The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-10-13
TO THE VOTERS OF CAROLINE.

I ler's ia The Free Lance OF to-day, | wish
/ 70 sny that de- NOT feel disposed To in
dulge ina war ut words 10 the news
papers in regard To the recrnt action oil
| the County Committee in ordering pre-
cinct meetings % nominate county
officers. No one expected MIR Chandler
/ 60 approve It's action. lie was opposed
/ to nominations four years ago, and he
was opposed 10 them this time, though
he did ray thai he would submit To
the same. provided the plan was to his
liking. One would think TO read Mr..
Chambers TRADE against the action oil
the convention that such nomination
had never been made before In this cOun-
~. Am informed that MIR. chandler
was nominated by similar convention
when he ran against Maj. Peatross some
wears ago; that the convention wa COM
posed Of two delegates from each pre-
cinct: that seven voters turned out at
Bowling Green precinct, Tour oi "hom
were office holders and two OF them can
didates, including MIR. Chandler; that
there were two In attendance at Madi
son. and they named Themselves ~ dele
gates. and that in the whole county
about seventy voters turned out, and ne
was declared the nominee over MAJ
peAtrOss Other instances have occurred
no doubt, bat ! can recall only n lew
convention composed Of two delegates
from each precinct nominated Mr.. Row.
ers In 1899 over Mr. K q Moncnre aud
Mr.. ID. Il Waller. II it WAS Unfair then.
why was not move made 70 change AZ
In 1901 n convention composed OF two
delegates from each precinct nomii ated
a candidate for the Legislature. Mr.. W.
l.. Cobb wAs nominated by cohve ton
compOsed In likeman for the Cons titu-
tional Convention, Y my memory istight
Was anything said then about its being
unfair2
In the spring Of 1901, during the con
test between Mr. Montague and Nr
Swanson Tor Governor, the Mont 1gue
leaders at Bowling Green preVaile III
the County Committee 10 order n mass
meeting At Bowling Green instead oipre'
cinct meetings IS desired by the van
aon supporters. thus giving BoV ing
Green precinct the advantage, and dele
gates were instructed for Mr.. Mont que.
and il was amusing when Nj Montague,
in thanking the people in speech, con
demned mass meetings aud advocated
giving the voters a voice by precinct
meetings. A well known Democrat 10
the county, in en- article in The Free
Lance commented asfoilows: Shetcs OF
our fathers What a trRyesty on the
Democracy Of 10y gone days When we
drove into the Green on court day we
we're surprised TO see such conven ION.
The leading lireenites, from Judged wn,
aeemed to be worked up to such high
mitch of feeling that they all appeared
mad. 1hey seemed TO know everyti Ing
from the last move on the political chess.
board TO the visa and sentiments OF
every citizen Of Caroline County and ven
tured TO instruct every one, committee
men and all, a. 20 theirduty. And now
the leading spirits who secured the ~ ass
meeting on that occasion are seeking to
discre1it the recent action Of the County
Committee a. being unfair Consistency.
thou art jewel" But IL depends on
whose OF Is being gored.
Mr.. Chandler asks II em afraid IL say
whether the plan Of two delegates from
zach precinct il fair | will say that y
there should standardization Bow llsE
Green precinct and one opposing him
from another. the plan would be unfair,
but that A. between Mr.. Chandler and
mysrli the plan is lair, az both OF ms re
side 10 Bowling Green district and be
would have the same chance TO secure
the other delegates a. l. 10 adopting
the plAn the committee acted within the
.cope Of It's authority. a. laid down on
maze 3 u the plan OF Democratic state
Organization ~ adopted by the Noriplb
Convention. which IL 81 follows: Ia she
election Of delegates TO any elective IL
;rict convention, IL shall be the duty Of
such committee Of the county or city Ia
prescribe by public notice whether rueh
Appointments shall DE made by district.
ward. county or city meeting, or by pr
mary election. and the NJ MBER or
/ DELEGATES to which such district
ward county or city shall be entitled.
Mr. Chandler il safe In saying that he
Ia willing TO let the State COMMITTEE
pass upon the matter aud II ii endorses
I the action Of the County Committee be
would retire from the contest, because he
| knows that the matter cannot legally
come before the committee. as be did not
20 before the convention and there Ia no
contest. but will CONSEN 7 20 have the
matter laid before the State committee,
and II. after bearing both sides, the state
Committee oyer.rules the action OF the
/ County Committee, | will put the nomi-
nation aside and meet Mr. Chandler Al
the polls on the day OF election without
any nomination.
Nr Chandler wants TO know what
work. great or small, have ever
done for the Democratic party. will
say that the people of this county know
the politicnl records Of both OF us, and
they will Judge between us. Since he in
yitss criticism am willing 10 compare
records as Democrats II 10 true that !
have not done any great work Tor the
marty. neither have | ever done any
against IT, am no politician. have
had no gre TO grind have been merely
a private. a. mOst OF us have been, vot-
lna true every time. am not seeking
the support Of my iellow-citizenS because
of any political work ] have done l
have tried to do my duty a. a citizen
without expectation Of political reward
and have no claims upon the people
cave such consideration as a true Demo
crat who has tried TO do his duty In
every relation OF life, derseryes at the
hands OF his fellow man. | have not
been a chronic ofiice-seeker. practiced
nv profession ten years before ever
asked for an office. No one can say thai
have grown fat at the public test
On the contrary, my friend aud oppo
nent | have. been informed. was an afpi
rant for the fret iudgeship oil this county
nnder the Underwood constitution, wher
.JudRe Hudgin was appointed; that All
years later he was again an asplrant
= but his name did not 90 before the Leg
lslature. az neither OF the members wa
J favorable 10 him. In 1879 he was agail
! an aspirAnt. and worked for Maj. White
who was a Readiuster. opposing Capt
: Hudgin, the Democratic nominee, and Il
4 published card 20 the Legislature vi
handler stated that he did ten times a
much to secure the election OF Maj. Whlf
az Judge WEIGH" who received the eI
L Monument In 1885 he was again
% candidate for the iudgeehip, but Jui e
A Moncure. receiving the appointment, .
!, appointed Mr.. Chandler Commonwealth
l. Attorney, which position he held up
~ four years ago Now he is again cal
! lidaie. He Gays, II am in this fight Il
n the principle It involves. Az he n,
= been candidate for either the iudgesh
" or Commonwealth Attorney ell the
a many years, It il not difficult TO imagil
:, what principle" Is involved.
- Whatever services Mr.. Chandler me
oi have rendered the party, he hiss been al