Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-11-03
AN ABSURD EXPLANATION.

II will be remembered that the Demo
Gratis have tried to provoke opposition
from the white voters Of this district to-
ward Colonel Slemp by persistent refer
ence to the fact that he voted for George
Cook, a negro, for doorkeeper OF the
House of Delegates. The Republicans
brought to light the fact that Major Will
liam A. Anderson, the present Attorney
General of Virginia had voted for negro
for doorkeeper of the Virginia Senate.
The party managers for some reason
determined to send Major Anderson to-
the Ninth District to make campaign
speeches; and in accordance with that ar
rangement the Major filed various APP
pointments in the district last week.
Whether he was sent here to help Mr.
Wysor or to bolster up his own candidacy
for reelection as Attorney General, we
are unable 10 say. 1t was thought, how
ever, that Major Anderson's advent to
the Ninth ought to be preceded by an
explanation of bis record, and the Rich
mond Times-Dispatch was selected, or Sc
lected itself TO make the explanation. In
IT'S issue Of the 26th ult. there was la
borsl article Of one and half columns
lGngth which admits that Major Ander-
son voted in 1869 and 1871 for a negro
named Abram Hall for one of the door
keepers of the Senate. The Timts-Dis-
patch not only makes the confession, but
by the silliest, weakest arguments under
takes to show that Major Anderson was
mol ouly blameless but to be commended
for voting for a negro doorkeeper. Here
Is one Of the reasons urged: -
AT the time referred to, the Legisla-
ture WAS controlled, not by the Demo-
erats, but by the Conservative party,
made up of old line Wings, Democrats
and Liberal Republicans, combined Tor
rescuing Virginia from radical and negro
rule. Abram Hall had been one
OF the leaders and an Influential leader of
small. but conservative, minority Of re-
fgroes who had voted against negro domi-
nation and to give the white men their
, rights"
Tie Times- Dispatch also offers as an ex-
cuse for the Democrats electing negro
doorkeeper the following
''There we're at that time a number Of
negro members Of both branches of the
Legislature, there being six negro sena-
tors, and colored people were visiting the
Capitol during the sessions of the Legisla-
ture to far greater extent than they have
done in late years"
Thel comes the clinching argument Of
our Richmond contemporary:
''lt will be observed, too, that the posi-
ton to which Abram Hall was appointed
was subordinate and almost mental po-
sition, Under the circumstances.
7hese are the reasons the Times-Dis-
-
patch offers liz justification for the Demo
cratic members voting at two SESSIONS for
the election of negro as doorkeeper of
the Senate. The fret reason was, that the
negro had helped the Democrats in their
elections. The second reason was, that
there were number of negro members Of
the Legislature, and the third reason as.
signed lie that the position was mental
one.
Our Richmond contemporary fails to
publish as part of the record of that DEM
ocratic Legislature the enactment Of the
notorious Funding Bill, which saddled an
unjust debt on tho State of Virginia.
1t fails to tell its readers that the same
men who elected Abram Hall doorkeeper
of the Senate were what were known as
Founders in the great political battle fought
in 1879, 10 which the Readjusters won and
began their fight for the repeal Of the
Funding Bill
II was at the 1890 session of the
Virginia Legislature that Colonel slemp
voted for George Cook for doorkeeper Of
the House OF Delegates. The Readjuster
party was composed Of former Wings,
Democrats and Liberal Republicans. ii
had been organized to rescue the State
from Funder rule and ruin. There we're
then, as in 1869 and 1871, a number Of col
ored members Of both branches of the
Legisls'ure. The negroes in the State had
been plraded with to support the Funder
candidates for the Legislature. Major
Daniel and other prominent. leaders had