Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-07-25

over him whose chief business is to
SOC that ho docs not commit fraud
and terjury.
This bill not only disregards the
rights of the States, but tho rights
of the citizens as we'll. Any citizen
may bo appointed supervisor,
whether ho is willing or not, and
when notified of his appointment is
required to qualify. When ho has
qualified tho chicf supervisor has the
power to transfer him "from service
i'll one election district TO another in
the samo city or town, in tho snme
county OF parish, or in tho same Con
grcssional district" And until his
resignation is accepted ho is not re-
lievcd from duty, no matter how
onorous or Objectionable tho duLios
assigned TO him mny be. Citizons
can thus bo compelled to perform
duties which they nro unwilling to
perform, and by tho performance of
which they may be deprived of thoir
own right to vote.
A Federal returning board for
cacl. Slate il created by this bill and
clothed with dangerous powcrs-
Their powers aro not morcly minis
tcrial, ns are those OF State return
ing bonrd-tho power merely to add
up the returns, and from thoso 70
turns determine who is oloctod-but
this Fodoral board cnn consider not
only tho returns but also all state
ments and papers sent by the pro
cinct supervisors to the chief super
visor's opico, and i'll somo instances
can suLShon witnesses and hoar pa.
rol proof i'll order to "arrivo ut the
facts Was it not intended to give
it judicial powers or powers so grcnt
and 80 indefinite Tint it ould cxcr-
else judicial power where party OK,
igencies might demand it? The cor
tiiicates of this board takes tho place
OF thut of tho State returning board
and is practically conclusive of the
result
! Mr., Boothman. Will the gontlc-
man yield for question.
MIR, buchanan, OF Virginia Cor
tainly.
Mr.. Boothman. Is not that ccrLi
iication simply priD'u .t;1ciG evidence ?
MIR. Buchanan. of Virginia. Pyimo
.f"cic evidence simple, when tho man
who gets the certificate takes his
scat upon This floor, and i'll n contest
over it here that contost is decided,
not according 10 tho rules of owl
denSe or the right of the caso, but
by party lines, by this aislo which
separates tho two parties. nm not
clniming more credit for tho Demo
Gratis than for the Republicans in
this respect, but lam contonding
chat tho rights Of the people OF this
country ought not to be made TO de-
pend upon the act or decision of ono
man OF set of men whom the people
have no choice i'll choosing, no mat
ter to what party they belong or
from what part of the country thoy
mny come. [Applnuse ON tho Demo.
cratic sido
This right to be governed by laws,
not by men, has cost our race five
hundred ycars OF bloodshed and toll,
and we should not allow it to be
taken from'us. applause.
MIR. Boothman. Will tho gentle
man yield for another question.
MIR. Buchanan. Certainly.
MIR. BooLhman. Does not your
position assume that when tho MON
Der comes here with the 1'rina tucio
right, derived from certification, that
1yinaa .f:icic right, whether right OF
wrong, will be sustained by major.
ity of this House?
MIR. Buchanan. I assume that, il
his party is in the minority, and
am sorry to have to assume it. When
came here | supposed that the
Committee OH Elections would come
into the House like the judges in the
English House Of Lords, and deliver
their opinions with judicial fairness
and in judicial language and temper
upon the questions of law and fact
involved in the contest; but in many
instances their opinions have been