Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1881-09-27

sonezlh EKzuer-ansxnsazz
proof of how Lancaster's report is re-
gar9ed by those in authority who have
read and considered my answer to it.
But am charged with having many
innocent men arrested because my num-
erous deputies have to execute the war
rants of arrest which are placed in their
lahds. In answer to this will state
what every man Of ordinary intelligence
ought to know, viz That am simply
ministerial officer, and am bound by my
oath Of office to execute all warrants
which come into my hands properly at
tested, and that consequently | have
nothing to do with the guilt or innocence
of the party arrested SO that may
make myself the better understood, /
will state that the duties and powers of
the Marshal and his deputies under the
United States laws correspond with
those of the Sheriff and his deputies un.
der the State laws; in other words, the
Marshall is the United States Sheriff for
the district in which he is appointed.
Now who ever heard of Sheriff being
held responsible for the arrest of men
because it afterward turned out that
some Of them were acquitted? His sim
pie duty is to arrest them and not to de-
termine their guilt or innocence. How
ever, as it has been stated that only 30
men had been convicted out of the hun
dreds arrested, will state that up to the
date Of my answer the total number of
cases disposed Of in the United States
Courts, at Lynchburg, Abingdon and
Danyille, since July lst, 1873, were G33,
OF WHICH lGl WERE CONVICTED,
and only G7 were acquitted, while l05
were dismissed, either because their
cases had been compromised by the Sec
retary of the Treasury, as provided by
law, or the witness had died, or from
other similar causes.
This is from the records of the Court
and consequently incontrovertble.
OF course it is impossible for me to
give my personal supervision to the du-
ties of the Office ut all times in every
part Of the district, which is over four
hundred miles long and embraces about
half of the territory of the State of Vir-
ginia. 1t would not then be surprising
if some irregularities had occurred in
parts of the district In which could not
give my personal attention to the bust
ness, and it would not, therefore, have
been fair to have held me morally re-
sponsible Though undoubtedly would
have been legally SOY for such Irregular
tiles, but am happy to be able to state
that my deputies have performed their
duties not only in u legal manner, but
so conscienti0usly as to merit and re-
ceivc the appreciation Of those State Off
GERS,
BOTH rUNDERs AND READJUs1ERs WITH
WHOM THEY LIVE
and by whom they are best known. AS
q proof of this refer to the letters filed
with my answer, which embrace letters
from Gen. Jas A. Walker, our present
Lieutenant Governor; from Circuit
Judge John ii. Fulton, from County
Judges Lybrook, Ward, McTeer, Mays,
Bailey, Morgan, and Cornett, and from
Commonwealth Attorney John $.
Crockett, j. ID. Watts, II, W. Holloway,
and G. y. Duncan.
think, then, no unprcjudlccd man
can hesitate for moment In coming to
the conclusion that this report OF Lam
casters and the charges founded upon
IL are not only unjust and untrue, but
ARE muliciously false, and obviously i'll
tended for political effect,
In other words, the attack Is not so
much on me as 1t IL n sncaking attempt
to injure the liberal Readiustcr cause.
hope, then, and confidently believe,
that there Is no Rcadjuster so weak as
to be swayed from his allegiance to the
great cause of Reimbursement by any
such shallow tricks; but If there are any
such In the State who are no. satisfied
with the conduct of my office, or who
object to me on any other grounds, say
TO all such that implore them not to
refuse to mid this great movement simply
because ann on the ticket. That Is no
reason why you should vote against your
principles and for the Bourbon-funder
ticket.
10 all such would say that you have
simple remedy, Tor you can vote the
rest OF the ticket leaving me OIL
fully appreciate the fact that the
cnuse of Reimbursement for which we are
now struggling Is too important TO the
intercs,s of our beloved State to allow
ANY ONE MAN TO STAND IN THE WAY oF
.... rmE SUCCESS.
I was placed upon the ticket without
tho onst solicitation, or even the sllgut-
est desire on my part 1T was uohe ny
the almost unanimous voice OF the hc-
adIuster Convention, but If your repre-
sentatlyes in that convention made u
mistake II Is very easily rcmedlcd In the
manner [ have Indicated, and hope !
would be one of the last men to allow
NV own interest 10 stand In the way oil
success when have believed that sue
cess nt this time means new nc Oh uh-
cXnmpled prosperity for virginia, wheh
defcnt mems continuance In the same
old rut of policy which has brought V r.
rlnla down from the position when she
occupied when our present Federal Non-
stituion was adopted, of the hrst STATE
IN wealth and population, TO the lOth
place on the roll Of States which COM
pose our glorious Union, and which
anne pollcy, Is urged by the Funders,
will plnce her In the humlllatlng position
Of talking grandlloQucntly about honor
and honesty" while pcrsistcntly cnforc-
ng practical rcpudlalion'
NV fcllow-ultllcns, warn you TO be-
ware of these Fundcrs, whose only hope
iics In their ability to hoodwlnk YOU by
introducing into this canvass slde-isslles.
Thcy will ialk to you about the danger
of Gneero rule" aud when they do so
esk them how such u thing Is possible IN
Virginia when
1lir WHITE vorEns Ann IN A MAJORITY OF
OWN FIFTY THOUSAND,
and have nearly all The properly and all
the advantages of superior education.
no ndmlt the danger Of NEGRO rule
under such circumstances IL u palpablc
admission Of the inicrlority Of the white