Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-21
FITZ LEES LETTER.
His Views on the Virginia ana
Maryland Election Laws.

fredericksburg Free Lance-lnd)
We present below the views of General
Fitz Lee on the Maryland election-law
and generally on the subject of election
methods General Lee needs neither in
PRODUCTION nor commentator from the
Free Lance 1t will be observed that
General Lee believes that something
should be done. and that whatever is
done should be done by the Democratic
GLASGOW. VA February II, 1875.
Mr.. A. p. Rowe. Jr.. Manager Free Lance
Fredericksburg, Va:
My Dear Sir.-On my arrival here a Few
days ago I found your letter or the 25tn
OF January. cursory examination OF
the MARYLAND election-law shows II has
defects and good features, as nearly All
the election-laws have Snder an, any Da ar9s
with supervisory powers, Precinct Judges
Of election. and clerks. These ofncGrs
must be appointed by somebody. The
dominant political party Of state re-
serves the power to appoint. and no one
must expect IL will abrogate it,
L do not think the provision in the
Maryland law requiring the Governor
to appoint the boards of supervisors wise.
Governors, though the public sometimes
think otherwise. have plenty 10 do now,
and they cannot be expected 10 make
selection of such officers from personal
knowledge. and must depend on the re-
commentator OF others. plan by
which the Legislature or local judge make
such appointments is preferable The TWO
ballot clerks. under the MARYLAND law, az
each precinct must belong to different
political parties and. presume, the
county commissioners. or supervising
board, appoint them. though IT Is not
stated in the synopsis submitted 70 me.
Ii is evident the honesty OF the election
turns on these ballot clerks as 1t does on
the present constable feature OF the Viz
ginia law
minority are men of straw, and those of
the majority think everything is fair in
politics-as in love and war'-to break
down their opponents. ana desire TO act
accordingly. the opportunity Is AFFORDED.
The power of appointment has 10 be
lodged somewhere. Ii the appointing
powers desire to practice unfair methods,
no ballot law can be. framed 70 prevent
IT, The honesty Of the constable in our
law Is the honesty of the election.
In this section / know the constables
were selected with great care. ana that
every legal vote was counted as cast.
lots that under the law they could not
be counted. 1t was owing 10 the fact
that they were told not 10 consult the
cons;ables. but 10 follow certain instruc-
tions. which they forgot. In the contest
between Tucker and Yost. at my pre-
cinct the negroes were told to scratch out
every name but the short one. Yost; and,
on going 10 vote. some OF them asked SSS
ing the tickets OF uniform length. got
confused and did not know how 10 mark
them.
The placing In its proper place the X,
in the Maryland law. would be still more
difficult. yet the law. In many Of It's fca-
lures, Is good.
solution Of this matter might be found
by letting each congressional district So
lect by a vote OF its county ana city
Democratic chairman therein. or other
wise, Democratic representative, TO
meet similar representatives and con-
slider the whole question, and prepare
proposed amendments 10 the present or
former laws or frame "A new lw, which
Democratic legislative can6'Ttes can
stand pledged TO vote for If elected.
The present diversity OF opinion on the
suffrage question impairs Democratic
prospects In time OF peace we must
prepare for war II we hope TO win a
victory. Very truly,
FITZHUGH LEE.