Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-06-21
WEDNESDAY EVENING. JUNE 81, 1905.

SENATOR MARTINS traducers who, it
can be said, are growing fewer by de-
prees and beautifully less, are fionnder-
inc abort in a sea of trouble, without a
comoass and are grabbing at imaginary
straws to keep themselves ahoat. Re-
Gently they reyamped the old charge that
Senator Martin was first elected, twelve
wears ago, through questionable means
and stated that the report ofthe legislative
investigating committee would prove
this charge to be true. The report was
forthwith produced which fully exoner-
aled Senator Martin and also Gen. tltz-
bugb Lee. who was the other candidate
the for SenatOrship at that time. linen
these men in desperation answered that
though the investigating committee did
exonerate Senator Martin, yet the
Speater Of the House at that time was
supporter of Martin and that he APP
pointed the committee who were under
obligations to Martin. Here again they
made bad break, FOR the records show
that Sneaker Caldwell was the man who
appointed the committee and that he
Amounted two Lee men-C. E. Nicol, OF
Prince William, and Merrett I. Cooke,
of Norfolk-and two Martin men-R. +
Bovkin and II. H. Downing. The Sen
ate members, with the appointment OF
whom Spef ker Caldwell had nothing to
do. were G. A. Mushbacb, j. G. Green
and J. L. Treadway. All of these men
were of ability and character and Speaker
Caldwell was so highly esteemed that
the same legislature elected. him, it is
believed, unanimously Justice OF the
Virginia Court of Appeals. These we're
the men who exonerated Senator Martin
OF the charges that questionable means
had been resOrted to to secure his cleo
ton and these charges will now be al
lowed TO sink into the Oblivion in which
they had slept for the past twelve years.
In speaking of these ridiculous charges
the Danvile Register says:
A statement so palpably erroneous
does not hurt Senator Martin among men
of intelligence, nor does it help Governor
Montague. Not only was
nothing found against Mr.. Martin, but
there was also nothing against General
Lee. X The men who are seek
ing to blacken his record by false rep
rcsentations, how ever, evidently hope
90 help themselves or their friends
in that way, and such methods ar
cue a recognized lack Of merit in
the man who can be made to appear
filter only by perverting the facts in re-
gard to Senator Martin. These charges
which are now brought against
Senator Martin in order to help
Governor Montague, who must be re-
garded as failing to embOdy in himself
the necessary elements to lift him into
the place he seeks, have been sleeping
for Twelve years. Since the period re-
ferred to. he has been returned to the
Senate. and has served second term
Six years ago he was opposed by Cover
nor Tyler, who did not seek to commend
himself for the place by trying TO be-
smirch the character of Senator Martin
He presided over the State Senate at the
time of the investigation referred to and
he evidently knew that there was no pO-
litical capital in that incident for him
or for anybody else who might be dis
posed to step up to place and power by
the defamation of other men. 1t is
creditable to Ex-Governor Tyler that he
did not use these charges. True, there
is nothing in them, but they were just
as available then as they are now. Many |
people were inclined to oppose Senator
Martin then who have been won over by |
his splendid record since and a milder
distortion Of the facts than that given |
above might have made an impression
on some people but Mr.. Tyler preferred |
TO base his claims on his own merits,
and not on his opponents alleged de-
merits. If he could not win by such |
honorable methods he was content to
stay at home. He did not win the seat |
in the Senate, but he did not forfeit re-,
spect by his manner of trying to get |
there, nor did he discredit his estimate
of his own worthiness by trying to black
EN- the character of the man whom he
aspired to succeed.