Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-11-13

and civilization; but there are lnulVluuaie,
even among the white races, that are so
essentially defective in their moral make
up that it seems impossible to change the
evil tendencies that appear to be with
them innate. In the douain of political
ethics this obtains in as mirked degree as
in the other conditions of life. Here, in
the Ninth Congressional District of Virgin
in, we have most conspicuous example OF
individual total political 6pravity in the
person Of w. F. Rhea His character
istics in that particular are 70 marked that
he stands among our peopI almost unique.
,1lItesseast so-fiesartig>eniQv the reputation
he has made as "a slick one;" and the
contemplation of his crookedness appears
to be for him joy forever.
No other man has ever lived so few
years in this section and established for
himself in the political field 90 complete
record for deceit, treachery and corrup'
ton as has w. F. Rhea.
ALI that is necessary to convince one that
we are not misrepresenting Rhea is to make
an honest investigation of his political ca
reer. He started out in political life in 1878
as the champion of Fayette McMullin, " no
was an independent Greenback candidate
for Congress against J. B. Richmond, the
regular nominee of the Democratic party.
From that time until 1888, in all State and
National elections he was found actively
engaged fighting the candidates of the
Democratic party and giving his support
to independents and Republicans. He
solicited and accepted an Office from the
Readjuslers, a coalition party composed Of
boiling Democrats and Republicans, chief
ly Republicans; aud gave them his sup
port on the stump. In 1883 he deserted
the Readjusters and Republicans and unit.
ed his fortunes with the regular Demo
ocratic organization; but treacherously
stabbed its nominees for Congress-Major
r. K. Henry, G. F. Trigg, John A. Buch-
anan and James w. Marshall, in the
order named. His browning act of
treachery was committed in the district
convention held at Bristol in 1894, when
he cheated James w. Marshall out of the
nomination for Congress by the use of a
bogus telegram. After that he was held
in such contempt by the Democrats who
knew bis record, that when the district
convention of the Democracy met at
[ iYytheviIIe in 1896 and Rhea was candi. |
date for the nomination for Congress,
part of the delegation from Washington
county had printed and placed a circular
exposing his treachery and denouncing
him for lack Of political integrity.
With such record against him, it mag
seem strange that the Democracy, which |
had before scorned and spurned him,
should select Rhea as its candidate. But
the two victories won by General Walker
as theIRepublican candidate had placed |
the Democracy in a desperate situation,
and they decided that they would have to
select q man to lead them who would have
no scruples as to methods. Rhea was
proclaimed as the only man they could
find to down Walker. The sequel proved |
they were not mistaken in their man or
his character. He went forth commits
stoned as the leader of the Democracy,
and promptly organized band of political
political things whom he trained to do the
work he mapped out for them in the var
ious counties of the district. Under the
vicious cry that Everything is fair in
politics" he seduced sworn officers to per-
form such acts as padding and tampering
with registration books, classifying returns,
stufing ballot-boxes, mismarking ballots,
devising incomprehensible puzzles to be
used as ballots to cheat honest voters, and
debauched the party organization to ouch
an extent that many worthy citizens were
ashamed to claim any connection with it.
Too late the Democrats realized that
they, like DR.. Faust, had sold themselves
to the devil with the hope that they might {
have restored to them the hold they had
lost on this district; and that bis satanic I
majesty had supplied them with Mephis- {
topheles in the person of w. F. Rhea. t
The Democracy had made their contract
with Rhea 10 1898 and he used it to put 6
the party in letters. He had himself pro- i
claimed tue candidate of the party for L
Congress in 1902. and again started out to Q
'Sin by crooked ways seat in Congress. z
A fair election had been pledged under I
the new Constitution, and Rhea knew a
Iheae was but one way for him to escape I