Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1903-09-12
Elizabeth City County Nominee.

Editor of the Enterprise-Being
satisfied that you would not inten-
tionally do me an injustice, tho ] am
stranger to you, nevertheless feel
that your editorial Of the 9th inst,
not only does me, but my party, a
great injustice and most respectfully
ask that you publish this, my reply.
The advices received by you from
private sources were evidently very
much prejudiced, and your advisers
not over careful regarding the whole
truth in this matter, or they would
have selected and furnished you with
a copy of the Newport News Press,
which contained full account of the
facts concerning my nomination and
the action of the Democratic Execu-
tive Committee of our county, to-
gether with Mr.. Donahoe's card, q
copy of which l now enclose you.
which will fully disclose the manner
In which l (Mr. Collier was nomtna-
ted, which manner must have been
fully known to the person or persons
who furnished you the advices to
which you refer, and upon which
your article was based.
In the beginning l wish to disclaim
not only for myself, but for the Demo
cratic party of my county all inten-
ton or desire to be even seemingly
discourteous to the good Democrats
of Accomac, and to declare that If
they have BEEN it was due toaD error
of the head rather than the heart,
the Chairman Of the Democratic
| Executive of Accomac Il am informed)
having been duly and fully notified
of the action OF our Committee, as
has heretofore been the custom.
The facts concerning my nomina'
ton, think, l will be able to show
to the satisfaction Of the Democratic
Executive Committee of your county,
and through them to your people,are
as follows, viz;
On July 18th our Democratic Exec
utive Committee met and decided TO
hold a Democratic Primary on the
27th of August, of which action the
public was duly notified through the
Press, requiring all Democrats desir'
ing to be candidates in that Primary
to notify Mr.. n. s. Groome, Secretary
Of the Committee, in writing OF their
intention to do so, not later than
July Goth, and assessing each candi-
date $500 to defray the expenses OF
said primary. Of their action, l am
informed by Mr.. Groome, he imme
diately notified your Chairman, DR..
J. W. Bowdoin. In this Primary, tho
various gentlemen were mentioned
but two filed their applications and
complied with the rules adopted by
the Committee, viz: Hon. L. 6. Dom
oboe, of Phebus, a gentleman than
whom no one stands higher in our
community and for whom l have the
highest regard, both as a Democrat
and as a personal friend, and myself.
Each of our applications were accept
ed, filed and published and each OF
us duly advertised our candidacy,
copies of which advertisements L
herewith enclose. Neither of US con-
Quoted our campaign in any other
t han the fairest and most honest
manner, and l, fully expecting the
Primary to be held as advertised,
| made every preparation to have my
friends at the polls in each precinct
On the eve of the Primary, viz; Aug
ust Goth, between five and six o'clock
D. M, learned that Mr.. Donohoe
had withdrawn his candidacy. The
Democratic Executive Committee,
without my knowledge or solicita-
ton, met in obedience to the call OF
their Chairman, DR.. F. W. Shield,
and unanimously declared that l
"being the only candidate for nomi-
nation, as Floater Delegate from the
County of Elizabeth City and Acco-
mack to the General Assembly, DIR.
L. G. Donohoe having this day with
drawn, is hereby declared the Demo
cratic nominee of this county, in &C
col dance with the party plan, and
further declare the Primary hereto
fore called by this Committee to be
held on August 9th, 1903, is hereby
declared off, A copy of this resolu'
ton, which enclose you, was duly
signed by DR.. F. W. Shield, our
Chairman, and Nelson s. Groome,
our Secretary, and promptly for
warded to DR.. Bowdoin, Chairman OF
the Acconack Committee. The next
day the morning paper (the Newport
News Press) contained card from
Mr.. Donohoe giving among other
reasons for his withdrawal from the
race, "that there had been but little
effort made to interest voters in his
behalf and he found the forces
against him united, while nothing
had been done to perfect any organ
ization among his friends. That
under such conditions defeat could
only result and he could see no reason
for continuing the contest. Under
these circumstances, submit thai
having submitted my claim to my
party in this county in the manner
prescribed by the party organization
from this District, that l have beer
guilty Of no discourtesy to the goot
Democrats Of Accomack and that
am entitled to their support, and