Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-24
OUR ELECTION LAWS.
NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DISHONESTY
or THE VOTERS.
virxinia IL Politically as Free from Corrup-
ton ~ the Purcst state-Eiectorai
Boards vindicated.


stances exists only In their heated Inn
aginations they advocate a radical change.
their intellects become so blunted by
dogmatism that they mistake for sound
argument the expression Of private opin-
Ion or the repetition Of alleged irregulari-
ties which either have no foundation
or have been magnihed and distorted
beyond recognition.
Such augmentation" though It may
be eminently satisfactory to those who
use II, will not commend itself to logical
reasoners. / leave the unbiased public
to determine whether The Times has
not used this form Of composition In
Its editorials on alleged election frauds.
After taking the position 1t has taken
In this controversy no one need be sur
prised that 1t claims the privilege OF
being inconsistent. can conceive Of no
occasion when this privilege would be
more earnestly contended for or more
needed than when paper which claims
for a political party attempts
to expose the methods or the laws OF that
party 10 public ridicule and derision.
II would be unjust to this journal to in
innate that these editorials have been the
result Of supreme efforts on the part
Of its editor, for those who have I'M
fortunately devoted their time to them
will not fail to hope that their author
has reserve force for some more worthy
future effort.
DEFENCE OF THE PARTY.
My poor letter OF Sunday, 10th. was writ
ten with a feeble and untried pen and
90
but the fact that II was an earnest effort
TO defend my party from the savage at
tacks of its friends" The Times was
pleased to remark from its plane Of "in-
telligent independence that this letter
nothing new and nothing much
worthy OF notice. In this connection 1t
will permit me respectfully TO observe
that had 1 sought TO misuse the space
which the Dispatch so kindly favored me
with TO furnish evidence Of Democratic
dishonesty by reporting interviews had
with disappointed Republican office-seek-
ers, or to Openly and dehantly' attempt
TO blast public character by indirect in
situation, or to give circulation to re-
nections on the integrity of our legislators,
the. letter would probably have contained
matter sufficiently original and sufficient
ly sensational TO have commended Itself
even TO the Times. It did me the honor,
however, TO concede that one point
pressed by me deserved "a passing re-
mark" and in condescendlng to notice 1t
devoted nearly an entire column to Its
1t may be supposed that had It deemed
the whole letter worthy of its attention
IL would have used an entire editorial
sheet in replying to It. believe that 1
voiced the opinion OF by far the ma
jority Of those who have intelligently
the subject when the asser-
ton was made that Virginia was, politi-
cally speaking, as free from corruption
as the purest State in the Union, and
that the fraud which did exist, as it
does in all States, resulted from indi-
vidual dishonesty rather than defective
IN DIRECT ANTAGONIST.
The Times desired to put itself on re-
cord as having expressed an opinion in
direct antagonism" to this position. 1t
has already seemingly put itself in direct
to the greater part of the
Democratic party; an individual should
not object IL he is not agreed with.
Suppose the election machinery IN
A should be under the undis-
Duted control of three persons" Does
not the law provide that these three per-
sons shall be elected by the General
Assembly? Does not the same body
which elects the judges also elect the
Electoral Board? Can 1t be satisfac-
torily contended that the Legislature has
been or will be false to its duty by APP
pointing on this board men unqualified
by ability or honesty 10 perform the
duties of the board. Or If this absurd
position can be maintained satisfactorily.
would 1t not be just as liable to appoint
partisan Judges, who, In their turn, to per-
letuate themselves In office, would APP
point partisans on the Electoral Board
IS the Dispatch has already suggested?
Il II is seriously contended that 1t would
be false TO its duty in one case Is 1t
to suppose that 1t would
be so in the other?
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER.
These questions will not be difficult to
,olve when 1t Is remembered that this
Legislature. which is the appointing
power, Is composed OF representative men
1f Virginia, men whose high character,
ability, and unquestioned
integrity have entitled them to the confi-
Ience of their fellow-men. Is IL not only
obviously unjust. but ridiculously absurd,
% presuppose that the Electoral Board
FOR county A Is composed OF three not
,yer-scrupulous white men? Is not
Observation-Disclosures requisite quallfica-
lion for membership on this board? Has
my evidence been produced or can any
evidence be produced TO establish the
act that only men OF questionable IN
Legrity commend themselves TO the leg
slators OF Virginia? OF course the
White men OF county A" and every
,ther county in our southern States
have been struggling with "all their
night to keep the negroes from ruling
heir county" II there IL any probability
If their doing so, and this struggle viii
,e kept up as long as there Is one white
nan left with Anglo-Saxon blood In
lis veins.
not VER-SCRUPULOUS" WHITE
MEN.
The question Of whether or not II would
BE- better for the white people OF "A eoun-
v" TO submit 10 negro domination than
% prevent them from ever casting their
yot. Is not now being discussed. When II Is
,gitated there will be no lack OF able
writer's TO settle II satisfactorily. Sup
pose the negroes In "a county do out
number the whites but this county,
casts a majority vote for a
Democratic candidate. This result does
lot necessarily prove that the electoral
BOARD is composed OF not "over-scrupu-
ous'' white men, or that they have APP
pointed at the "ballot-box" their judges
,r inspectors Of election who will make
the ballot-box," deny to lie negro that
control of the county which the white
nan has so long struggled against. IL
nay result from four other more proba-
Die causes-first, that the negro has lost
confidence in the protested friendship or
he Republican party and does not care
10 vote. or he may believe that he would
advance his interests by casting his lot
With the Democrats. or he may be pre-
vented from going to the polls, or his
vote may be bought
IMPOSES PENALTIES.
The law, as the Times very well knows.
imposes a severe penalty for intimidation
Or bribery. Ii knows equally as well that
1 no more prevents them than the law
10 prevent crime frees the country OF
criminals. No sensible man thinks OF con-
iemnsng law because law is sometimes
svaded. or course no honest man would
move TO community in
which fraud IL tolerated IL not encour-
aged" He would lack both prudence and
II he did. But there Is a
marked distinction to be drawn between
fraud being practiced In community
and being tolerated by the people OF that
H. r.. IL