Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-17
The Sort of Elections I'm Virginia.

evils which are notorious.
-~<r.-----
The Sort of Elections I'm Virginia.
(Staunton Vindicator)
The Richmond Times Is engaged in
proving that the elections in Virginia are
not fair, and it attributes their unfair
ness to the facilities for cheating offered
b. the Anderson-McCormlck bill. The
cry Of cheating always brought against
the Democrats OF Virginia by the Re-
publicans since the State was restored
has a plain history. Virginia is u Demo
cratic State, but that fact was never COM
pretended by the Republican admlnistra-
tlons at Washington. The fact that Nir-
ginia voted for Grant in 1872 (through the
refusal Of Democrats to vote) gave those
in Washington the idea that II was
State that might be carried for the Re-
publican party. All the patronage Of the
Republican administrations was given
year after year TO the Virginia Repubh-
cans, and they were expected TO make
some return 10 the national party for
Il In the way of carrying the State.
In advance Of evert election these Re-
publicans would deceive the Washington
authorities by prophecies OF carrying the
State, carrying congressman, and car
rying everything by great majorities.
When the election came or, their pre-
dlctions were exploded, and as they had
to offer some explanation, they offered
that easiest OF ALL that they were
cheated TO explain how they came TO
be cheated more than the old Whig or
other parties had been in their day
they offered the excuse that a new cleo
tion-law-the Anderson Mccormick law
had come into operation. and that IL IA
ciitated cheating more than any law ever
in Virginia. With Republicans this ex-
cuse had become hereditary.
The n-McCormick law. of which
so much IS said. went into effect in 1884.
The point In which IL differs from the
law which preceded It Is that instead
of giving the appointment OF election off,
GERS to the county and city judges, as
the old law had 1t. II gave the appoint
ment to electoral boards i'm both city and
county, chosen by the Legislature The
Democratic Legislature which passed il,
took the appointment from the county
Judges largely because the county judges
of that day had been all practically APP
pointed by Malone The law is as fair
as any law can be, and IL makes
II mandatory that electoral boards shall
choose judges Of election from different
political parties whenever IL IS possible
10 do So The best proof Of its fairness
is found in its working. 1t went into
operation I'm 1SSl and the first election
held under It was for congressman in
that year. In that year Brady Republi-
cam was elected in the Fourth and Lib
by Republican, in the Second districts
these being the black" districts. where
the enemies OF the law charge that the
cheating IS chiefly done. The next con-
gressional election held under the Ander-
On-McCOrmick law was in 1885. Under
It the Republicans carried seven districts
out Of the ten in the State, as follows:
Districts MaJorities
1T. X. b. Brown Rep)..........1.5OO
2..George f. Bowden CRep). 5000
Sc. y. Wise Dem). m)................2,000
4..W. T.. Gaines Rep). $500
81. II. Brown (Rep). 600
6..S. J. Hopkins Ck of L.)..........I.OO0
&c. T. O'Ferrall Dem) :........... so
S.W. II. +. Lee Oem).. )............1.000
9..Henry Bowen Rep), 1000
10. Jacob Yost Rep)......,..........1,5sS
That upsetting of the Democracy was,
f. must be recollected done under an
elcction-law under which it was held by
the Republicans no fair election could
take place.
The next election for Congress took
place in 1853, with the following result:
Districts. Majorities.
1T. X. Il. Browne Rep). 1000
&c. T.. Bowden Rep). 500
&c. -. Wise Dem. 76J
i...E. r. Nenable Dem)'. loo
5...P. G. Lester Oem) LOCO
G..Paul Edmunds Oem). 100
&C. T. O'Ferrall Oem0 900
SW II. +. Lee OemD 5000
9..John a. Buchanan Oem).........1,500
10. II. st. George Tucker Oem)...... GO
II VIII be observed that In this year.
1855 two black" districts elected Re-
publican congressman but the third
black" district negro and white Re-
publican ran. and split the Republican
vote. thereby elect,ng Venable Demo
craO. The Republican majority in Con-
gress--a much worse counter out than
any election-law could be. unseated him
arguing, something like our friend Of
the Times does, that the negroes were
there: If they were there they voted the
Republican ticket; If they voted the Re
publican ticket how could a Democrat
be elected?
The Anderson McCormlck bill is as
good electon-law as the State ever
had. and we do not believe there is
any more fraud under 1t than there Is in
PENNSYLVANIA, Indiana, Illinois, or any
other State. And if there is any fraud,
II must be conniyed at by the Republican
judges, who are appointed along with the
Democratic judges.
We snOuld De BEedlly piedStu 10 see inc
Virginia Legislature have the nerve TO
pass an Australian-ballot law without the
educational feature, and thereby throw
the election into the hands of the intelii-
gent people, white and black, OF the State.
1t would be a great thing for Virginia 8
peace and prosperity. But We shall never
ask for a change in the present election
law because OF unfairness in the elections.
In every State In the Union, We have no
doubt, there is certain percentage OF
trlckery and fraud in elections, and we
have no reason to think that the Ander-
SON Mccormick law offers a wider field
for It in Virginia than do the election
laws of other States.