Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1886-05-29
z.ct.crs From the People.

MIR. EDIToR-I find in the last issue
of your paper IL card to the people OF Ac-
comac from the local option committee,
setting forth certain reasons why Pun
colleague magisterial district least a
majority for license. :" This committee
no doubt feeling as they do the sting of
defeat, and desiring to let themselves
down easily before the public, state this
was done by party manipulations, and
was not vote of sentiment or prefer
ence. thoroughly agree with them Oh
the point OF its not being a vote OF SEN
t;ment or preference. but not in the
II .hJ they wish 10 convey it TO the peo-
pie. Eliminating this vote, they say it
was produced BY rarity leaders. and this
district otherwise would lave gone dry
four to one. Tn answer to that, l have
this to say: Eliminate the vote that
was driven to the polls by the church
lash. mot christian religion,) by the
color lines being drawn, and the fear OF
being boycotted, the majority for license
would have reached five hund' ed in this
district. Boycotting has begun to be
practiced here; and that too by persons
protesting to be christians, by-the-way.
How is that for christianity? Coercive
measures have been practiced in this
late contest. but not by those in favor OF
license, and such language as the card
referred to contains, ought to be con-
demned, and no doubt is, except by
those filled with prejudice and fanati
cism. After witnessing as the people
did the system Of organized intimidation
shown here on election day. some of
those that did not vote have told me
since that if the thing could be gone
over they would vote the wet ticket, land
one young mania member of the church,
who voted the dry ticket has said he
will hereafter vote for license. Anoth-
er one of our Oldest and most respect
ed citizens, member of the church,
strictly temperate, and of high political
standing In the Democratic party, re-
marked to me on the day of election, that
what he saw III front Of the ballot box
window was enough to turn any man
from voting the dry ticket, if he had 50
before, or with any people
sanctioning it. The writer also wishes
to say that on no occasion did he fail to
state publicly, that neither Republican
ism or Democracy were involved in this
question.
Now, my local option friends oil the
party lines that were drawn il chs con-
test were done by your side. know OF
parties that attended the colored meet
ings, talked with love and affecthsn to
them, and afterwards in astrictly white
audience told them TO come out
on election day and vote the white
ii. e. the "local option'' ticket. The
battle was fought in this district on its
merits-''license or no license" that
is Ly those that favored license. The
local optionists were defeated and ought
to be magnanimous enough to let the
matter pass by without trying to make
excuses for their weakness and inetfic-
iency. Everything was done by them
that lay in their power to win, but ''poii'
cy-sound '.policy''-defeated them
The old veterans with war-paint Oh
were here from Lee district aud in tull
force, as were also their great arch
angel and hired man from Portsmouth,
MIR. w. G.. Dutton. Besides one of the
rnoneyed kings" of our district para
ded all day in front Of the voting place,
having previously, as have been III
formed, issued a warming to all persons
owing him money, that unless they vo-
ted the "dry'" ticket they would Oe
called upon to settle Immediately and
no further assistance would be rendered
whatever by him, also any person liv-
ing on his lands should be removed as
socn as possible. How is that for Il
free country aud a free ballot? DO We
live in Virginia or Russian Are VIC
freemen OF slaves?