Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-08
FRIDAY ....FEBRUARY s, 1895.



The leading editorial article in the
Times Of Tuesday plainly questioned the
right Of Tucker. Tyler. Mckenney. ana
Otey 70 their seats in Congress. IL
charged wholesale. widespread, concert
rd fraud. "prearranged for by some CEN
trail authority" and TO exclude any other
conclusion than that the Democrats had
swept the State by fraud, the Times de-
handed that the Dispatch should not
rdesecrate the name Of fairness by saying
that the election was fair.
There's no mon sequitur' about that;
nor about the further proposition of the
Times that thousands Of illiteTate voters
were either deprived of their votes. or
they had them counted for candidates
that they were opposed to- II the Times
does not wish TO question the risht or
Mckinney. Otey. Tucker. and Tyler to
their seats. why is 1t so very indignant
with the Dispatch for asserting that the
elections were fair and that our oandl-
dates were fairly elected? Why, indeed!
Mr. Borland. the Republican candidate
for Congress IN the Norfolk District
started out to contest the seat Of Mr.
Tyler with the same sort Of bumptu2us
confidence that the Times displays when
Il says, as 1t did last Tuesday, that the
Democrats Of Virginia in the last cam
paign concocted a ''masterpiece Of trick
cry by which thousands Of Nhterate
voters were deprived Of their votes' But
Mr.. Borland has now found out that the
task he undertook was very unpromising.
and he has shown his wisdom hy with
drawing from the contest. And the Times
would better follow his example.
Now. what was the masterpiece Of
trlckery" which the editor OF the Times,
& member Of the State Democratic Com
inittee. has charged against his party?
WHY. the alienation of names on the ball
lots-an arransoment which disturbed no
uterate voter. nor any ilterate voter
who relied upon the special constable
";he ballot-rea3er" whom the law had
provided to assist N preparing the ballots
uf all men unable 10 prepare ballots Tor
themselves.
Deep in the counsels Of the party as the
Times must b.. it must know that our
people never thought OF using the power
that the law gave them Of alternating the
names on the ballots until the Noon
circular" appeared. This Noon circular
was . circular Of instructions sent out TO
the Republicans voters OF the Tenth Dis
trict by John \. Noon, secretary of the
Republican committee. anu advising,
among other things. that
When the polls are opened, the
quickest. brightest, ana most Intelligent
Republican a. the precinct should vote
first. lie win have two minutes and il
half IN the booth. and can then make the
closest observation Of the ticket, and
afterwards describe il 10 the voter VINO
cannot read. explaining 10 him where the
name OF y. Yost" is located on the
ticket, and what names 20 scratch Out.
This Noon plan (Which was adopted by
the Republicans in several counties) led
some Of the voters into midnight-dark-
ness, we doubt not. for the officers Of the
law at once began to inquire II 1t was
not allowable for the electoral boards
70 alternate the names OF candidates.
The Hanover Electoral Board wrote to the
Secretary Of the Commonwealth (who is
charged with a variety Of duties under
the Walton elcction-law), asking him II
the board was required 60 place the
names in any particular order. Secretary
Lawless in turn asked the Attorney
General OF Virginia. Attorney-Generd
Scott gave as his opinion that the whol'
matter Of arranging the names on th'
ticket balloO was in the hands OF the
electoral boards.
The Attorney-GeneraIs opinion was tina
"the .ballot-law prescribcs no order or ar
rangement for the names Of candi
dates upon the ballot" LAS constru
r. Che said the arrangement and Orde
In which the candidates names are pu
upon the ballot Is left 20 the discretion
OF the electoral boards OF the cities an
COUNTIES Of the Commonwealth
The very circular from the Secretar
OF the Commonwealth which informe
the officers Of election that a separa'
ballot-box would be required for The con
stltutional-amcndm.n ballots containe
the above quoted opinion Of the Attorney
General a. 10 the arr ngement Of name
on the tickets and this circular was sen
out from the Secretary's Office in dl
course Of business. and along with othe
matter intended for the guidance Of elec
tofal boards 81 much for the history
this circular. which the Times Of yester
day desired we should give 1t.
The very same objection that the Time
raises 70 the alienation Of names o
the tickets, was raised by Mr.. Nost
his motto. Of contest u Harry Tucke
We shall now quote what Mr.. Tucker ha
said In bis answer 10 Mr.. Yost-remari
ing, boy thu way. that Harry Tucker
"a son OF The Hon. John Randolph Iucke
and that We do not consider that We d
any violence 70 Harry fuckers well-d'
served reputation as d lawyer, when
Say that We guess that he couns lie
with his distinguished father IN prepai
ing this important paper:
THE extent 20 which the teachings
this (NoonD circular. as wei as those
your partisans and personal friends wei
in their attempt to nuiIiy the la" ma
be readily seen By a consideration OF u
spirit and intent Of this law. The c0lOie
vote Of the State. as has been state
has been for years banded in almost sol
phaisnx against the white people. Il
originally by the Carpet-baggers and the
by the scalawags who took their place
their minds have been educated In Il
belief that the white men OF their ow
section were hostile 10 them, and IN
their social and political interests require
that they should always vote against u
white Democrats.
Every suggestion which could be reis'
by the imagination OF willy poN'lciai
was brought forth 10 poison the mine
OF these deiuded people against the
best and original friends. For years fo
lowing the war they quietly and pei
sistently followed these leaders. Gradt
ally, however. among the more INTEL
gent OF the race there came TO be
class OF men who were learning that IN
stories Of evil which they had been tol
were 70 follow Democratic supreme