Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-01-28

Dded with an excess OF partisan zeal,
will simply mark the ballot so that one
, name will not be three fourths erased
and then throw it out in the count If
then. we appeal for justice, we shall
! be confronted with the election of {
Republican House, condoning the
t fraud and making it thoroughly effec
, tive.
Il Now. then, | want to take up this
Amherst ballot, referred to on page @
, of minority report Here is n photo
f graph of it [exbibitiDg]. My FRIEND
over there objected to the print al
made for the record He can not OBJ
ject to this. for this is photograph
{ Take it and see whether it looks any
! better than the representation yOr
have in the record. And remember
, that if you throw out these ballots anC
gr8 mt everything else that the commit
tee claims you must seat this contes
tant.
[Then follows the ballot.
Remember also, in looking at thi,
ballot, that the Democratic chairman
Of the county committee of Amherst
county, who was the secretary of the
electoral board, and the member who
had these official ballots printed, bold
~ confessed on the witness stand that
it was printed not in one style, but in
seventy five different styled: that the
names were printed in German text,
SO that they would not be Ineligible
to the man who could only read plain
roman, and that he instructed the con.
stables not to mark for illiterates.
Foes any man doubt that the law
was thus violated for fraudulent pur-
pose, and that the fraud intended was
contaminated? Can anyone examine
a facsimile Of the ballot end consider
for one instant the circumstances sur
rounding its issuance without realizing
that its purpose, and only purpose,
was fraud?
Wiilanyoae Gars say that the issu-
ance of auah Il ballot WAS not corrupt
and outrageous abuse of power 90 the
part of the electoral board and will
full and deliberate violation of the ex
press provisions of the law? If there
| is man In this House who conscienti
ously believes that such a ballot was
prepared and issued with an honest in
tent and for an honest purpose,
! should like him to stand up and say
So | shoGld like to see how he looks
and where he comes from. II there is
a man in this House who before his
conscience apd his God can say that in
Issuing such a ballot the plain mandate
of the law was not violated with
fraudulent intent, should like him to
| tee, whilst mildly suggesting that the
| use of such ballot vas trick which
| can not be defended, give full effect to
| the fraud and reward with the only
approval they cOvet those whom they
denounce as guilty tricksters.
They execrate the criminal and ad
nit the crime. [Applause.l Does that
in any way redress the wrong done
Hhose against whom these moral homi
lies are directed will doubtless chuckle
with inward glee at the method adopt
ed for their punishment. They were
but pawns upon the board, responsive
to the nasts T hand that moved them.
They were neither the originators nor
the beneticiaries of the methods they
employed Their sole object was to
return su4la6er to this House who,
they must have believed. could not
have been elected through the pro
cesses prescribed by law. The mild
rebuke administered by the committee
will be refreshing after the biisleriDg
deppl.aation OF honest man OF their
own party It will be grateful music
to their es RS to hear that what honest
VlrginIans Rave condemned as fraud
SO Gutras eous as to hriug disgrace up
on whole people waa, after all, mere
ly IAN excess OF partisan zeal, and that
as an evidence that it was justified and
justifiabie a Republican committee
crowns with success the work of their
hands. [Applause
Let me give you an idea of how hon
est Democrats of Virginia regard this
excess OF partisan zeal" The Rich
moad Times, the leading Democratic,
paper OF Virginia, whose owner and
editor was at that time Il member OF
the Democratic State committee, char
acterigeG it as q '',nasterpiece of trick
cry that reflects undying infamy upon
its manipulators
The other citations from newspapers
Were the Petersburg Index Appeal.
LynchbuTg News. and Danville Regis
ter.
IN my own county-the county in |
which was horn and where l live and |
where this oontastee lives-a county
which used to give from 1900 to 1.500 /
Democratic majority. the former mem |
neP OF the legislature. who had voted |
for the bill, was the Democratic nom |
lnee, and, although he begged for the |
"a,
pie would not trust him, and TODAY.
for the first time in it's history, Angus !
ia county is represented ia the legisla |
ture by Republican. Wherever the
whites largely predominated and the
elections were fair, the honesty of thsl
people asserted itself. But in the black
section, where cheating has become +
enough men were returned so
the Legislature to prevent the enact
ment OF an honest law. But even thev
wore forced to recognize the aamning
evidence OF this Amherst ballot, and
amanoed the law so that it in terms
prescribed special penalty for such
Off~nsss.
Anu now. when the moral stomach
al honest Democracy has revolted /
against this foul cone0ctiOn, the poi
soneG chalice is presented to the Inns
O., Republican House of Representa-
yves ana they are hidden to drink
Oblivion to every rule of right.
air. Speaker, this contest rises above I
"a, interest OF individuals; far above
the narrow confines of partisanism. II
involves Far more than the disposal of
seat in this House. The decision Won
render here must stand as precinct.
ana IL means much. oh. so much. TO the
people Of the South. and especially OF
' ,fginia. We are engaged in a gresr
:truggie there. Party ties have been
ofsotten, party lines have been obi
Grated, and the honest men of every
Dolltieai faith are standing shoulder to
shoulder in Il common cause.
For years the stigma of foul election
methods has rested upon the Soutt,
i has disgraced and degraded our sec.
foA- It has debauched our people. It
las retarded: material prosperity. II
las stood as a barrier 20 enterprise and
u pital 1t has Slapped the manhood
u our msn and cAiokesi the pathway OF
,ur youth With the noxious growth of
dishonesty. Its deadening effect has i
supefied the public conscience until i {
las become we'll nigh dormant. Bur !
low. thank God in VIRGINIA ut loaaA