Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-21
AUSTRALIAN BALLOT.
SENATOR WALTON ON THE Alle~eo
DEFECTS IN THE LAW.
=. Nina, Re Taken In Its Entirety to secure
the Proper Intent-The Prin'erS""
and Its True interpretation


Your correspondent had an inter'ie" "''i
state Senator NJ. L. Walton to-uay 1T
nj. home in this place. concerning 'he
,,;o,od defects In the Walton Austraiiah-
ballot law. and elected the following:
NV attention has been called 10
consideration OF the printers oath under
the election-law passed by the late Ten
eraI Assembly of Virginia. which reads
| thus: Section 6. |, --, solemnIy swear
that I will print here insert NUMBER
- ballots according to the instructions
Of the Electoral Board OF the county
,or CITY, of - that Will print and
| hermit to be printed. directly or inds-
rectly. no more than the above NUMBER;
that | will at once destroy all imperfect
and perfect, impressions: that as soon as
said number of ballots is printed / will
distribute the type used for said work,
and, finally. that / will not communicate
to any one whomsoever in any manner
whatsoever the size, style. or contents OF
said ballot"
IN IT'S ENTIRETY.
This Is the oath required of the printer.
and IL seems that the mere announcement
OF IL I'm It's entirety ought to solve the
alleged effectiveness Of the law. The word
Impressions" ia equivalent TO saying the
proofs Of the ballots; but, the oath re-
quires that the printer shall print an exact
number or ballots, and that this number
shall BE- accurately mentioned I'm the oath
and further. that the printer shall not per
nit directly or indirectly any greater
4. 40 no lav
requires dn the seventh sectiom that the
ballots shall be carefully counted by the
Electoral Board Of the County or cityJ
and be arpOrtioned 10 the various pre-
cincts, allowing twice as many official
ballots as there are registered voters at
the precinct for which the ballots are
intended.
The law must be taken altogether 10
secure the legislators intent. Was this
to print the ballots and then destroy them
insian'er? The fundamental rules of in
depreciation discard the absurdity.
TRUE INTENT.
The true'intent and meaning Of the law
Is TO destroy all ballots. whether perfect
or imperfect Impressions after the pro-
per number Of ballots have been printed.
Ihis would be required whether the words
perfect impre ssions" occurred In the law
VI NV 10y d'fiItul or IlSCpuht tntIc
may be printed more perfect impress
siou1' than two to each registered voter
at any given precinct This would neces-
sitate the reduction Of all impressions"
perfect or imperfect. to the actual num-
Der To be printed.
] cannot see how the introduction OF
perfect impressions" AT cts the true
meaning Of the legislators manifest in
tent. II is merely surp!usase. and the
ballots Over the required number would
b" destroyed Independently. Eut how can
the printer furnish an absolutely definite
number Of ballots and permit no more TO
u, printed directly or Indirectly and de-
liver them 10 the secretary of the Electo-
raj Board. who is pros nj at the printing.
and yet AT once destroy all perfec; or
imperfect Impressions? This cannot be-
done. And II it could. how would the bal
lots be delivered and distributed when all
would have been DESTROYED?
Certainly no printer selected by the
various electoral boards would raise any
such ridiculous questions. In other words
that h@ would solcmnly swear that he
would do a certain prescribed thing. only
Immediately after doing Of it to destroy
the product of his labor without any
compensating advantage to the electoral
board that employed him 10 print the
ballots, in order To conduct an important
election. II the practical operations Of
the law arr involved IN any uncertainty,
inasmuch as the same does not - into
effect until July LIST. a test case can 10
made up and heard by the Court OF APP
pcdls in June at Wytheville. or at Staun-
ton in September However. for my part, !
! can see no such necessity.
ONLY APPARENT
The other alleged defects spoken Of |
consist Of an apparent inconeruity I'm |
requiring notice of the nominations or |
candidacy Of candidates to be given Eat /,
least twenty days before such election" |
and that the printing OF ballots within |
thirty days" preceding each election. the |
reconciliation IS completed when the bal |
lots are printed not more than twenty |
days before the election. provided the re- |
quired notice has been given. or until !
after the notice Of candidacy has been |
given within thirty days" or any day |
during the thirty days. II. however. must |
be done before all Of the days compris- |
ing the thirty days" have passed or |
expired. This meaning is clear; if "A note !
IS made payable within thirty days that |
the debtor can pay until the expiration |
If tho thirty DAVIS Is very palulble