The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-13
THE CASE BREAKS DOWN
on MO"Sf.

Well, well. wei. We suppose we are
at last At the bottom of the alternating
of-names- busincss-on- the-ballots. We VIII
rehearse the successive steps Of the con-
troversy. that the hing may be exactly
understood. ON Friday. the Sth OF feb-
ruary. the Dispatch following up its ar
ticle of the 9th. made an elaborate de
fence of this avcrring that the Hanover
Electoral Board asked the Secretary OF
the Commonwealth whether or not they
could do It; that the Secretary Of the
Commonwealth asked the Attorney-Gcn-
eral whether or not they could do il; that
the Attorrey-General wrote the Secretary
OF the Commonwealth that they could
do II, and that the Secretary of the Com
n onwealth sent out circular to all the
electoral boards i'm the state, INTENDED
for the guidance OF the electoral boards"
which contained this opinion of the At
torney- General as TO the arrangement
. OF names on tht-Tickets. That there maS
be no mistake about the fact that the
Dispatch intended to say that the Score
tary of the Commonwealth directed this
an opinion from the Attorncy-General
that 1t was lawful to do so, we reprint
this morning in full so much of its ar
tces OF the 9th and sth rs bear on tho
question. Let every candid man say af-
ter reading those articles, whether we
have or have not stated correctly what
tho articles intend TO say.
The Dispatch yesterday printed the cir
cular which the Secretary of the Com |
monwealth sent to the electoral boards, |
and here it is-a thoroughly proper cir !
cular:
THE LAWLESS CIRCULAR.
The fun circular reads:
once Of the
Secretary Of the Commonwealth
Richmond. Va. oct. Is. 1891
Electoral boards viii take notice that
nothing shall be printed on the wal
ton ballot" except the names of the
candidates and the Offices for which they |
are candidates. and that the vote ON the
constitutional amendment shall be 10y |
separate ballot to be deposited in Il sepI-
rae bailot-box.
The tickets for the vote on the consti-
tWional amendment VIII be printed here
and sent out as promptly as possible
various electoral boards.
Respectfully j. r. LAWLESS.
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
The Dispatch says the Secretary of the
Commonwealth also printed. as part Of
this circular, the opinion Of the Attorney
General holding that names might be-
alternated on the ballots, and the Dis
patch printed that opinion also yester-
day.
Now, when that opinion Of the Attor-
ncy-Gcneral is examined. it is seen that
there is not one word in it about alter
mating names on ballots. We print il
elsewhere. The secretary of the Elec-
loral Board of Hanover county asked tho
of1he Commonwealth whether
bis board was Obliged to print the names
Of the candidates in the order in which
hey were sent to him by the Secretary
IF the Commonwealth That is. the See
rotary sent the list thus: Smith, Jones.
Brown 1ompkins. The Hanover secrc-
AIRY wanted to know If he must print
hem in that order or If he could not
-ary TO Tompkins. Brown. Jones. Smith.
That was the question put. and that was
he question answered. and all that the
\ttorney-General did was to say that the ,
hanover Electoral Board could change l
hat order OF the names If IL chose. ,
Vow where is there one word in the cir =
ular of Mr. Lawless. or in the opinion :
x The Attorney-General authorizing sew ,
raj ballots 10 be printed for one precinct, 9
No reading Smith Jones, Brown. Temp i
ms. and another reading Brown, Smi:n. y
ompk'ns Jones? There is not a word 10 h
Indicate such thing. and the Attorney q
General was expressly of the opinion that u
was not lawful to do IT, as he ex- :,
ressly states In his opinion 10 Messrs. "
laytor and Spencer. already printed. "
The Dispatch's case then, that this al q
ernating of names was done under the Il
Erection OF the Secretary of the Com v
ionwealth. who acted by the advice OF 81
ne Attorney-General. has utterly broken Il
own. The Attorney General never gave III
NY sueh opinion az mas been imputed NJ
, him. and the Secretary OF the Com Il
never sent out a circular 10 u
ie electoral boards. Intended for their pl
iidance." that suggested any alternating tu
names IL
But 10 this che limit that 10 70 be put ! It