The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-31
wItITuE oHAND JuRYDoq


The candor and frankness OF the letter
| from Mr.. Henry W. Bouldin. which We
| published yesterday, must impress ltselt
/ most favorably upon all right-thinilhs
Iaen. Mr.. BOuldin Is one Of the most
respected citizens OF Charlotte county
and he knows what he talks about. We
commend It TO the Dispatch, which has
SO frequently asked the Times for EVIL
dence that our elections are not honest.
MIR. Bou,din says the elections are dis
honest over all Southside Nirginia.-The
Richmond Times.
Mr.. BCuldin should go before the grand
jury OF his county. and make q clean
breast Of ell that he knows. II he can
furnish the evidence" 10 send three or
four election officers TO the penitentiary
he may feel reasonably sure that there
will be very little fraud at the elections
IN Charlotte for years TO c9me.-Dlspatch
OF yesterday.
We reprint, in answer TO the Dispatches
suggestion that Mr. Bouldln go before the
grand jury, part OF letter We published
yesterday from a citizen Of Pittsylvania
county who is as reliable in his statements
as Mr.. Bouldln. 1t is as follows:
Chatham, Va, December q, 1893.
Editor Times: The grand jury at this
term OF the County Court found true
bill against Mr.. G.. w. r. Walker for tam
pering with the ballot-box at the Rice
VILE precinct. and il was ascertained mat
there was no law in Virginia under which
a man could be indicted or punished for
robbing or stuffing a ballot-box, and not
withstanding it was clearly proven that
the Judges of the election adjourned or
took n recess Of one hour and a half and
went three or four hundred yards TO din
ncr the gand jury refused 10 present them
for neglect of duty.
What would be the use in Mr.. Bouldn
going before the grand jury? The fact
is that the Anderson Mccormick law was
understood by the people to be passed in
order that the negroes in the upper
counties might be cheated out Of their
votes. The people cannot be expected TO
be better than their laws. If the laws
connive at fraud nothing could be more
natural than for the people TO think
themselves justified in practlcing fraud.
The result is that cheating in elections
has become the rule IN many counties
in the State. This is perfectly natural.
If the source OF the stream be impure
the waters that flow therefrom must
also be. II is most distressing to hear
this matter discussed now in Virginia.
Men whose private honor Is above re-
preach, who would scorn to do any act
in their daily transactions that could Of
fend the incest scrupes, admit that
cheating is the rule in many Of the
negro counties, and they defend it as
the only preventive Of negro rule there.
This IS totally indefensible and would
never have come to pass If our leaders
and teachers had done their part by the
people Of Virginia. and the pr sss and
the Tulpit have more TO answer for In
connection with IT than all other agen-
cies. Neither has performed its duties
to the people 1t is time they were both
arousing themselves, ard telling the peo-
pie that they must rely upon their ma
tive manhood for relief from the evils Of
eve y situation and not upon the arts
and methods OF the sneak-thief. They
will not retain their delcacy Of senti-
ment in private transactions If they ac-
custom themselves 10 fraud in public
matters The oft-quoted and trite lines
cannot be too often repeated
"Vice is a monster Of such horrid mien.
That TO be hated it needs only to be seen.
But seen too oft, familiar grown its face
We pity first, endure. and then embrace"
Every man should cut out these lines
and put them in his hat and view and con
them every day They contain one of
the most unerring truths that ever came
from mortal lips. If we continue cheating
in elections in the negro counties We
will certainly extend 1t in time 10 the
white counties. and not only so, but, If
we continue 10 familiarize ourselves with
cheating in public matters. we will in
eyitably begin after awhile to cheat
one another in private matters.
The rogue has no favorite except the
easiest victim. He will cheat his friend
as soon as his foe. In matters Of hon
esty resistance is all, as with the egg.
on the outside. Break through the
crust OF honesty and there is nothing
but roguery and rottenness within.