The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-04
EVERY V|RG|N|AN
HAD TO CAST VOTE
Failure to Attend the Polls Cost
Him One-Fourth of His
Usual Tax.
THERE WERE DIVERS EXCUSES
One Man Marked Excused Be
cause He Had to Look for
a Cow.
THERE WERE DIVERS EXCUSES
Special to The Times-Dispatch.,

Especial TO me llIlleS-DlSpGtCD.l
BoYDTON. VA. March 3.-In the
Clerks Office of Mecklenburg find an
old copy OF the Acts OF the General As
sembly of Virginia. In it an Act is found
passed by the Assembly on the goth De-
cember. 1885. which required all persons
entitled to vote, to do so. This is the bill:
Amy elector qualified according to this
Act, falling to attend Any annual election
OF Delegate or OF Senator, and II poll
be taken TO give or offer to give his vote,
shall pay fourth of his portion OF all
such levies and taxes as shall be assessed
and levied in his county the ensuing year.
And for discovering sucn defaulters, the
sheriff or other officer taking tho poll.
shall within ten days after the said cleo
ton, deliver to the clerk OF the county or
corporation court, as the case may be, q
copy OF the poll by him taken, to be kept
in his office who shall suffer any can
d!date or elector to take copy thereof.
and the said clerk Is hereby directed to
cause a copy OF the same to be delivered
to the next Grand Jury, TO be sworn for
the county or corporation, who snail be
charged by the presiding Magistrate, to
| mako presentment of all such persons
| qualified to vote residing in the said
county or corporation, who shall have
| failed to have given their votes at the
said election, agreeable to law. And for
the better information OF the said Jury,
the sheriff of tho county Is hereby COM
mended. under the penalty of fifty pounds,
to be recovered and appropriated as tho
penalties for other neglects Of his duty.
to lay before them list Of all tho land
holders resident therein"
There are filed in the clerks Office
many certified excuses to the court for
failure to vote. begging to be excused, by
voters who had been indicted for failure
to vote. Some OF these excuses are novel,
as well as amusing Ono fellow writes
that tho election was held on .,3 fishing
day. Another one says he was working
In a meeting house; then another says
| he was ignorant of the day OF the cleo
ton, Still another said he would have
| had to walk eighteen mics, as his marc
| was very lame ana his plow horse Very
| poor. One says q copy him yorbatim)
| That he was ready fixed to start 10 tho
courthouse of said county 10 vote when
\ he was Informed that certain COW OF
his, which had Il young calf. was MISS
Ing. when set out tolook for her and
! I'D not md her That day, and several
! days after I found her drowned in the
river, This excuse satisfied the court,
as the paper Is marked Excused"
| Sir Peyton Skipwth, Bart OF Prcnst-
| would, who settled In this county from
| England In the eighteenth century,
makes his excuse In his own hand
! writing, dated June TO- 1903. Up Skip
| Wins reasons for not attending the
| two last elections IN AIecklenburgn
| II was summoned TO attend the High
| Court of Chancery early In March and
| did not consider myself legally dismissed
| until after the 18th day Of the court,
| which happened on Wednesday,, tho Goth
| of tho month, so that it WINS not In my
| her OF Congress, and on my Why up from
| Richmond, i unfortunately broke onn II
| my carriage wheels. 40 that | could not
| with any degree of eonyenienny, ret
! repaired IN time To attend thcacloctton of
| member Of the General ASSEMBLY, ana
In consequence OF on injury | ronewed
some ynNrs ago IN my back apd loiny,
! cannot ride more than three or four
| miles at time, and the worry short rides
| on horseback TINT Hometimes take uhcut
/ my plpntation, for never attempt to
| Wne flnywhcre else, Is s,,eennded by
! Violent pain and sometimes fdyer. which
| Was the case the last time attcmptnd
| 70 ride 10 our court, and trust nnd ln-
| lieHe that the wprshipful court han nlorn
humanity than to desire a man Mt near
| SILLY ycnrs Of age, TO do what 80 GER,
| thinly injuries his health and feelings"
/ ''pEYrON SISIpWITH