Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-11-30
Letter From, Teras.
FORT MCINTosH, TEXAS,
Nov 18th 1900

Nov. 18th, 1892
w. w. b. GALLAHER, EsQ,
Dear 4Mr. Gdllaher: In fit of good feel
ing, quite natural after the election, you
speak of the army being kept in hot water
at the polls. Fortunately the laws are now
such that "bayonets at the polls" should be
bugbear for children, matter for which
the army is devoutly thankful. If you will
think of the long coastline and frontier our
little army of %, 900 is required to protect
from invasion or running away, something
over one man to the mile, you will see how
absurd it would be to think of our interior
ing with an election 1t would be over long
before they could get anybody there, and
we wouldn't know anything and couldn't
do anything after we got there. 1t is bad
enough down here among the greasers, with
mosquitoes wooing us from sleep in the mid
die of November with their touching operas
and penetrating bills, without being told
we are to get into hot water over elections.
In the words of the late General Sheridan,
we are now practically at that place from
which many wish, but few, alas, RETURN
II you add hot water baths to this we will
be like our distinguished secretary and chief
when he said, as the returns came in,
"Where was / att"
There is, however, a matter which de-
mands the most serious and deliberate con-
sideration of every man. 1t is the use of
federal money under the head of supervis-
ing elections, of paying deputy marshals,
to purchase doubtful voters, to reward I'M
scrupulous workers and to intimidate the
weak. 1t is the prostitution Of the judici-
airy for party ends it is but short step
further to purchase district attorneys and
to reward improper decisions by seat in a
higher court. 1t is an easy matter to select,
in short time, all the doubtful and unscru-
puOus near or in precinct and make them
deputy marshals; it requires no fund-the
federal government pays the freight. 1t us not
difficult To have commissioners and all the
machinery arranged to defraud voters. The
conduct of the Republican party in West
Virginia. Indiana and New York, where it
felt the necessity for q fight, shows how
completely they would have enslayed this
country had they been successful in this
campaign. When u party reaches the point
that it will prostitute the judiciary to keep
certain men in Office, to say nothing OF
grinding the people under war taxes, it Is
high time for the country to take alarm and
for the mass of the people to secure itself
from oppression by few. Davenport is
no; alone in his determination 10 secure the
Force bill. It i no myth-it would be-
come law n soon az the Republicans could
get the power to pass it. Their only regret
now is that it was not passed. For many
wears they waved the bloody shirt until The
men that did the fighting were tired of hear
ing those halloo who had neglected the OPP
portunity when there were bullets In the
air and then they came forward with the
prostitution of the Judiciary. This deserves
to be placed along with the irst victim OF
John Brown, and to be hammered at until
the matter is appreciated and proper legis-
lation taken in the matter. Our State has
been saved but we don't want any more
cabinet meetings or subsidized u. ). mar
shals 10 run our elections Give your steam
to these fellows, but spare us the hot water.
If Mexican on this side places his
thumb 10 his nose, with his fingers extend
ed in that exceedingly inviting attitude to
n man ON the Mexican side of the Rio
Grande, i; becomes a grave, international
question and we must send soldiers to hunt
this needle in the haystack to whom no law
applies and be devOured by mosquitoes and
other disturbing insects in mid-winter, and,
may add, find even a sheet pretty warm
covering. So, | say, in this jubilant hour
of victory, spare US the hot water and give
it TO those who deserve it.
With kindest regards and heartiest con-
CALCULATIONS 10 you and all my other friends,
Very sincerely, f. 5. AVIS.