO
Il only know that it was done in the
first instance under the direction of the
CITY Democratic Committee, with the &C
tive cooperation of the Superintendent o.
Clay Ward, and without objection
from either of the five representa-
tives from that ward. l also know thai
. of the FIVE representatives OF tina
ward now on the committee only tive
: favor the repeal The committee has NJ
other information as TO the wishes of the
voters in Clay Ward, but / remember thai
/, when, O few years ago, 1t was proposed Il
I give certain gentlemen the privilege o
/, erecting a soda-fountain in Monroe Parl
, the people of that ward sent a monste
petition to the Council against It,"
CONFIDENCE IN THE MAYOR.
"Well, what do you propose to d.
now"
1.-The matter now goes to the Mayor, o
course, for his action. NO, 90 not know
what he will do, but am perfectly salts
fed TO trust it to his Judgment. What
: ever he does you may be sure that we ar
not going to lose vote that can be savet
by any effort on the part of my commit
a tee."
! MORE SOLDIERS AND LESS GENERALS.
After pause the City Chairman salt
thoughtfully: ~ have been wishing tina
: we had more soldiers and fewer general
: in our Democratic army. 1t is almost inn
possible to discipline our people. lol
, may remember that Mr.. Breckenridge ex
pressed the thing very finely in his speecl
) at the Theatre. We might learn
: valuablelesson from our Republican friend
!, in this matter. Imagine Republican
Council in Republican city acting on {
political question in direct opposition t
q the urgent advice and request of the loca
: political organizationl But l admire tn
> political sagacity of those two negro coun
: cilmen. To paraphrase the remark OF al
English statesman on greater occasion
they caught the honorable councilmel
bathing and walked of with their clothes.
O CLAY-wARD woRKINGMEN.