The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-27
dsnt .for ntotaotion asairst dotliestlc Or

Z.
other violence No complaint ls made
anywhere that the fights Of any citizen 7,
are assaulted or threatened. But IN the
midst az profound peace and without q
constitutional fed,iisition froin any QUAR-
ter, the President Of the United States
"a has stationed troops Iii q little city OF
Our commonwealth with tho design, as
cannot BE doubted, Of intitilld9tl Ing the
SCOPE and controlling tho pending cleo
stlon for partisan purposes. r..
IS mitch for the testimony Of the
Mayor Of Petersburg, substartiated BY
tho testimony Of the Governor OF VIZ
sinia, that there was no occnlslot, what hat
ever for the presence Of United s state
troops on that occasion. n II Isl
But there was another official who tcs-
tilted differently. He was then United
states district attorney for the Eastern
District OF Virginia. and he wrote q let
ter 10 Dr.. ,Iorgensen. pledging himself
10 40 to washington and tell the Pres,
ident that In his Judgment It would be
criminal to fail to send troops to Pc
tcrsburg True to his word, he made
the following affidavit! "a
II am fronlGiny knowledEeEof that dhe
last state election) and other elections
held In Petersburg prepared $to say t th1t
unless tho Samnrshal Is furnished with a
better and more reliable posse than ne
( will sbe athletic summons to his aid from
residents Of the city, the election on Ire
nth Of November III that city VIII be a
farcb as gigantic Us 1t will DO fraudulent.
Vi an, not now prepared to express tho
opinion that the presence Of troops 70
act as the inarshnls posse VIII be osscr-
tial to the preservation OF order ana Q
irsure fair election at other points ~
the Eastern District Of Virginia, put OF
the necesslty&of their presence to pre-
vent bloodshed and SECURE a FAIR
ELECTION IN pETERSB URG, (caps
ours.) I think there cannot 30 q shadow Ilt1c''
Of doubt" (see Congressional Record
Forty-fourth Congress, second session. Ssh
.. esq., VI &
H The United statcs official holding once
under tho Republican administration who
made that afldavit and who did what
he could to bring these troops into vi r.
ginla on election day, was l., L. Lewis
the man who Is now running for GOV
ernor Of Virginia on the Republican
4 ticket. lie speaks with absolute certain
8ty as to the need Of troops In Peters
burg yet lii q speech subsequently, de-
lvercd by Colonel r. z. $Withers, OF
Virginia. in the Senate Of tho United
States, reviewing this outrage, It was
stated that Mr.. Lewis was not In the
Fourth Congressional District during
that canvass and could not of his per-
sonal knowledge have known that troops
were needed In Petersburg.
Now, Democrats of Virginia, how dc
Il you like the exhibit? Some Of you are
E saying that Judge Lewis is such
fine gentleman that he, will make a fine
Governor. we have reminded You from
time to time that although Judge Lewis
is a fine gentleman, he is a lifelong Re,
publican; that lie has repeatedly hello
Office under Republican administration
that he has In all campaigns stood viii
the Republican party, and now we show
by the record thatin 1876, It was upon hi
| suggestion and assurances that Republt
| can president sent UntIeu 0ulteS TROOP
to the city Of Petersburg in order IT
| insure fair election" Judge Levi
[ pleads eloquently for the new Republican
| party bleacl,ed and reformed. But 1t i
| the Same old party and he was mem
Der Of 1t in the days Of reconstruction
force bills and Federal troops-at-th
! polls, returning, boards Hayes Electora
Commission and all the rest, and he mus
bear his part OF the responsibility 70
the acts Of his party.
A Republican with such a political re
cord cannot be elected Governor OF Vir
gina. In 1876 lie asked for Fedora
| troops in Virginia on election day. I
defiance OF the protest Of the then Gov
ernor OF Virginia. 1t Is, a fair nferenc
.hnt IL he should himself be Governo
OF Virginia, and tho campaign Of 1s7
should be repeated, he would call 70
Federal troops. s5,
How can any Democrat think Of votin
for2such man? ,s't7