The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-31
ALEXANDRIA, October 81, 1883,
W. b. G.. .yhumutc !:

Judge ". b. g. Shumatc;
Dear Sir,-Yours OF the Goth instant has
been received, but owing to my absence
from the city could not receive earlier at
tention.
I do not know that upon its intrinsic
merits your letter is entitled 10 reply at my
hands. The inquiry is not supported by
any evidence, and the circumstances at
tending your candidacy for the House of
Delegates do not call for any special con-
sideratiOn from me, and would not have
extracted any act or remark on my part il
YOU had not invited il by your letter.
When Judge OF a county court
announces himself Il candidate for
political Office to which he is in
eligible under the Constitution OF the State,
and mt the same time declines TO resign,
such essentials are wanting, in my opinion,
AS ought TO give the position serious con-
sideration. 1t is well understood that there
is not the slightest prospect OF your cleo
ton, or that you would, bona tide, in such
contingency resign the place now held on
the bench, and it had not occurred to my
mind that the comparatively small vote OF
the rlilroad-men, us you call them, in Fau-
quicr county, however cast, would affect
the final result one way or the other. |
therefore assume that your candidacy and
my reply are alike intended for effect in
some other direction. However, as | do
not desire to be misrepresented or misun-
derstood, and having no c0ncealments in
the premises. have concluded TO reply in
the negative 10 your inquiry.
j do not claim any right TO influence the
political sentiments or TO interfere with the
exercise OF the franchise on the part OF any
one who may be engaged in the service OF
the railroad company OF which | am presi-
dent. Every individual in the service is
rs free to maintain his unrestricted political
privileges as am TO maintain mine-neither
more nor less. In an official experience OF
more than thirty years j have always acted
upon this principle, and do not propose to
depart from it now. So far as the great
bulk Of the officers and employees OF the
company is concerned, have not inquired
and do not even know, their political senti-
ments or party associations. | do know,
however, that there are persons in the or
ganization, and have been for years, belong
ing to both political parties, and | have to
be advised for the first time OF any author
lied attempt to control their political ac-
ton. Railroad corporations are organized
lDT buslHtSs, HOi pOiIltNdi 'uuH,
hut at the same time | hold that their
agents and servants are entitled to pre-
cisely the same political rights as any other
citizens OF the community. As a class,
their interests are quite rs large as others,
and ii is their duty to take part in the adj
ministration OF pablo affairs. accepted
the position Of chairman of the Democratic
State Committee not because of any Off
cial connection with the railroad company,
but for the reason that | held the poll
teal principles OF the Democratic party,
and regarded its success as essential to
good government and the preservation Of
the liberties OF the people OF Virginia. And
because of the exercise OF this undoubted
right on my part as a citizen. and the can
didacy OF another railroad official for the
State Senate elsewhere. your party news
papers and speakers have sought by misre-
presentation and detraction to prejudice
the public mind on the subject, and threaten
to make war upon the railroad system OF
the State. Ii political independence and
equality is not to be allowed by your party
20 persons engaged in the railroad service
OF the State, you cannot complain ii resist
ance to such tyranny should be manifested
through the bailot-boX.
Respectfully yours, &C.,
JOIN s. BARBOUR.