Viola Martin organized patriotic clubs among the women and aroused whatever voters seemed lethargic.
The day of election came and Bernard was elected by a majority of 11,823 votes; but the electoral boards gave the certificate of election to his opponent, alleging his opponent's majority to be 4,162.
Bernard decided to contest the election in Congress, and here is where Leonard's fine work was shown.

He had, for sometime, made it appear in Norfolk that he was a democrat of the most radical school.

The leading democrats made his acquaintance and Leonard very often composed speeches for them.

He thus became a favorite with certain prominent democrats and they let him into the secret workings of the electoral machinery.

Thus informed, Leonard went to headquarters of the Democratic party at Richmond with a view to bribing the clerks to give him inside facts.