Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1901-01-11
FALSE CHARGES
Judge Rhea's Reply to
Contestant Walker.

that General James A. Walker would
contest his (Rhea's) election in the
Fifty seventh Congress of the United
States from the Ninth Congressional
district of Virginia, Congressman
VIM. f. Rhea, after stating that he
denies "each and every charge con-
tanned in the clauses from one to
fourteen inclusive of the preliminary
statement" says in part:
1t Is not true that the official bal
lot printed and used In each county
In the district in said election bear
upon their face conclusive evidence
OF fraud, or that the ballots were de-
signed by the electoral boards to
confuse or mislead voters.
But il it were true that the ballots
were difficult to be voted, 1 allege
that more injury resulted to myself
than to you.
The largest vote ever polled in the
district was returned at the election
held November 9Th, 1900, and Pres
ident Mckinley receiyed more votes
In the district at that election than
ne did iii the election Of 1896. 1 viii
charge and prove that fewer votes
were thrown out because improperly
marked than ever before in the dis
trict. Walle President Nc
kinley carried the district by 1909
majority, Sou lost it by 1751 and you
ran over 100 votes behind the Re.
publican candidate for president. 1t
can thus be seen how strong the op-
position was to you in your own par.
ty. There are other causes
which led to your increasing unpop-
ularity i'll the district, few of which
will here specify:
For many years after the civil
war you were so bitter and abusive
to any man who was Republican
that you made hundreds of personal
and political enemies.
2 During all this time you were
SO violently denouncing all Repub-
licans you were a most inoessant
office seeker, and held Office at the
hands Of the Democratic party until
the Democrats would no longer give
you Office, and you have since been
the most violent denunciator of your
former friends.
| 3 In 1894 you were nominated
for Congress upon free silver plat.
form, and in in 1896 you went as a
delegate to the st. Louis convention
and voted for the Teller substitute
for free silver, and when this was de.
feated you were Immediately con-
verted to the gold standard and ran
for Congress upon the gold standard.
4 In the Fifty-ffth Congress you
were so intolerant and indicative
towards the people of Virginia and
the South generally, that even your
republican constituents were disgust
ed with yovr conduct. In addition
to this. you were veritable 'fre-
brand in the republican party and
your party and state, as you had
therefore been in the Democratic
party.
b When you were defeated for
election to the Fifty-sixth Congress
Instead of submitting to the honest
verdict of the people at the polls, you
sought by many unfounded charges
to revese their decision and appeal
to Republican Congress to elect
you as member of Congress from
the Ninth district.
6 When the election committee
decided that you were not elected,
and that l was entitled to hold my
seat, you went home and instead of
gracefully submitting to the verdict
OF the people at the polls and as
confirmed by the election committee
you again, by a convention composed
almost entirely of Federal Office
holders. forced your renomination
upon the unwilling Republicans of
the district.
In addition to the foregoing
on account of which / charge and
will prove that many Republicans
were driven in disgust from your
support because of the slanderous
nhar0es uuhIiciv and s,rivctoIx ..ol