The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-21
VOL lo-NEW SERIES. NO. sIs.

/ OF an ONitial VINO u NeifN -.
oountonauce and check disorderIy oo"euNe
and profaritv in others and the reading
| proceeded ,.
When Mr.. Wise had concluded Regis
trar Syrclc. who was amons 'hc "1o9'
Interested OF the listeners stepped lv'
ward cxcitedly. and said. adcressihs .ne
| BOARD that the incident alluded 10 ~ Mf.
gryau's letter. when. with tears nc n"u
bcqeed help Of that gentleman WIS De
| fore he was appointed TO the once Oh
registrar. .,,
answered Captain luieon. Il lelieNe that
| statement is correct. and that Mr.. BRYAN
| only mentioned the occurrence 10 explain
nov. he became acquainted with MI Syr-
Clc."
Mr. william n. Bsvecidgc. representing
Svrclc. opened the discussion Of tie case.
DE said that the matter was not enc for
The Board TO act upon at all; that II Sy~-
Gle had failed TO perform ais duty as
registrar tho only remedy was an appeal
20 the County Court. and any evidence
bearing on the case should be presented
for the consideration OF that tribunal.
Mr. SyrCie be said. might have had good
reasons for refusing 90 gistcr voters.
ile knew Of no law hy which q registrar
could lc forced % open his donic.lc after
nightfall 10 an innundation OF voters.
itc. therefore. asked that the petition be
refused.
CAPTAIN GufGON's ARGUMENT.
captain GuigOn replied TO Mr. Beveridge
in an earnest and vigorous speech. quoting
in the outset from sections rs and %
or the election law. which reads as fol-
lows:
"rhe registrar SHALL. AT any time pre-
Niou5 70 the regular days Of registra-
ton, register any voter entitled 10 vote at
the next succeeding election. who may ap-
JOY 10 MN 60 lo registered. And he shall
receive the same compensation for the
namo so registered on days other than the
ietuidr days Of registration that COM
missioner Of the revenue may be entitled
10 Ior hstins biyths aud deaths"
Section o9-"rhe said Electoral Board
S".u nave power and it shall be their
.', .',, 20 declare vacant and proceed to
Ill The office Of any registrar " etc etc
mo board shall also have power TO
remove from Office any and every nudge
OF erection or registrar. upon notice. who
4""S TO discharge the duties OF his office
according 10 law"
90 not contend % said Captai.. Gui-
toh' mat 10 Us the duty Of a reristrer
1" arrow himself TO be walked I'D i'm tho
u''u houts OF the night. or 10 leavo "a eici.
,"H'i,S' or 10 sive up religious worsrip
70 say IL IS his duty 10 name roa-
foHahie Nours when voters may reoi-fer
ana not TO do so is malfeasance in oci.a
Whlch distinctly charge i'm fbis caeo
1 """lu not ask his removal for ono 10
l"uoh or law. but he has been enii.,. ~
I'pealed violations Of the eleciion ior.
-'u mas AGAIN and again broken appolnr-
Hlehis 10 be at his home for the pnrnoso
DI registering voters. You know and +
Hi.o" liat he has not performed his di,tioe
oOiuihs 10 law. Is that not sufficient
ground for his removal?
am prepared 10 submit nroofs ~
"hat state, ana ] ask this Board to
have me and my witness r-,t - ~
oaln' My contention is that If 7 nro,e
my case. ii is your bounden duty TO re-
move 'nls man, and put i'm his place one
VINO VIII obey the law. and respect his
oalh OF Office. / appeal TO Won as am
nohest man 10 honest men TO do vo,,r
"u,y 10 the citizens Of this COUNTY
Doh say TO us that we must eo 10
.He courts and get justice by means of
,,.. ' uses II is The duty. and it is
this case If this registrar can sho,, i,o'1 epoi
reasons Tor his actions, ia Gods name
ieI MIN Keep his place, but we can prora
py sworn witnesses that not once or
Twice, but numbers Of times. this man
mas systematically neglected his duty and
NlDihltu his OdiN.
Don't let it be spread broadcast
through the land that the Electoral Board
of HenricO county refused 10 investigate
the conduct Of one of It's election officials.
/ ask that our testimony be heard ana
acted upon"
DODGING THE ISSUE
Mr. Beyeridge again spoke IN behalf Of
Syrcle contendlng that the County Court
was the only proper tribunal 10 act upon
IBIS case II the registrar made engage
ments and broke them, said Mr. Bever-
luHe' why that was morally wrong but
,he Electoral Board had no Jurisdiction
in the matter. October 18th was the
legal registration day, he said. and evcrv-
BODY would have an opportunity then.
III this board should remove Nir. svr-
Gle. asked Squire Lewis o. Captain Gui-
gon, would ae be able TO take an ap-
peal. or would there be any redress for
himG'
The action OF tho board would be
final replied Captain Gu.gon, "and there
would bee absolutely no redress for him."
Continuing. Captain Ggigon called the
atteuuU. of The board 10 The fact that
many who had applied TO the registrar
wished transfers 10 distant points IN the
state, and if they were compelled 20 wait
until October Zith 10 would be too late TO
90 them any good.
1T is not at all unrcasOnablc' he said,
FOR a registrar TO register vCters At his
home az : o'clock al night. when they
come by appointment j am almost pre-
pared 10 say (anG Mr.. Syrcle, who is
present. can correct ne Fl j am wrong
that Syrclc said he could not register
voters at his place Of business. If he
will promise TO receive and register voters
no that place every day we will Withdraw
this petition
Il am prepared 10 say for Mr. Syrcle"
said Mr. Boveridge. that he viii register
only qualified voters anywhere in the
county from sunrise to sunset every day
from now until October 2ith. and on that
day from sunrise 20 sunset"
win he register them at his place Of
busncss?' asked Captain Guigon
mo. sir; he VIII register them any
where In the county" replied Mr.. Beyer-
idgc.
"Ah, and you know he viii not be
there when applied to- answered Captain
Guieon omphatically. "This IS too scri-
ous a matter FOR any tricks; but / have
no more 10 say, I leave IL 10 the board"
THE MOTION DISMISSED.
WhereupOn, the members of the board
put therr heads together. and for some
minutes were engaged IN earnest con-
sultation. Then Squire Lewis said
1T Is moved and seconded that the
petit "a be dismissed an in favor OF the
motion say aye" Two voices responded
"aye." and the motion was declared car
r.ed.
Tic board Immediately adjourned. and
Captain Guigon asked for the recorded
vote. IT appeared that only two mem
bers-Messrs. Boyer and Ford-had voted,