VIRGINIA. 



801 



and seventy-nix, and in the one hundred and first 

 year of the Commonwealth. 



JAMES L. KEMPER. 

 By the Governor: 



JAMES MuDoNAU), 

 Secretory uf the Commonwealth. 



In response to a resolution of the Senate 

 culling for information, the President of the 

 United States, on the 14th of December, said: 



It is well understood that the presence of United 

 States troops at the polling-places never prevented 

 the lull i-xi-rcisi- of the franchise of any citizen, of 

 whatever political faith. If, then, they have had 

 any i-tlVct whatever upon the ballots cast, it has been 

 to insure protection to the citizen casting it, in giv- 

 ing it to the candidate of his unbiased choice with- 

 out tV:ir, and thus securing the very essence of 

 liberty. It may be the presence ot twenty-four 

 I n'.ti-il States soldiers, under the command of a 

 captain and lieutenant, quartered in the custom- 

 house at Petersburgj Va., on the 7th of November, 

 at a considerable distance from any polling-place, 

 without any interference on their part whatever, and 

 without going near the polls during the election, may 

 have secured a different result from what would have 

 been obtained if they had not beat thf.re (to maintain 

 peace iu case of riot), on the face of return*. But if 

 such is the case, it is only proof that in this one con- 

 gressional district in the State of Virginia the legal 

 and constitutional voters have been able to return as 

 elected the candidate of their choice. 



General Sherman, in his report to the Secre- 

 tary of War on the subject, made the follow- 

 ing statement : 



Company B, Captain Breckinridge, of the Second 

 United States Artillery, wai posted at Petersburg, 

 Va., from November 4th to November 18th, when t 

 was recalled to its proper station, Fort Foote, Mary- 

 land. To a more complete understanding of the 

 case, I will add that, on the 2d day of November, a 

 gentleman came to me from the Attorney-General, 

 representing that there was reason to apprehend a 

 breach of the peace at Petersburg, Va., and asking a 

 detachment or troops to be sent there. You being 

 then absent, I saw Judge Taft in person, and he ad- 

 vised that a company of soldiers be sent to Peters- 

 burg if practicable; and the next day. being in New 

 York City, I saw General Hancock in person, and. 

 after some inquiries as to available troops, 1 ordered 

 him to send the above designated company to Peters- 

 burg, to remain during the election of November 

 7th, and then to return to its post. 



Governor Kemper, alluding to the subject in 

 his annual message, said : 



The posting of a band of soldiers close to the vot- 

 ing-places of that city, on the eve of the elections, 

 was as unexpected as a thunderbolt out of a cloud- 

 less sky. The entire Commonwealth was in a con- 

 dition of profound peace. No indication or appre- 

 hension of any possible disorder existed, and this 

 government was ready and able to protect the rights 

 of all its citizens in every contingency. Not even a 



STATE CAPITOL OP VIRGINIA. 



private quarrel, leading to any single case of assault 

 and battery, had occurred for months in the commu- 

 nity in which the armed force was thus stationed. 

 .... Emboldened by the presence of these troops, 

 nn inferior ministerial officer of the United States 

 appointed a large number of special deputies for 

 service at Petersburg on the day of the election; 

 and these appointees, including in their number re- 

 cent malefactors, and wearing the insignia of national 

 authority, assumed to direct and control many votes 

 of a particular class. The effect of the intrusion of 

 national force was to intimidate voters, to control an 

 election for partisan purposes, and to overthrow 

 within certain territorial limits the freedom of the 

 elective franchise. I record for jrour information, 

 but I forbear to discuss, the particulars connected 

 with a revival of praetorian power, which imperils 

 our institutions and our liberties. 

 VOL. xvi. 51 A 



The session of the Legislature began on the 

 6th of December, but before th adjournment 

 over the Christmas holidays little had been 

 done beyond preparation for legislation. A 

 special committee of five Senators and nine 

 members of the House was appointed, to which 

 could be referred all propositions to amend 

 the constitution of the btate. Edmund C. 

 Burks was chosen Judge of the Supreme Court, 

 to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Judge 

 Wood Bouldin. In response to a joint resolu- 

 tion, Governor Kemper submitted a special 

 message indicating what offices could be abol- 

 ished, and wherein the clerical work at the 

 Capitol could be reduced. Among other sug- 



