The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-01-24
Mr.. ". 4. ATKINS
Replies to a.persions Cast on His Demo
cracY.

Editor Times.
/ have iu-t seen in your paper Of the 18th
the report of a speech made the day before DF
Colonel j. Thomas GO0de IN the House OF
Delegates. ID which you quote him as saying
among other things that he has no conn
dence in the Democracy ol William T. Atkins,
tue county chairman. who had headed Re-
publican ticket IN a recent election" Permit
me % say that Colonel Goodies political course
Tor the last twelve months mas been such that
he Is not regarded IN this section as high au-
thOuty upon lie question rs o what cOnsti-
tutes Democracy, and c0nse uently his loss
OF confidence in a mans Democracy IS not q
seriou- IN sfortune
AZ the end O. twenty year OF faithful party
service imagine l can safely say that co. o.
mel G0Ode Is pr0ba y the only man ia the
state who ever doubted my Democracy.
How many can he find who have confidence
10 bis
suppose his reference 20 my having
headed q Republican ticket Is that in the
elecu u last spring IN tins county, when
was the Democratic can idate for Common
wea.tn's attorney. and made straight
party fight this WAS the only
time have been a landidate aud the kepuD-
licaus in one district having nominated town.
shlp Ulcers. as ] am nf rmed. with the b pc
0f gaining tes put the name the Demo
cratic minee herlh and my own ~
their tickets but fail O. see b " the put
tng of tw names # Democratic nominees u
the Republican ticket at one precinct 'ati-
fed Colonel GOode iu staying away tom
the eie ton and turning the cod shout
der upon the whole ticket, especially as he
could not have known oil 10 uutil litter the
election. And II the putting my name.
when it was known / was regular emo
cratic nominee upon q Republican ticket at
one precinct justified Colonel GOOde ~ 10 ing
confidence iL my Democracy how coud ths
% ...
by mixed body of Democrats and heplOn-
cans afterwards indorsed by a Republican
convent n supported bv the whole kepubli-
can organization and voted Tor at every pre-
ciuct and ele ted upon "a regular Republican
ticket give the members of the Democratic
caucus enough confidence IN his De ocracy
TO emit g him 20 admission 20 the caucus
t seems strange that a gentleman VINO as
pires 70 represent the Democracy OF Meck.en-
burg IN the legislative caucus knows SO llttle
Of the party AS not 20 know who IS the chair
man OF his own county committee. lie speaks
OF me as chairman. an not and have not
been since september, 1880. From at time
70 the present the position has been filled
faithfully and ably by Hon I. Is. 6oode.
former senator of the Iwenty-titth district.
brother Of Colonel j. Thomas GOOde, and
who lives in mile of him. In the last cleo
ton he supported the regular Democratic
nominee for the House Hon. j. \. Hutcher-
too good a Democrat 20 vote for a man who
was in league with the enemies of the party
and fighting il. even though that man might
be a brother not that beloved Cesar less, but
Rome more.
Colonel Goode complains bitterly that the
caucus passed upon his application for ad-
mission with closed doors and without giving
him a hearing. apparently forgetting that this
is the medicine he has been administering 70
the Democrats of Mecklenburg for the last
twelve months. with this difference: the cau-
Gus was composed entirely Of Dem Gratis,
while the meetings Colonel GOOde has been
presiding over. passing upon the rights or
the Democrats of Meckenburg. were com
posed largely of Republicans. some of them
the bitterest and most prominent m the
county. with at least hall oil the Democrats
refused admission and unrepresented either
in person or bv proxy
In conclusion allow me 90 say that, as
far as know or believe the Democrats Oh
Mecklenturg who have opposed Colonel
Goodies admission % the caucus have been
actuated purely by party principle. without
q particle of personal feeling. SO far as am
concerned. have had ut little e. do with the
matter one way or the other aud regret beng
brought into it now. which has been forced
on me- by the personal allusi0n IN Colonel
Goodies speech. Nery respectfully,
". L. ATKINS.
Boydton. Va. Jan. %. 1892.