Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-07-16
Mr.. Barbour's Rejofnder.
A VIGOROUS DENIAL OF CHARGES MADE By
GENERAL MAHONE's COMMITTEE.

A VIGOROUS DENIAL OF CHARGES MADE By
GENERAL MAHONE's COMMITTEE.
Washington Post July 18th.
Senator John S. Barbour, in conversa-
ton with Post reporter last evening, ex-
pressed great surprise at the action of the
Republican State Committee in resolving to
take no further part in campaigns in Vir-
ginia on account of alleged corruption in
connection with elections. He said that
from tie position he occupied as chairman
of the Democratic Committee he was able
to state positively that the elections in Vir-
ginia had been as fairly conducted as those
in any other State. As evidence of the
truth of his assertion he cited the very large
Republican vote cast in 1884, when Mr..
Cleveland carried the State by about 5000
majority, and again in 1883, when Presi-
dent Harrison came within 1900 votes Of
carrying the State, when the total Republi-
can vote exceeded $50, 600.
"The resolutions refer, 1 see," said he,
''to my absence in 1885, when the Repub-
licans carried majority of the congressional
districts, and Democratic authority is quot
ed that if / had been present the count
would have been different. The result in
1886 was not as favorable to the Virginia
Republicans as the Republican State Com
mittee would have the country believe. In
stead of electing seven out of ten members
of Congress the Democrats elected three of
their own party faith and one independent,
and the Republican majority instead Of be-
ing *, 900 was very much less.
"No Democratic authority ever charged
or insinuated that I would or ever had
tempered with or interfered with any count
of the ballots. The truth is that what was
said in that connection by portion Of the
Democratic press, in personally friendly
spirit to me, was that if I had been at home
the result of the elections would have been
different. No such meaning as count as
distinguished from result, was ever alleg-
ed against me by the Democratic party. So
far as / am concerned, in the count of the
ballots in any election with which have
been connected in Virginia since 1881, / dis
claim all personal knowledge, direct or 9th.
erwise, of any unfair action or proceeding
81 have no doubt some Republican voter,
whose identity could not be shown, we're
stricken from the poll lists in the last CAM
paign. / am quite confident, however, that
instead of 81, 900 names being stricken from
the poll lists, the actual number did not 'ex.
coed 1900 or 2, 900 in the entire State. It
Is we'll understood that the colored voters
in Virginia are of migratory habits, moving
from county to county in search Of employ
ment. while large numbers seek work in
distant States.
'The declaration on the part OF General
Mahone's committee that the Republicans
of Virginia should forbear further partici-
patton in the elections on account of the IN
lawful Acknowledgement of the electors is
insincere and deceptive. The election ma
chinery in Virginia is practically and in
substance throughout the State what it was
when Gen. Malone and his party controlled
the State Government.
"If there was any wrong perpetrated in
the last congressional elections in Virginia
why is it that the Republican House of
Representatives has failed to fad, with
single exception, that any wrong was done,
and in the exception referred to the allega-
ton of fraud was confined to single ward
in Richmond?''