Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1906-08-09
The Suffrage Question.
Max Meadows, July 80, 1906
MY FRIEND PENDLETON:-

MY FRIEND PENDLETON:-
This is dull rainy day, and | think l
will, with your consent and that of your
patrons, share the dullness with you and
them.
l see that you and the Lynchburg
News have been fitting with each other
over the plank in the Republican Flat
form in reference to priceless ballot. "
I am afraid you took the News too SER
iously and replied to it too tartly.
You, of all others, ought to know that
a newspaper, especially daily, is some
times in sad strain for something with
which to fill it's editorial columns, and,
therefore, has to write things, of which
in its sane moments, the editor would
gladly lose all recollection. / don't
think the News intended to be taken
seriously in its criticism of our plank
demanding a free ballot, Impoverished
and without price. Surley the News
did not mean seriously to say that a
heavy price ought to be placed upon
the ballot because some of the voters
were venal, or because there were Re-
publicans who would buy the voters, If
these voters were allowed free access
to the ballot box. The old axiom of
justice has always been ''let nine guilty
men escape rather than punish one in
nocent one" Does the New mean to
say punish nine innocent men rather
than allow guilty one to escape?'
The News was thoughtlessly and flip
PANTY discussing very serious ques-
ton. Grant every insinuated conten-
ton of the News-that the Republican
leaders of Virginia are unworthy in
every respect, heap all manner Of cpl
thets upon them, and grant the epithets
were true; and then answer me, SER
iously, is that the consolation prize you
are offering the great mass of the white
voters in Virginia, who either have been
disfranchised or are in danger of that
disasterY
Mr.. Glass, you must be man of more
than ordinary capacity, you have re-
ceived from the people of Virginia more
than ordinary honors, and it is said you
desire to be governor of the State.
Could you not champion the cause of
the great army of disfranchised whites
and rescue them from the willy machina-
tons of us hypocrites?
But let us turn from the News. 1t is
difficult to discuss this question, or
really any question connected with the
present Constitution, and keep within
the bounds of parliamentary language.
| ask pardon, therefore, for the offense
l am now deliberately committing, and
promise that it shall be merely single
slip-a slight relief to my outraged
feelings.
Our Constitutional Convention was a
conglomeration of imbecility in practice
and cowardice in politics. 1t did not
lack for brains. The brainiest men of
the State were among its members.
The kings, queens, knights and bishops
of the chess board were there with
their complementary pawns. But no
master mind played the game. Many
of the brainiest men were imbeciles from
want of experience and practice, and
those who had brains, experience and
practice were towards.
The political leaders of Virginia who
were there-men of experience and
practice overwhelmed by fear, seemed
to be paralyzed; and you may read that
weary volume of the Constitution and
never a trace of their influence in SEN
tence, line or letter. To one who fol-
lowed the proceedings of the conven-
ton, or to one who reads the conclusions
of that body, the whole seems to be the
acts and results of an insane asylum
when the keepers are drunk.
This convention was called together
by the people of Virginia for but one