The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1910-02-19
ROACH'S REPLY TO GMELECH
Jefferson City, Missouri,
February II, 1910.
Hon. Jacob F. Gmelich.
Lieutenant Governor,
jefferson City, Mo.

yea Sir"
Your communication of February 10, has been received. The
figures given in the Missouri Manual of 19O9-1O on the vote for
Lieutenant Governor by precincts and by counties are the figures
reported by the various county and city election officers to the
Speaker of the House and on file in this office. The Secretary of
State has no power or authority to change these records, and if !
had would not make a change nor knowingly permit any one
else so to do. The official returns of the last election of which |
became official custodian show that Mr.. William Painter was e
lected Lieutenant Governor by a plurality of twenty-three. The
clerks in this office to whom was assigned the compilation Of e.
lection figures for the Manual so found, and since receiving your
letter l have rechecked the figures and find the official alb
stracts confirm the margin of twenty-three in Mr.. Painters favor.
l have no right, power or inclination to publish anything about
those returns that the records do not plainly show on their face.
Neither you nor l can change history that is made. Permit me to
call your attention to page 81 Of the House Journal of the last SEES
sion. This record was signed by Speaker Spear and compiled
and signed by Chief Clerk Goshorne. The paragraph to which |
would call your special attention was a part of the report made
and signed by all members of the Joint Committee, among whom
are such well known Legislators of integrity as Hons. M. E.
Rhodes, Hiram Lloyd, II. D. Silver, j. NJ. Grimes and A. E L.
Gardner, and which reads as follows:
"~Second-There were given to US by the Speaker of the
House various amended returns from several counties, which
we considered; and upon these, not counting those precincts
disputed and on which the Committee could not agree with
out a recount, William R. Painter had a plurality of twenty
seven votes.'
Believing that the amended returns were honestly certified,
founded on good law, and entitled to credit, l chose these as the
proper figures to publish in the manual. | believe they are entitled
to greater credance than any you or l., or any one else might sub
stitute, and have a better claim to being official than any others
that may exist, or that might be manufactured by eJner III III
terested or disnterested party. Regarding you as an honest cit
izen, / believe that if you were Secretary of State in my place
you would use the same figures l have used.
Since the totals in the vote for Lieutenant Governor show
that Mr.. Painter received the greater vote. l saw proper to
add a subnote to the table of figures, explaining that the lieut.
enant governship being in dispute was referred to a committed
which, upon investigation, reported you were elected by a plur-
atty of III. Allow me to assure you, esteemed sir, that gladly
would have published in the Manual had the Committee so
found that it was your opponent that had a margin in his favor,
~ f.ul.-. - +b;e ofGoo fha paonvJ og ahnva niypO fht hOun0
in honor to respect the record and publish the result as the Com
mttee report to and wrote il into the record of the House Jour
nal. The total vote in the said subnote giving yours and Mr..
Painters vote each an even hundred less than the total in the
table is manifesty, a typographical error not, however, chang
ing the III difference in your favor, again shows my absolute
y impartial spirit in compiling for the Manual the records as
they are.
Realizing my inability to change past history, expressing a
cheerful desire to convince you from a personal inspection of the
records here on file that the Manuals showing is correct, and
assuring you of my p~rofoundest personal regard, I am
Yours truly,
(Signed) Cornelius Roach,
- o.