Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-18
A Card from Mr.. Alexander In Ksp'v 60
Colonel O'FsrraIL
Irvrv1 ~ 1904
To ne Editor ofnc DisDaica.


while in his open letter Of June I'd, pub
lIshed IN your paper. be states as to the
charge THAT ran for Congress as an in.
dependent candidate in 1874. this IS fnlsc,
when / drew the proof on him he admits
the charge 10 BE- true. and his denial OF juno
Sd to be false. ''Falsus IN uno Jd'si" an oni-
nib,is"
He was au indepsndeni candidate for Con-
Cress again IN 1874 against the regular
Democratic nominee. aud from August i.
1874. until tho 10Th OF October, 1874. again.
Nor does be deny the other charges IN
my letter-such as his bstraydt OF con-
n,bnce. causing me To withdraw from
the congressional contest last year. =,
Abandoning The issues he made himself,
he seeks to hide behind and draw atten-
ton to side issues which are equally as
fare. Let me say | have never at any
time made any charge against OFerrall
which was not done over my signature.
The articles signed "A Democrat.
were declared to be written ny
me IN the same paper in which was
printed two weeks before Colonel Ofer.
rails first card. "Hayseed Democrat
was never denied, and the editor OF tho
paper was directed TO give my name TO
any one who applied.
In none OF these articles. however are
there charges against OFerrail. II - true
quoted part Of that speech OF MS we
have been hearing FOR twelve or fourteen
years, including part OF Senator Nance's
speeca on the tariff published eighteen or
twenty years ago. No one knows better
than Colonel O'ferral. that his charge that
| attacked him anonymously IS a base ana
wllful ialseh0od. 49,
However unsavory Colonel O'rerralFs
private record may or may not DC, nave
never attacked 1t. but confined my expo
sition to his political record. While PRIOR
20 1891 had heard that he had once run
as an independent candidate tor Congress;
| knew nothing about the particulars ana
did not condone bis political crimes. lie
did not live in our district. My conhden-
tIal letters were written hun IN ms mfreS'
referring to how individuals stood 70 MIN.
how they were acting. how 10 get delegates
for MIN and secure his nomination.
and who were his friends aud
could throw no light whatever upon
the truth or falsity OF the charges
subsequently made against rs poHtcd re-
co;'d. and the only OBJECT he could nave
had and the only effect OF publishing
them was To cause ill-ieellng between some
of INV fellow-townsmen and myself. 1t
was "a base and iueXcusable piece Oh
treachery TO friendship. lie admits
";hev were received by me (h'm) IN the
confidence of friendship" trusting 10
Ats honor that their contents should never
be disclosed. he betrayal or confidence
IL dishonorablc, and no honorable man
could be induced By persuasion. threat, or
force to do a dIshOnorable act.
He further states that the cause OF my
ceasing 10 be his friend was because ne
declined to recommend me for United
States District Attorney, &c. Colonel
O'Ferrali krOTS that this Is not true. Parts
of the confidential letters OF mine pup
lished. and others IN his session
show | never made application Tor
the Office. My friends were urging me
to apply, and / wrote him that before
] decided whether L would apply
or not wanted to know If he was CON-
United. Colonel O'Ferrall knows L have
IN my possession proof of these facts. a.
well a. the facts that he vas committed &c
Captain Baumgardner, of stanton, ana al
that time was advising me TO press my
candidacy for the Office. lie knows that
whlle he said be wa, satisfied l would re-
fleet credit upon the position, that can
prove that | never applied for the once
but that he voted tor Judge Allen, who
never asked his support or endorsement,
deserving Captain Baumgardner.
Colonel O'terral! knows that / never
complained or hal cause OF complaint for
his not endorsing me for United states
| ifstrlct Attorney, or any other ONCE. lie
does know, however, that | lost CONT
! dence III and never had anything TO dc
with him after he violated his ott-re'
peated promises IN regard 10 Mr.. John Il,
| Edwards and Mr. }. ". Taylor. who lived
| in this city and when discovered the
| cause OF the breaking OF tho promises, my
want of confidence turned to contempt
| Colonel O'Ferrall seems 10 think that the
| question asked IN one of my cards of last year
WAS his name put on the Grant ticket
with his knowledge and CONSENT" was
| charge that IL was SO put there. ana tha'
| his statement that whoever charges thai
| IL was put there with his knowledge and
consent utters base. wiltul, wicked, and
malicious falsehOOd." relieves him o.
all responsibility and Ia shelter
under which he can rest. Let me
| say If priority Is what tho Colonel
relies on. that on May II, 1882, wrote
| Colonel O'Ferrall letter. and about one
week later published II, in reply to a pun
| lished card by him charging a'comblna
| ton between General Rosser and myself
| IN Washington city TO defea: him for Con
gress. IN which letter | said that the
person who intimates that IN that CONVEX
sation or at any other time | made any
combination With General RoSser is guilty
| Of malicious tdisshoOd.'
Again, on July4, 1892, in published caro-
over my signature. circulated throughout
| the district. branded OFerrall as dis
honest in announcing political connection
he did not entertain and that be had beer
O traitor TO his party and its principle anc
would DE so again; Ia other words. ina
he bad sold his political principles e
CRAFTY his selfish ambition aud would DC
so again If the opportunity offered;
Colonel O'FerraIl never either demand
ed n rtrGcfiOn or sal sfGciiOn. After thai
could any gentleman be lnsulted oy any
thing Colonel O'Ferrall might either speak
or writer
After careful review Of the charge:
made against Colonel O'Ferrall IN my let.
ters 1t will be seen that he has been forced
sooner or later 10 admit each OF them. OF
at least not deny them. AS TO my state
ments made in this letter the proof for then
| is in my possession or where 1t can be pro
| duced. Much unnecessary trouble anc
| worry would have been saved II Colo
mel O'Ferrail in the first place had simply
! written. Every charge against me as bu'
and | am sorry for it," That has been IN
| rcSH.
am not q candidate for any Office, anC
never expect 10 be. What | have done
has been as a private citizen in the inter-
ests of my State and its honor, stating
only facts within my knowledge and ex
pressing my honest convictions, I'm
| masking this mal, so that the pa
triotic citizens of this State NAV see
as | knor the facts TO be, and deter
mine whether they desire or not such :
man rs their Chief Executive.
Respectfully. WILLIAM X. ALEXANDER.
III