Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-08-16

troversy with other journals, particu
larry those OF different political
faith.
An article in last weeks Republi
can on the Virginia election laws is
SO outrngeously vonomous, false and
misleading that il becomes tho duty
OF the News to give its readers The
facts in the case.
The last people in the world to
charge othors with fraud in elections
should be the members Of the Re
publican party. Their record in Vir
ginia is enough TO damn them for
ever in the estimation of decent PEG
pie. Outside OF Tasewpil county
where, for various reasons, number
of the best citizens are Republicans,
decent Virginia Republican is al
most as hard TO find as n white crow.
Even i'll this county, we can put our
fingers on MEN who, few years past,
would not knowingly have permitted
Republican, to spend the night uni.
dor thoir roofs, but who arc now the
bitterest anti Democrats who can be
found. How respectable white mon
can reconcile themselves to member
ship III purity which, but genera
tion ago, strove to disfranchise them,
passes the News comprehension, yet
we venture to shy that not six Re.
natives-cau be found in
Tazewell who woro not formerly Dem
ocrats.
The author of the article above re-
ferred to is apparently man Ct
great wisdom. He knows moro than
the Supreme Court of this Common.
wealth; in fact, to all intent and pur.
pose, he charges the members of that
august body with connivance ut what
he is pleased 10 term "the most cor
rnpt election law evor passed by any
Legislature in any State.' The News
should be soery to see the State put
under any law which might DO pass
ed by the Republicans. II would be
j. June swcetener,' if the constitu-
lion they attempted to force upon
our people i'll 1869, or the Federal
election laws passed by that party,
are fair crterions
In speaking of tho constable, tho
article says: "Why have only one,
and he strict partisan, if fairness
had heen tho obiect?" One is suili
cicnt to keep order, which is the phi
mary object OF his appointment, and
to assist illiterato voters. II moro
than one party 10 to be represented,
fairness demands that all parties, and
independent candidates as well, must
be represented.
Would not this objection DO done
away Nttu IL lllC COllStuDlG were con-
hned to his duty Of preserving order,
hnd every voter compelled to mark
his own ballot without help, fac.
sinile of the ballot being posted in
plain view outside OF the polls.
The article asks "why should the
unused ballots be destroyed2" Why
should they be preserved! "Why
should the bill provide for twice rs
many tickets to be at each voting
place as there are registered voters?"
Is asked A. glance at the law will
answer this. 1t is provided that a
second ballot shall be given any vot
Or who by accident spoils his ballot
How could this be done if extra bal
lots were not provided?
"Whenever the heelers outside the
house We're bargaining for votes Che
special constable was in constant
communication with them and lstting'
them know how the vote was cast"
What constable; at what place7
Was it the one at Tazewell or at
North Tazewell?
"The special constable may barter
with the voter and buy his suffrage
aud the only punishment to be in
fiicted is that the criminal may be
confinedin Jail less than one Minute
on fined less than one cent or both"
Will the author kindly point out
the part of the law making the pro
vision chargeda
If it is not there-and careful
search has not enabled US to find il
--he has wilfully and deliberately
lied. To state thing which one
does not know to be true is no less a
falsehood' than statement known to
be untrue.