Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-07-26
RHEAISM ENDORSED.

Inc DenOCIhttV OVn'OAA
Ninth Congressional District Of Virginia
met at Pearisburg on the 18th inst, and
nominated w. F. Rhea, by reclamation, as
the party candidate for Congress. The
convention carried out the instructions 1t
had received from the Democratic conven'
tions held in the several counties of the
district. Thus do we find the Democracy
of the district thoroughly committed to
Rheaism and all that ism implies.
1t was announced in 1898, when Rhea
was fret nominated for Congress, that he
was selected, because Of bis peculiar quail
fications, to defeat General Walker
Those qualifications were we'll understood
by men of all parties. to be willingness on
the part of Rhea to use to the full letter
the abundant opportunities for fraud
which the Virginia election law afforded.
In other words, it was known that the Re-
publicans in the Ninth District could not
be beaten by honest means, and candi-
date was wanted who would not be scru-
pulous about methods. The Democracy
were not mistaken in their man. He ill
ed the bill to perfection. His managers
inaugurated and executed campaign OF
fraud and intimidation that has never
been equaled in this district, or excelled
anywhere, unless it be in Kentucky by the
Goebelites.
Rhea succeeded in getting majority on
the returns, but how? By false registra'
ton, by intimidation and violence at some
of the polling places, by voting men who
were dead, by dirty tricks practiced by
registrars and corrupt judges Of election,
and many other methods that were patent
to men of both parties. To what extent
frauds were practiced in the election OF
1898 will never be known, because of the
superior facilities afforded by the election
laws to conceal them. But it is well
known, to Democrats as well as Republi'
cans, that in the counties Of scott, Dick
enson, Wise and Russell and the City of
Bristol numerous fraudulent devices were
used by the Rheaites to encompass the de-
feat of General Walker.
Subsequent to the election, when con.
test for the seat in Congress was begun,
Rhea and bis assistants adopted every
possible plan to prevent full and fair in
vestigation of the charges of fraud that
had been made in the several counties of
the district, more especially in the city Of
Bristol. The registrar at Bristol, who was
also clerk of the Hastings Court Of that
city, refused to furnish General Walker
with copy of the registration books, and
in his capacity as clerk would not permit
the contestant to see the poll books.
Every device that could be thought of was
used to prevent the light being thrown on
the outrageous frauds that were practiced
at Bristol.
The most disgraceful act of the Rhea-
ties, however, was the bloody scene enact
ed in the jury room in the court house at
Bristol, on the night when General Walker
was shot by one Davis, who received as biz
reward for the cowardly act the appoint.
ment of private secretary to W. F. Rhea.
That there was conspiracy to kill Gener-
al Walker or do him great bodily harm
will not be denied by any man who is &C.
quainted with the facts. The trial Of Gen.
eral Walker for shooting Hamilton disclos-
ed to the jury sufficient facts to convince
the twelve honest men on that jury that
conspiracy had existed, though the prose-
cution strained every nerve to prevent the
question of conspiracy being brought out
at the trial. We have heard many Demo
Gratis say they believe that deliberate
plot had been made to kill or injure Gen.
eral Walker.
We are not astonished that Rheaism
have been endorsed by those DEM
ocrats who approve Of the methods that
were employed tc secure the count for
Rhea, and who defend his conduct after
the election, and the disgraceful crime
committed at Bristol; but we will be pro-
roundly astonished ifthe honable Demo
Gratis In the district, who have every reason
% believe that Rhes wss elected by fraud
and that be even.acquiesced in the shoot I