Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-10-03
FRAUDULENT AND ILLEGAL.

We believe we are, justified in saying
that the whole movement for making a
new Constitution for Virginia, from tie
beginning to the present time, has been
fraudulent and illegal" There is much
record evidence to sustain us in this asser'
ton; and if our readers will follow us,
through what we apprehend will be long
and laborious article, we think we can
convince them our belief is well founded.
1t is unnecessary to argue that the peo-
pie of Virginia were not for the holding Of
convention and the making of new
Constitution. The repeated efforts and
failures of the politicians, who wanted
such convention held, to secure the sane
ton of the people for holding convention
settle that proposition. Therefore, the
Act of the General Assembly which pro
vided for submitting to the voters the
question, "Shall there be convention to
revise the constitution and amend the
same?" was a fraudulent assumption of
desire of the people that such convention
should be held.
Not only did the said Act assume a state
o. facts which did not exist, but the whole
tenor and effect of the Act was vicious
and fraudulent in intent This Act was
approved March 5th, 1900, and it pro-
vided that ION the fourth Thursday in
MAY, nineteen hundred, there shall be
submitted to the electors Qualified to vote
the question, ''Shall there
b. convention to revise the constitution
and amend the same" The very impor
tant question was TO be passed upon by
the people within less than ninety days
after the Act became law land no provis-
ion was made in the Act for informing the
people that such an election would be
held. The purpose ofthe convention adj
vocates to take sna? judgment is too APP
apparent to be denied.
Besides, the Act in question was wicked,
illegal and fraudulent in that it provided
for the printing of ballots for the voters
who wished to vote "for constitutional
convention" but not for printing ballots
for those voters who wished to vote against
constitutional convention" The citizen
who wished 10 vote against the constitu'
tional convention had to go into booth
and erase or scratch out the words 'for
constitutional convention"
If any voter was physically or educa-
tionally Unable to erase or scratch the bal
lot he was placed at the mercy of a parti'
san election judge, as the Act says such
voter "shal be entitled to require the as
sistance for that purpose of the, judge of
election designated to assist illiterate and
physically disabled voters"
The fraudulent intent of the Legislature
which framed the Act was disclosed by its
fragrant partially In furnishing a perfect
ballot to those voters who were for con-
yention and forcing the voters who op.
posed the convention to construct their
ballots from those that were printed and
ready to hand for the class of voters who
voted "for constitutional convention" A
fraudulent purpose was further disclosed
by the fact that the Act provided that:
ssThe manner of receiving and canvassing
said ballots and making returns thereof
shall conform IN all respects TO the require
ments of the general election laws of the
State" This was intended to place the
citizen who had to prepare his own ballot,
or call upon Judge of election to assist
him in doing so, at great disadvantage.
The general election laws of the State pro-
vide that no erasure shall be counted un'
less three.fJurths or more of the name or
words that are attempted to be erased are
out See what a danger the
voter ran of losing his vote by not prop
erly scratching it; and see how completely
the iII,erate voter was at the mercy OF
dishonest election judges in that respect.
The fact that one of the most urgent rea-