The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-09
Says Federation Can Prove State.
ments 1t Made.
WOULD HAVE DONE so BEFORE
Blu. No Opportunity Was GWen-A
Lengthy Article in the Next Issue.
About the SienographicaI
Repor, Of the Trial.

The Forthcoming issue OF the Christian
federation, the organ Of the Anti-Saloon
league of Virginia, will contain among
other things a lengthy article by its ed
itor. the Rev. c. w. Crawford, discussing
The trial ana acquittal Of Judge Clarence
j Campbell in Amherst last week.
Mr.. Crawford Will describe the generous
treatment he received at the hands of
many Amherst people. and will declare
that In spite OF the remarkable dongs
of the Amherst County Court there is
no pleasanter little city anywhere. Even
the bitterness OF the experience which
followed Immediately on tho adjournment
OF the court during the contempt pro-
ceedines was largely compensated for by
the kindly sympathy and tender minis
trations OF q multitude OF the best people
In Amherst
Speaking Of the scenes In the courtroom
at the trial OF Judge Campbell. the artf-
Gle will commend highly the work of the
Commonwealth Attorney, and will de-
clare that the acquittal Of the prisoner
gives evidence OF the correctness Of Mr..
Evans contention that an impartial jury
could not be found In Amherst county.
Then Mr. Crawford will continue:
but the case is evidently not yet de-
cidcd There is higher tribunal than
the Amherst jury, even the Legislature
OF the State OF Virginia And there is
lature-the people OF Virginia. They will
see to 1t that, sooner or later, justice
shall be done to all concerned.
LET the good people Of Virginia bear
In their mind this fact that paramount
among the influences which corrupt and
pervert justice is the traffic in tntoxicat-
ing drinks, carried on under the protec-
ton Of the laws Of the State where pos
sible and where the protection Of these
Z IL to- r..ft1 1Y~orx q
Amherst, in spite Of all law. Not until
this great evil is extirpated will the
moral social and political life of the
State be sweet and pure.
MAKES EXPLANATION.
But by far the most interesting ana I'M
portunt part Of the article comes lalel.
Mr.. Crawford has been much criticised
fer the language he used in the Christian
Federation and some people have con-
sidered It sufficient excuse for the ac-
tons Of Judge Campbell. Mr.. Crawford
now for the first time, attempts to eX-
plain this language Referring to this
feature of the matter he says:
Most of the papers that have COM
mented upon the conduct of Judge Camp
bell, while condemning him unsparingls.
have been non-committal concerning The
article in the Christian Federation, Which
first aroused his wrath. The lew who
have defended it We're, so far as we Know,
pa ers edited by men who had oppo"tu-
nifty to know the truth II was right and
proper that those who had not this cppor-
tunity should refrain from giving Juds-
1neat There have, however, been one or
two exceptions to this notably one of the
religious papers of this city. This paper.
while. of course, condemning Judge Camp
bell for his act says: The charge made
by Mr.. Crawford against Judge Camp
bell was offensive and injurious. whether
he believed il to be true or not and
should not have been made without the
purpose and means Of proving its truth.
THE inference from this would be that
something had been said in the Christian
Federation which could not be proved.
This is not the case. Let 1t be noted
that the Christian Federation never said,
as Judge Campbell persistently interpre-
ted it to have said, that he had been
bribed What we did say was that such
rulings set people to wondering which
had been doctored most, the whiskey or
the judge" This is a simple statement
OF a well-known fact. though the state
ment is made in our own language.
Hundreds Of people in Amherst coun-
ty were wondering what could be the
matter with the Judge. what could be his
motives what influences could have been
brought to baar upon MIN to induce him
to make such ruling. ana The CHRIS
tan Federation has abundant means to
,roye that this Is So and we would glad
IN have proved 1t long ago had we ever
been given an opportunity to do so. All
Who have kept informed concerning the
proceedings must have noted that in the
trial for contempt no opportunity was
given to prove the truth CT the asser-G
t;ons made. Furthermore. that when we
stated in open court that we believed the
assertion to be true as we interpreted
il. but possibly not as the judge In
terpreted It, no opportunity was given for
rxplenat ton. The retraction required by
Judge Campbell would have been willing
,y made but for the fact that what we
had said was true. and could be proved.