Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-13
A Card from Judge waddIII.
RICHMOND, Va, July u, 1890.

RICHMOND, ' A., July IL, lotU.
To ne Editor Of the Dispatch:
Dear Sir,-My attention has been called
to report Of the speech Of George ID. Wise
contained in your issue Of the 10th instant,
which Is as follows:
"Mr LehlbecE, a Republican from New Jer-
sew proposed an amendment making this mea-
sure amply 10 every state IN tho Union. As sena-
tor Vance would say, be thought II u yas good
thing Il should DO distributed oil about But,
remarked Mr. Wise with emphasis, Edmund
WaddilI. who stole my seat, voted against this
Lehlback Amendment lie wanted 10 put upon
his people what the citizens OF Massachusetts,
would not stand. such a man Il not ht TO repre-
sent this metropolitan district OF virginia lie
Is tue Republican OF Edgar Allan, and IA too
base % live In our country. Applaus9.l what
do you think OF a man who applies conditions 20
southern people no will not O. gOrthcrnfi asked
Mr.. Wise. Waddnl would not vote for the Lehl-
back amendment because Reel and Mckinley
told him the northern people would not have
! any such conditions with regard 70 the conduct
Of their elections"
more misleading statement in refer
ence TO the election-law could not have
been well made, and IL either shows his IL
nOrance of the measure or purpose 10 de-
ceivo the public. Mr.. Wise must have
known that il was not true that the cleo
ton bill applied only TO tho South, or, as
he states II, 10 Virginia and not TO Massa-
chusetts, and that tho Lehlblack amend
ment was to make it apply TO the entire
country alike. The present supervisor
law applies to the whole country, as does
the proposed amendment-the Lodge
bill, as 1t is called; to every State in the
Union-as well to Massachusetts as to Viz
GINA.
Neither the present law. however. nor the pro-
posed Law Is operative. or % be operative any
whore except at the reQust or on the petition oil
ra .FNsaa f.s..
tive, or rather the supervisors arc appointed,
when petition Is presented 10 tho United states
Circuit Court by Ten u0teTs Ia any county and
fr0 rOeTs IN any city Of over 2',JJO Inhabitants.
Under tho proposed law the " Lodge bill u SIS
peryisors are appointed for cities and towns a
over 2),0J0 Inhabitants on the petition Of one
hundred voters, and In counties on tho nppich-
ton Of mn voters. The Lehlbach amendment was
10 mako the law applicable whether asked for or
not. This was, Of course, not desirable, as has
boen abundanuy shown by tho operation Of the
present Law. The present law, while applicable
ell over the country, Is still used only locally ID
each section. In many Of the counties Of this
State the use OF the present Law Is not thought Of
while Ia many others IL is necessary safeguard
70 a fair election. In this congressional district
DO not care 10 have Federal supervisors Al any
precinct IN New Kent county; nor would care
for them at many OF tbs precincts In the other
counties OF the district notably IN the counties
OF Hanover and Chesterfield; and the same
could have been said Of henrico county up TO q
year or so ago
Now, as to my stealing his seat That's
little amusing in the light Of the facts.
HIS seat Not a single member OF Con-
gress OF elmer political party could be found
VINO would intimate that he had any Claim 70
tho seat might with far more proprlety &c
cuse hr. Wise OF stealing the salary Of tho Office
while u was IN dispute, because no drew for over
thirteen out OF the twenty-four months the per-
Quisites aui pay Of an ONCE 10 which every
representative o. his own political faith declared
he was not entitled. HIS party friends unant-
mously, including every Democratic memter
OF the Virginia delegation, voted against him and
10 delsfe me seat vacant He OF ali men shouid
sing low either as 10 the partisan conduct OF this
Congress or OF personal wrong done him in his
own contest 20 Just ana impartial has been
the action OF tnls congress in dealing with con-
tested-e.ectlon cases that out OF fourteen cases
disposed Of by the Elections Committee eight
we're decided in favor OF the Republicans and
ak 10 favor Of the Democrats
And the case OF which Sir. Wise complains
was the only ono where not u single member OF
the committee or OF tho House could be found .
sust Nu the preposterous claim he made 10 that
seat, but even his own political friends COM
PEELED 10 vote 70 uhsest him for the very wrongs
OF which complained sought TO have the scat
declared vacant ana a new election ordered,
with view otgising linn chance Of securing the
other part Of my term In tho same way he mad
gotten ihs hfsI 10 oyery oiher contest save
Mr.. Wiso's the democrats soldly sustained the
claim OF their partisan. In hts case twas asking
TOO much oven OF tnefn. Let him vent his sp.een
I At having been slaughtered In the house OF bis
| friends not on me, but on them.
Now, as to my being too base to live In our
country surely care nothing for Mr.. Wise's
| opinion IN this regard. When N shall como 10
pass that DO il 10 be the censor OF moral fitness TO
| live in this community, then shall ind myself,
aud perhaps IN me company Of many Of VIZ
cinisIs best people, Leaving the land Ia which he
cannot tolerate our presence.
In every political controversy with Mr.. wise,
running through period Of somo years, have
endeavored 70 avoid Personalities OF every cha,
rss' sio,!s 20 i've In tho as tho
verdict OF an honest AID Just people as TO Mr..
Wise and myself IN that regard.
II sgro. the necessity OF this letter, and In Il
have endsaVorea % Stale facts without resort 70
RssDecsfailz. rDxuxp wAppul-Jn.