Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1898-09-08

before the people. His record was knowr
to all men and that there was nothing ir
it of which he was ashamed or which he
regretted. He said he did not expect hi:
record to be approved by Judge Rhea ano
he would be ashamed if it did meet
with his appreciation; that the Republicans
of the Ninth District had nominated him
for Congress three times by acclamation
and that he was proud to stand before an
audience composed so largely of the gal
liant Republicans of Russell and know that
his record met with their unanimous
approval.
He then proceeded to respond to Judge
Rhea's speech in q most telling and forci-
BILE manner. AS he delivered his tremen-
dous blows upon the tlimsey shield behind
which the artful Rhea had sought to hide
he not only shattered it to pieces but dis
closed the falsity of every position taken
by the Democratic candidate. He did
not deny that he had once been an ardent
Democrat, but in reply to Rhea's boast
that he (Rhea) had always been q consist
ent Democrat said that persistent consist
ency was frequently evidence of a weak
mind. Gen. Walker asserted that he had
always been protectionist and never was
an advocate for the free and unlimited
coinage Of silver at the ratio Of Is to l.
He had been for the free coinage OF silver
produced in our own American mines and
bad introduced an amendment to coin
age bill while in Congress to that effect.
He had seen fit upon an examination OF
the question to change his views and did
f<N
of change of his views.
The way in which he ridiculed Rhea on
the pension question was lvery amusing
and created perfect uproar Of laughter
and applause in the audience. He said if
Rhea should by possibility be elected to
Congress and attempted to do what John
w. Daniel, Tom Martin, Jno. A. Buch-
anan and the other Democratic Congress
men from Virginia had not tried to do be-
cause they had too much sense to attempt
it, Rhea would make himself q laugh
ing stock and would amount to about
as much as 81 gnat on BULLS horn.
He asked Rhea why John Daniel, Tom
Martin and all the Democratic Congress
men from Virginia had not done what ne
thought Walker ought to have done.
Then the General took up the war bill
and revenue bill and showed how Rhea
misunderstood the latter and the bad re-
cord made by the Democratic members OF
Congress on both measures. He made the
audience roar as he explained the provis
ions of the revenue bill, and showed how
it did not reach and fall upon the poor
men Of the country. Rhea had asserted
that the poor men had to pay all the taxes
under the provisions Of that bill. The
Democratic candidate for the first time
seemed to become familiar with it, and as
the Republicans laughed at him he looked
like he wished he had never said anything
about it.
General Walker very forcibly explained
the policy of the Republican Administra-
ton and party on the war and the measures
they had adopted for raising money to
pay the expenses of the war. He told how
the Democrats in Congress had done every
thing possible to provoke war and hasten
hostilities, and, then, how they had voted
against declaration Of war because the de-
claration did not contain recognition
of the Cuban republic and insurgent gov
ernment. 1t was now admitted by every
intelligent, honest citizen in the land
that the Republicans were right in refusing
such recognition and the Democrats wrong
in demanding it. He referred to the fact
that every Democrat in the Senate and
every Democratic member in the House,
except five, had refused to vote for the
revenue bill to raise money to defray the
expenses of the war which they claimed
to have forced upon the country.
Judge Rhea had asserted that General
Walker had made no speeches in Congress
except on contested elections, and that he
had voted in all such cases to seat Repub.
Gcans. The general told him if he had
posted himself better he would not make
such bold statements. That upon an ex-
animation ne would find that he had made
speeches-one upon the war bill, another
on the bankrupt law and others, perhaps.
That these speeches were made upon the
floor of Congress and not written and
handed in for publication in the Record.
That he did not go to Congress 10 play the
part of blatherskite. He told him fur
ther that if he had examined the record
he would have found that the Elections
Committee, of which he was chairman,
had reported favorably to Democrats in q
number of contested election cases and that
he had voted for Democrats to retain their
seats. The general then told about the
frauds that were practiced in the Fourth
and Tenth Virginia Districtsand denounced
the methods by which Thorpe and Yost
had been deprived of the returns. He
said he was proud of the part he had
taken in exposing the dishonest election
methods that had prevailed in those dis
tricts. He also told how he had been
cheated at certain precincts in Russell and
said if the ballots for the election Of 1896
were still in the clerks office at that place
an examination of the records would chow
that he had been cheated. He then
turned and said to Judge Rhea, if you will
consent for the Republicans in each county
in the district to select the Republican
Judges of election for the precincts II
the counties and will further consent fol
the Republican judges to mark the ballots
of the Republican voters when requested
to do SO. and do not beat you two thous'
and votes In the district / will agree not to
accept the seat in Congress. To this prop
osition Judge Rhea made no response.
During his speech at some point General
Wa ker referred to the fact that it was said
that Rhea had at one time been gold
man and had been sent as delegate to
the Staunton convention with that under
standing. Rhea said that there was nc
truth in the information and Gen. Walker
told him be had letter in his possession
from Col. A. Fulkerson making the charge
Judge Rhea said that the charge was false
and Walker said it was matter for hin
and Col. Fulkerson to settle. Rhea ther
remarked that he supposed the same man
had told the "old Confederate" story
Gen. Walker said, "No. did not intend
to refer to that, but will give you my au
thority. Rhea said it was unnecessary
but Gen. Walker insisted. He said thai
Gen. Eppa Hunton had told HIM tha
Gen. w. H. Payne had told it to him, ant
repeated in substance what was reported
to him. 1t was that after Gen. Lee wal
defeated for the Senate Judge Rhea hat
said: 81 am glad We have downed the
old Confederate, or words to that effect
Judge Rhea denied it, or any such occur
renee.
Judge Rhea on taking the stand for his