I've thought for some time how to title this message so that while it intrigues you the reader, it might draw you in to read it. Other subject lines considered for this note were: 'Tallahassee 2000 / Madison 1851' 'Elections - Now & Then' 'Elections - 2000 - 1851' 'Past - Present - Time the Only Difference' as an after thought - 'Florida 2000 - Wisconsin 1851' Now for the subject matter. Doing some reading this evening in the 'History of Richland County', I came upon the passage dealing with the selection of the site of the county seat. Had I not known the time frame or place, I could have been reading today's newspaper. A brief note regarding one of the persons mentioned below - Mr Hazeltine had bought the land where he hoped the county seat would be located prior to this election. >From the selection: "Prior to the platting of the village a "session law" had been passed defining the boundaries and authorizing the organization of Richland county, and providing further that at the general election held in November, 1851, the votes of the people should determine the location of the county seat. At this time the county business was being transacted at Richmond, now Orion. There were four voting precincts in the county --- Richmond, Richland City, Richwood and Rockbridge. The number of votes polled at Richland City on the county seat question was 108; of which 103 were in favor of Richland Center and five scattering. At Richwood there were forty-eight votes polled, twenty-four being for Richland Center and twenty-four for Richmond; at Rockbridge sixteen votes were polled, all being in favor of Richland Center. The number of votes cast at Richmond is unknown; but it is claimed that in the whole county Richland Center received a majority of forty-eight votes. But here arose a difficulty. The session law provided that the place receiving a majority of the votes should be declared the county seat; but it did not state who should canvass the votes. However, John Rutan, clerk of the board of supervisors, by virtue of his office, called to his assistance two justices of the peace as canvassers, choosing A B Slaughter, of Richmond and O L Britton, who resided near Sextonville. These gentlemen met, and after receiving the returns from the various precincts, canvassed the vote and made the following report: "We have received the election returns of the different precincts --- Richmond, Richland City, Richwood and Rockbridge --- and they are so informal, both in form and substance, that we cannot ascertain the true will of the people, and we hereby declare that there was no election held pursuant to law."" Next comes the part that sounds parallel to the current situation in Florida along with a humorous end. "Such a report as this, as will be readily seen, did not please Mr. Hazeltine, so he requested John Rutan to get the returns from A B Slaughter and bring them to his residence, which he did. Mr. Hazeltine copied the returns and report of the board of canvassers in full, and had John Price, chairman, and John Rutan, clerk of the board of supervisors, certify that his copies were true and correct copies of the originals. Mr. Hazeltine then went to Madison and left his certified copies with William A Barstow, secretary of State. These were presented to the State board of canvassers, with a request that they make a statement of the result, which they did. This statement was presented to the Legislature, and an act was passed, entitled "An act to declare the county seat of Richland county." That became a law and Richland Center became the county seat. But the county supervisors, four in number, were divided in their opinion and only two could be persuaded to meet at Richland Center. As three was necessary for a quorum, no business could be transacted until a constable was sent after a third supervisor. After some delay, however, they all met and after viewing the location expressed themselves as highly pleased, and said the place had been misrepresented to them as a frog pond." Tim Stowell tstowell@chattanooga.net Chattanooga, TN