Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-10-25
THE LEGAL NOMINEE.
NO IRREGULARITY WHATEVER IN
THE NOMINATION OF LAMB.
CITY COMMITTEE ANSWER TIE TINES
Plain Statement Of Facts rs to- That
decentralization Officers and
Colonel Eiletts Position.

The appended statements and affidsvits
fully explain themselves. and dispose Of
a matter that attracted good deal of at
tention in political circles yesterday:
Headquarters city Democratic Committee,
Richmond, Va, October "a 1886.
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
The Times this morning published a
column article alleging that on October
7th there was a recount by the under
signed and other members Of the City
Democratic Committee OF the ballots cast
at the recent primary election in certain
precincts, and that the fact was developed
that there was a grave error in the Fourth
Precinct Of Monroe Ward, the result of
which, had the returns been correctly
made. would have been the nomination OF
Tazewel Elicit by the Third District
Democratic Convention instead Of Captain
John Lamb. The Times sap.cntly con-
cludes that Colonel Elicit is the legal
nominee Of the Democratic party instead
OF Captain Lamb
The bias of the Times is so pronounced,
and its methods are so well known, that
ii will be evident 10 all thoughtful per-
sons that its sole object is to dlscredit
Captain Lamb and embarrass him in his
candidacy. This committee would not no
tice so transparent and mediocre politi-
cal fake as this, the mos remarkable OF
the many remarkable articles that the
Times has brought forth, were IL not for
the fact that it is learned that the gist
Of the article has been sent to out-of-
town newspapers by the local correspond
ents and Il Is proper that this committee
should officially deny so misleading a
statement.
WHAT THE FACTS REALLY ARE.
In plain English, the Times's article is
q misstatement that is all the more
reprehensible because 1t is ingenious.
There is a grain Of truth and a bushel OF
falsehoOd-a foundation Of fact, upon
which Is built an elaborate superstructure
Of invention. We propose TO give THE
FACTS. without color, and let an intelli-
gent public judge.
The undersigned constitute a campaign
committee to whom has been committed
the active management Of the Democratic
campaign in this city. 1t has been our
practice to meet at headquarters Powha-
tan Club every afternoon at O'Clock. on
a certain afternoon, about three weeks
ago, our committee met al the usual hour
and place and there were also present
Mr.. @. X Pollock, OF the Advisory Com
mttee, and the ward superintendent. to
whom we were to distribute blank index
ed books, in which 10 copy the registra-
ton, and the poll-books containing the
names Of the persons who voted in the
congressional primary. by which it was
our purpose TO check the registration and
10 see that ell of our voters were register
81 4 10 in led
trunk, i'm which were also the ballots cast
I'm the congressional primary and these
ballots were I'm sealed document envelopes
Just as they were brought TO the City
Democratic Committee by the judges Of
election on the night of the primary. The
seal of the trunk was broken by the COM
mittee and the poll-books were taken out
to be distributed.
He OPENED THE ENVELOPES.
While the members Of the committee
were arranging to distribute the books,
Mr.. c. w. Saunders, superintendent of
Clay Ward, who has been known as one
Of Colonel Elletts warmest friends and
supporters, went to the trunk and took
therefrom an envelope containing the ball
lots OF the Fourth Precinct Of Monroe
Ward, and proceeded to count them We
were not aware of this while II was oc
curing, being busy with the poll-books.
We were suddenly disturbed in our work
by hearing AIr. Saunders eXclaim that he
had discovered a mistake in the ballots.
and that they counted 20 for Lamb and
Is for Elicit, instead Of rs for Lamb
and "a for Elicit. Mr.. Saunders requested
us to verify his individual recount, but
the committee declined to do so officially,
as they had not seen the envelope OPEN
ed and the ballots taken therefrom. The
incident then ended, as the City Demo-
cratic Committee had no power under
the primary plan to order a recount, no
contest having been filed within the speci-
fed time and as all of US knew that the
Democratic convention had settled all
these things, and that no action Of the
City Democratic Committee could super
sede the action Of the Democrats Of the
Third District in convention assembled.
II should be stated here that in no In
stance does the City Committee count the
ballots cast in primary election, unless
fraud rregularity, or error IS alleged,
and, even then, no recount IS made by
the committee. unless ordered by a ma
jority vote Of the committee. The bal
lots on the night Of the election, after
being counted by the judges and clerks,
and a return certified in due form, are
sealed up in envelopes and delivered TO
the committee with the returns, and they
remain 50 sealed until destroyed.
1t is not a fact (as stated by the Tines
that the ballots OF several other precincts
were counted
THE RESULT NOT AFFECTED.
II will be seen by the dispassionats
reader that II a recount Of the vote in
this precinct had been made, as alleged,
and had resulted as alleged, it would not
have nominated Colonel Ellett.for Captain
Lambs supporters would still have had
control Of the convention, but by vote
of "a 10 SO, instead OF 90 to 81.
In order that it may be plain that there
has been no partisan feeling in this
matter. we desire to state the fact that
of the six men who sign this statement,
five voted for Colonel Elett, and only
one for Captain Lamb.
In conclusion, let US say that we have
endeavored 10 present this matter in
dispasslonate manner. having nothing to
conceal. and wishing 20 eXtenuate not
even the slightest circumstance.
Respectfully,
MARION H. DAWSON,
JEFFERSON WALLACE,
JOHN II. REDWOOD.
JAMES W. GORDON,
II. NJ. TYLER,
]. T.. M'KENNY,