The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-31

49, J.
tion he occupied during the days OF the Con-
federacy, and gentlemen who are familiar
with the handwriting OF Mr.. Plat sey that
there sno doubt the originals OF the letters
embodied in the above are from the pen Of
the ex-member. AS the ease stands it re-
veals diabolical plot not only to wound
Mr.. Goode4 in his most tender sensibilities,
but to secure his murder on the field to
which the, letters of "Paxton" were de-
signed to provoke him. This is a revelation
Of wickedness which, however, Is in perfect
harmony with those communications, and
we are justified in asking il the grand jury
should not inquire into the conspiracy Of
Mr.. Platt to secure the destruction of
his successful rival. It seems to us that
he should not only be held up to the scor1i
Of all the world, but that grave inquisition
into the meditated offence should be made
by the proper authorities. The meditated
crime above charged is one Of peculiar and
awful atrocity in its. conception, and the
author OF so infamous conception can
never again lift up his head in this or
any community; but he must continue to
bear the reputation OF man eager to
play the part OF Cain by proxy, and to de-
yenient pistol Of brave man reduced to
poverty by the fortunes OF war. How to
characterize such conduct we do not know.
Language is too poor to express the feel
ings which will burn in the bosoms OF all
honest men, and we leave Mr. Platt to re-
morse and modification, while we congratu-
late Mr.. Goode, in the name OF the district,
on the happy discovery which has been
made-a discovery which, so far as the
identity OF Platt and Paxton is concerned,
was fully anticipated in the community and
predicted even by Republicans before it
was given to the public. "@"
THE OFFENSIVE CHARGES.
About the 23d of August g PaXton" " pub
lished letter in the National Republican,
addressed to Hon. John Goode, saying: On
the 18th OF August the National Republican,
Of Washington, published a letter from me,
written from Norfolk, and addressed to the
editor OF that paper. Through your
friend, General Eppa Hunton, you adj
dressed n communication to the editor,
demanding to know the name OF the
author of that letter. You received 4
reply stating that the name would not
be given you without the consent OF the
author, but that the editor of that paper
was responsible for whatever appeared in
its columns. You put the answer in your
pocket and went back to Norfolk. You
neither accepted the offer OF the editor to
assume the responsibility nor asked him to
obtain the consent OF "Paxton to the dis
closure OF his real name. Had you dared
to do either you would have been abun-
dantly satisfied. But you returned to Norfolk
to again commence the work Of robbery in
which you have once been successful.
And that there may be no more cards en-
deavoring to avoid the issue presented,
make the following charges against you, all
OF which are true, as you well know: You
lie when you pronounce the charges in my
former letter to be unqualifedly and wick
edly false. They are every one true. You
did ride through the cities Of Portsmouth
and Norfolk on the day OF the election, in
November, 1874, in an open phaeton drawn
by four horses, andyou did openly and pub
licly vote for yourself at the Third Ward
polls in the city Of Norfolk. You did send
your messengers to six counties OF this dis
trict to make manipulated returns. You did
telegraph to Mr.. Segar, at Hampton, in the
following words: Employ man to 60
at once to see the commissioners at each
courthouse before the vote is sent to Rich
mond, and will pay charges. This is very
important. trust to your zeal and discre-
ton" You did send General Grover to
Richmond to see the members of the State
Board find out how the returns as made
stood, and ask assurances that the manipu-
lated returns you intended to have made
would be received. You did say, in your
brief before the Committee on Election,
that the bribing Of Norton with money and
whiskey was fair, legitimate, and honora-
BILE means Of defeating Mr.. Platt. You did
stand in your stolen place i'll Congress, and
with your right arm upheld, call God to
witness that you would not hold seat in
that body il you did not believe that you
were fairly elected 1t is true that you
have never occupied a leading place at the
Norfolk bar, and that your rank as a law
yer is sccond-rate. You are bitter,
malignant, and partisan in your poll
tics, and you have stopped to any Infamous
act to secure the seat you so wrong1ully
hold. You have been candidate and ap-
plicant for almost every office you had any
hope of securing. 1t is true that when
called upon to give gentleman satisfaction
you shielded yourself behind your church
membership. You were an original Breck-
inridge Democrat and secessionist. You
did do all you could to force Virginia into
the war and then desert your comrades in
the field for seat in the Confederate
Congress. You are i younger carpet-bag-
ger than Mr.. Platt. who has resided in the
district longer than you have. You did,
while complaining bitterly Of the poverty OF
the State, permit your father IN his years
of old age and heIplessness to be supported
by Virginia, rs the record OF the insane asy-
l,im at Williamsburg will show, unless you
have procured their alteration. You did at
tend with your family the dancing partles
and balls OF Washington imme ediately after
your fathers death, and 1t is true that a large
majority of your fellow.members look upon
you as a dishonored man, occupying q
stolen seat, and despise while they use you,
and it is true that every time you draw your
monthly pay you are as much thlef as
though you broke into Mr.. Platt's house and
stole his pocket-book. 80 49,.
These. I believe, comprise all the charges
personal to yourself in the letter OF Paxton,
to which you refer, and which you pro-
nounce unqualifedly and wickedly false.
The large majority OF the citizens OF Nor
folk know all of them to be true. believe
the proofs in my possession TO be absoiuteiy
unassaiable, but would not do even you
an injustice, and il you will disprove any OF
them / will gladly strike them from the list.
| shall wait a reasonable time for your re-
Spouse to this letter through the channels
indicated, and the course you decide 10
take will influence to a considerable extent
the future communications OF PAXTON.
Norfolk, August %, 1876. -
Captain Coe was shown in our Office last
night the following Associated Press DIS