Stanley Matthews

“ He is not bound to sustain the truth of the record, as if it were the case of a contested election, and prove that the majority, on the existence of which his rights rest, consisted of persons, all of whom possessed the qualification of voters. ”

“ It thus appears that no person could lawfully vote at the election held Nov. 2, 1857, for city officers, except taxpayers; and assuming that the list of names contained in the pollbooks as having voted for or against the ratification of the subscription to the stock in the Pike County Railroad are those of the same persons who voted for city officers, it follows that they must all have been taxpayers, on the presumption, which certainly must be applied, that they were all legally entitled to vote. ”

“ On the contrary, that supposition would necessitate the conclusion that by the word 'taxpayers' the legislature meant to include persons not otherwise qualified to vote; for example, not free white male citizens, minors, women, married and unmarried, and non-residents. The reasonable interpretation is, that the question of ratifying the subscription should be submitted to the vote of the taxpayers of the city, having the qualification otherwise of lawful voters ”