The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-04-28
A CLI1JCHER.
A Number of False Statements Tx

A Number Of False Statements Tx
posed, and the Truth Stated.
The following communication we flnd
in the Staunton Noaos Of the Goth, in re
DIV to so,1e statements from the Clifton
Forge correspondent of that paper:
TO EDITOR OF THE DAILY NEWS:
see in a letter by your spcia1 correspond
ent from this place. dated 18th OF April, thfil
numerous Irregularities and go-as -you-piease
| voting have caused quite a number OF our peSt
citizens ana largest free-hoiders to become us
| satisfied. they thinking OF cohgessli's c'le
election, recently held for the extension OF our
town on the plea that mea were allowed 10 vote
as freeholders who we're not; also men allowed
Ia vote who were moi residents OF the town: also
tbst the no7is were opnaed at eight O'Clock and
closed at our. wien they should have been
onened at sunrise ana closed at sundoWn The
letter ends by saying that great dissatisfaction
| prevails"
Now. Mr.. Editor I'm certainly very much sur
prised that you should have correspondent
that would give You such trash for facts. III
the first place | don't think he has ever read
the amended charter 1t says that Ihe
election to be held as elections are now heia lor
town Offices" exact WORKS or new chaftef.
This clause refers, of coii'se, TO the hioue III
which town officers were elected. There was
no election for town officers provided fof IN the
amended charter 1t does provide for the pres
enttown officers 10 hold over until May 1853
The old charter says the polls shall be open at
s a. m. and close at p m
The amended charter had to be ratified by
three ffths of all voters ana majority OF free
holders. Two boxes were provided, one ioi
freeholders and one for non freehoiders.' as
each and every man voted, he was asked are
you freehoder?" If he said yes, he was asked:
sDo you own land in your own right, or that OF
your wife?n II he said in lis wifes, his ballot
was put into the ron-frceholders' box Ii the
Judge was not satisfied the voter was sworn
Tom Hyde sat by al the time and was one OF
the opponents of The amended charter who
will testify to this.
Now the amended charter says that sany
person qualified to vote i'll Allegheny county
for members of the general assembly, who has
been a resident for three months within the
boundries designated in section of the act,
shall be entitled to vote. In the boundfles
mentioned in the amended charter, we have
three voting precincts. The voter had to be
regis tered at one of these places before he be
| came voter OF the county of Allegheny. There
| was no provision for registering, therefore o
| person could register at any time, but he must
have resided within the prescribed limits three
| months These questions were asked every
| doubtful voter If there was still any doubt he
was sworn.
Another irregularity $50 called was allowing
men to vote whose families lived elsewhere.
They were allowed to vote Oh written opinion
from the attorney general Of the state, who
said that where man declared his residence
and had compiled With the requirements Of the
law he could VOTE regardless of where his fami
| ly lives
| Now Will give you tie vote and you can draw
your own conclusions and what a large
number that are dissatisfied. There were so
freeholders who voted "a voted for the amend
ed charter; Is against amended ch arter. A ma
| iority only was required. There were SIP votes
cast. Necessary to adopt three ffths; of which
255 voted for the amended charter, and 81 voted
against it.
I write this in justice to or judges, than
whom better and more conscientious men do
not live in town, and also il justice to our PEG
people. Your correspondent aims to convey
the impression to tie outside world that nobody
but the rabble of the town voted for the amend
ed charter, and that large numbers OF our best
citizens and property owners were opposed to
it; also that the judges were Incompetent to fill
their high position. / do not know who your
correspondent is nor Go care. The town
knows that he has niis.'2presented them i'll ev-
cry particular. There are not over half q dozen
that are really opposed to the charter, and most
of them opposed it on purely personal grounds
and prejudice, which can lie easily proved.
Clifton Forge, Va. April d.