Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-10
ELECTORS To MEET.
THE COLLEGE WILL CONVENE
HERE At NOON TO-MORRow.
PERSONNEL OF THE MEMBERS
who the Men Are Who VIII Cast
This states Vote for William j..
They VIII Perform This Duty.

Tomorrow at noon the twelve Demo
cratic electors constituting the Virginia
| Electoral College viii assemble in The
| Office Of Clerk OF the House Of Dele
gates John Bell Bigger, in the Capito
building, and there cast the vote Of this
state for William Jennings Bryan, OF
! Nebraska. the defeated nominee of the
| Democratic party for the presidency Of
| these United States In the election held
| throughout this country on the Sd Of No.
vember. last.
The duties devolvlng upon the electors
are merely formal, and are neither ardu-
GUS nor complicated. The body
meets according to law, and after taking
the oath Of Office, which is administered
by the Secretary Of the Commonwealth,
| they will proceed TO organize by the cleo
ton Of q president and a secretary. They
then vote for the President and Vice
President Of the United States, and cast
separ tie ballots for each officer, the law
! recurring that each ballot shall be signed
| by the elector voting.
The electors will have TO choose mes
seneer to carry their vote TO Congress,
and the college will doubtless honor the
secretary Of the college. as on former oc-
casions, though this rule was departed
from four years ago. when Mr.. w. ).
Copeland was made the bearer or the
vote Colonel John Bell Bigger has
for years served as secretary of the col
lege, and he will. no doubt, be reelected
to that office tomorrow.
THE LAW GOVERNING THE coll
LEGE.
Sections 56 and 81 of the Code prescribe
that unless a different day be prescribed
by authority of the United States. the
electors shall convene at the Capitol in the
city Of Richmond on the first Wednesday
in December after their election. at the
hour Of L o'clock noon. of that day; and
IL there be any vacancy in the Office
Of electors. occasioned by death, refusal
to act, neglect TO attend. or other Gauss
the electors present shall Immediately
proceed TO III by ballot, and by plurality
Of votes, such vacancy in the Elec-
toral College: and when the electors snail
appear or the vacancies shall have been
filled as above provided. they shall pro-
coed TO perform the duties required OF
such electors by the Constitution ana
laws Of the United States.
each olector shall be allowed the
sum of 81 per day while actually en-
gagged in the discharge of his official du-
ties. and the same mileage that may be
allowed TO members Of the General AS
scmbly."
When the college has concluded its work
the members, together with their secre-
tary and messenger, will repair to the
western portico Of the building, where.
according to custom. they Will be pho
tographed in a group. Then will these
champions Of Democracy--of lost cause
it's true-wend their way 10 their respec-
tive homes proud of the part they have
played in this presidential election.
The electoral vote In each State is based
on the representation that State has in
Congress. As Virginia has ten congress
men and two senator's, she is entitled TO
twelve electoral votes-ten district cleo
tors and two electors at large.
THE ELECTORS AT LARGE.
The electors at large. who were voted
for all over the State. are Hons. James
w. Marshall, Of Craig county, and VIII
liam r. McIlwaine. Of Petersburg.
Mr.. Marshall, who IS more Familiarity
known throughout Virginia as Cyclone
Jim Marshall is one of the most vigorous
stump-speakers i'm this State. and is
whole-souled good-hearted man, who
probably hasn't an enemy on earth. lie
is a resident of New Castle. in the noun
tainS Of Craig county, and has served
both IN the National Congress and in the
state Legislature. He IS giant IN physical
stature, IS a fluent, forcible speaker. and
is strong and fearless advocate of De-
mocracy. He did a great work for the
party IN this State last fan.
Mr.. McIlwaire is a member OF the
State Senate. and is one of the strongest
lawyers in Southsde Virginia. He has
for years been active in the interests or
Democracy, and is frank, jealous, ana
eloquent speaker, having done good work
for the old party on tho stump.
The ten district electors were voted for
only I'm their respective districts. Ihey
are all representative men. ana not one
of them but has done good work for the
party which he now represents.
Hon. n. B. Westcott Is the elector
from the First Congressional District
He has served one term in the Virginia
House Of Delegates, from Northampton
and is very well known on the Eastern
Shore. where he is exceedingly popular
]. y. Hubbard represents the Second
District in the college. lie resides in
York county; is a lawyer by profession,
and was honored by his people with the
office of Commonwealth Attorney for
that county. Ho has a large practice in
the Peninsula counties, and IS probably
one of the best-known men In that sec
ton. He has been a lifelong Democrat.
THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT.
Charles NJ. Wallace Jr, is the elector
from the Third Tor metropolitan District
and he came very near being counted out
by the Electoral Board. because OF cleri-
cal irregularities in the certificates OF
return from the various counties in the
district. Mr. Wallace is a young man
of marked ability and, though he has
not been in politics very long, he has
done good work for the party He Is an
eloquent and fluent speaker, and was ac-
lively on the stump during the last cam
paign. making many friends for Democ-
racy and for himself
The Fourth District is represented by
DIR. w. Ii. Hening. Of Powhatan, prac-
ticing physician of that county. He Is
probably the Oldest man in the college,
being upwards of 20 years of age. lie
IS an active Democrat and q good speak
er. and has been in every nominating
convention in which his county had rep
resentation for many years.
Hon. n. II. Hairston will represent the
Fifth District in the college. He served
at one time In the State Senate, ana
is an ex-judge OF Henry County Court
He resides at Martinsvile; has an ex-
tensive law practice throughout that
section and recently was counsel Tor
the defence I'm the celebrated Lester
poisoning case. In the recent canvass
he was one of the most enectVe