From the Cleveland (OH) Leader, 2/8/1868, p. 1, c. 4

RICHMOND.
[Special Dispatch to the Cleveland LEADER.]

RICHMOND, February 7.

VIRGINIA CONVENTION.

It will be remembered that immediately after the election in this city in October last, charges were made of fraud in the conduct of the election, and that the representative candidates to whom General Scholfield had awarded certificates of election were not entitled to them. Gen. Schofield, in order to set to rest the question whether more than 3,000 colored persons were registered than could be found in the city, ordered a special board of officer to take a census of the number of white and colored persons in the thirty wards of the city where it was claimed that most of the frauds were committed. A committee of citizens was appointed by the City Council to accompany the officers taking the census. Before the result was officially made known to Schofield by the board of officers, this committee reported that the result of their investigations had fully substantiated the charges of fraud; whereupon a conservative member of the Convention introduced a resolution calling on Gen. Schofield for an official statement of the facts. The Republicans did not object, and the resolution was passed.

To-day General Schofield sent in the statement asked for, by which it appears that in the Third Ward there are 143 more colored males over twenty-one than voted at the late election.

General Schofield says further, that the Court of Inquiry appointed by him to investigate the charges made against Colonel Rose, who conducted the election in this city, entirely acquitted that officer of all charges of fraud, favor or partiality. The charge of fraud is now finally disposed of, and it is hoped the Convention will pay no further attention to nonsensical partisan charges.

The greater part of the day in the Convention was consumed discussing the proposition to make the Auditor, Treasurer and Secretary of State elective by the people – pending which the Convention adjourned.

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