Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1912-04-18
Tie Action d The Executive Gem
nittee Upon the Resolution
Offered By C. n. Campbell.



The following is = copy Of the Camp
bell resolution:
That tbs ballots to be used shall be
printed under the supervision Of the,
Chairman Of this Committee; that he
shall. at least three days before the day
Of election, deliver 3 sufficient number
Of ballots. TO one of the Commissioners
Of election Of each precinct, who shall
thereupOn remove same to the respec-
tive precincts That the poll clerks Of
each precinct shall sign all ballots used
at such precinct, and deliver one ballot
to. each voter, who shall, within the
election room, prepare his ballot and de-
liver Il to the Commissioners. No per-
son having received g ballot shall be all
loWel.fo leave the room with such ball
| lot; nor shall any ballot be counted
unless it bear the signature of the poll
clerk.
If any voter be iIliterate or otherwise
unable to prepare his own ballot, Same
| may be prepared for him by the Com
missioners of election as he shall direct;
and no such Commissioner or Poll Clerk
| shall disclose thu manner in which such
ballot was prepared.
The vote on this resolution was de-
cided by the Chairman Of the Commit
tee, to be a tie. twelve for and twelve
against it, though it was claimeda by
| one 81 the Committee Mr.. Ramey-
that twelve had voted against it and
thirteen for it, Upon the announce
neht Of the tie by the Chairman, be
gave the casting vote and decided that
the resolution was lost.
It is evident to any one who will COM
slider the resolution that this vote cast
by the Chairman has made smooth the
road of the bride giver, who would win
id the Primary not upon his own merit
but by corrupting ehe voter with money
or whiskey or other aeceptable con-
siderations
|. j. The resolution prescribed in effec:
LIST. That no ticket should be issued
except by the Chairman of the Com
mittee.
/ End. That the Chairman shall de-
liver the ballots to the Commissioners
of each precinct in the county who shall
convey them to each precinct of the
county. VT
| Bird. That the clerk of the election
shall sign every ballot vqted at each
precinct and deliver one ballot to each
voter who shall prepare has ballot IN tlet
election room. .#5., ~
4th. That no voter having received
| his baffotip the election room shall be
allowed to leave the room with his bal
lot, nor shall any badotbe couassedae,,sess
1t has the signature of the poll clerks.
4 The writer understands that these
provisions are substantially the same az
those Of the Australian law incorporated
in the West Virginia Code. to gov.
| ern our general elections. They are in
tended to protect the voter whilst yot
ing in the political SaDctum Of ths
room Where the election IS held, wheet
| none can enter except the voter and the
officers provided by law.
Such we understand is the law fol
| general elections. They were INTENDED
to place q high barbed wire fence
around the voter in the act of voting 81
as to protect him from these vote buy
ers-these foul birds of prey, VIII,
strive to prostitute him, through money
or whiskey, by depriving him of his vote
i IF the voter had to be trusted in tht
election room, and write out his owl
ballot, or get the clerk to write it fol
him, there is danger that it would no
be written according to the contrac
between him and the bride giyer. Tht
trader in votes realizes of course the
danger that the goods may not be de,
4 livered as. per contract and therefor,
will hesitate in many cases to incur tn
risk of losing his money.
!, The writer does not believe that thi
decision by the Chairman Of rejecting
I the Campbell resolution represents TIL
well considered judgement of the Com
, mittee. Some doubtless voted withou
/ considering the facilities that would b
afforded the bride giyer to prosecut
his vile trade if this resolution was lief
out of the rules adopted.
It is Impossible to. believe howeve
that this committee composed certainl.
in large part of the best and mos
honored citizens of the county, woul,
not strive to protect the purity of al
jurisdictions, and it is therefore re
syectfully suggested that the Chairman
of the Committee again call it togethe
in the near future. to reconsider its &C
ton on this resolution.
In many cases where the charge i
bribery at an election, our Cod
Furnishes it by confinement in the Peni
tertiary upon conviction. One reasol
for imposing q punishment 30 severe
is that the bought vote If cast in oppo
sition to that of the honest voter, tn
vote Of the latter is.as effectively kille'
as if he had been convict in the stat
. prison. Therefore the honest vote
feels, and ought to feel, fighting ma,
when his vote has been thus destroye,
by the bride giyer. The man who thu
destroys an honest vote should b,
black balled from associationewith re
putable citizens.
q Let it always be remembered, tina
l. ~ n - ~