The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-12
. GREAT DAY FOR VIRGINIA.

nv. ontnion which the Court OF Appeals
NJ virginia delivered yesterday, In de-
cl,ning TO grant appeal in case III
,anded to test the constitutionality OF
.sbe walton election law is one when
should be read and taken to heart by al
the people OF Virginia. 1t Is not sur
pr,sing that the court upheld the constr
= txionality OF tne law. There was never
any serious ground upon which to test
its constitutionality. fhe defects ths'
arise out of it pertain to the manner in
which II is enforced All laws can be
made pernicious By pernicious methods
of enforcing them, and 1t is the PERM
cious way in which the Walton law Is
nut into operation and effect that the
people of Virginia have a right TO COM
plain OF.
But the portions of the opinion OF Vir-
ginia's highest court 10 which we want
10 call especial attention are these. The
Court says:
"The right of suffrage is derived from
fhe Constitution of the state. ana 10 IL
we look for the qualifications OF voters
and the limitations and restrictions upon
the right Of voting: In other words, 10 as
certain who may and who may not vote.
.The Legislature cannot prescribe any
qualification i'm addition to those found
In the Constitution. and any attempt TO
do so. openly or covertly, directly or IN
directly. is void"
Note this. people of Virginia. The
right OF every man to cast his vote, and
have II counted as cast, is sacred, and
any attempt of the Legislature to abridge
the right, openly or covertly. directly or
Indirectly. is repugnant 10 our constitu-
tional law, and void And note in this
connection. that the Court effectually dis
poses of the claim that II is optional
with the special constable whether he
renders or does not render an illiterate
voter the assistance which may be neces-
sary TO enable him to cast such vote
az he wishes TO cast. The Court says
emphatically that the constable must"
render him whatever assistance he asks
TO enable him TO vote as he wishes TO
vote. That matter is now ended and
set at rest.
But here Is the passage in the opinion
which we want every Virginian to read
and think over. 1t ought TO be written
in letters OF gold. and hung in every
mans bedroom:
1.-THE people are. with as. the source OF
all honor and power. Their will is ex-
pressed by elections by ballot. Ii is for
them 20 see TO II that the agencies en-
ployed TO collect their will are kept free
from all faint of fraud and corruption.
and as far as may be from the suspicion
OF Il. IL il idle TO hope for honest on
Gals and honest government as the re-
suit OF dishonest elections 1t would be
well TO expect AN evil tree to bring
forth good fruit IL fraud is permitted
at elections. or II the laws under which
elections are held do not make its per-
petration both difiicult and dangerous.
honest men Will be excluded from all
participation I'm affairs. while those who
have by corrupt practices come into power
viii not be slow amply 10 indemnify
themselves by pecuiation for all that
their success may have cost
God be praised that our Court OF Ap-
peais has had an opportunity to say those
words TO the people OF Virginia, and that
u has availed Itself of the opportunity.
Surely. II any Virginian could have hest
tsted about his duty before, these SOL
emn words from this august tribunal
should end all doubt or uncertainty In
his mind. Since our own court has
spoken thus scornfully OF the arts of
the bailot-box suffer. let us all join to-
yether In determining that. forgetting
the past. we viii all work together to
secure for Virginia perfectly pure and
honest suffrage for the future. Here is
rallying point. Let every yirginlan
say that he will. from this day forth.
follow the lead Of his highest court. and
DO all that in him lies TO remove the
tsint OF fraud from virginiss fair name
snA lame.