The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-06-11


plain themselves.
June 9TH, 1907.
Mr.. {. F. TOwson, Falmouth. Va
Dear Sir-As chairman Of the Demo
cratic Committee of Stafford county.
enclose herein copy of IL statement by
the committee IN reply To card recently
published by you in tine Fredericksburg
nee Lance. The original of this state
ment Is signed 10y every member Of the
committee, who was present at the meet
ing referred To IN your card, and its cor
IectLess is endorsed by MIR. r. G.. l.. Mon
cure, who was the only other person
piesent at the said meeting. than YOUR
self. You will readily perceive that this
statement 10y the committee fatty CON
tradicts the allegations contained in
your card, and shows beyond peradven-
ture that you were the recipient of abso-
lutely fair and courteous treatment at
the hands of the committee. as il con-
tains the signatures OF every member of
the committee who voted for YOU a. well
a. OF those who voted against you.
IL Is but natural that the committee as
"A whole feel that, in the publication of
your card, you have questioned their
fairness aud reflected upon their integrity
10 such an extent that they cannot
spirit OF fairness which has animated
them in their conduct toward Won.
have been requested 70 forward Won a
copy OF their reply TO your card before il
Is published IN order to give you an on
portunity, in the face OF this overwhelm-
ing testimony, to withdraw your card
and retract the statements therein con
talned. Very truly yours.
r. II. l.. Chichester.
Chairman.
Democratic Committee of Stafford Co.
Stafford County, Va, May 2Sth, 1907.
To The Free Lance.
The undersigned members Of the Dem.
ocratic County Committee Of Stafford
county have had their attention called
To- card published in your issue of the
2ard inst, from Mr. G.. F.Towson. which
is so at variance with the facts as they
occurred at the meeting of the commit
lee referred tn therein that in Justice To
ourselves, and In order that the public
may have true account of what actu-
ally transpircd at the meeting. we sub
mt the following statement:
Ii was generally known before the
committee met that Mr. x. &. l.. Mon
cure and Mr. &. +. Towson, were caudi-
dates Tor the Democratic nomination for
the Sheriiialty of Stafford county. and il
II has been reported to members of the
committee by friends OF both oi these
gentlemen that in order to avoid the ex
pense and unpleasant features incident
To primary. they desired To submit
their respective claims To the committee
and let them select the nominee. When
the committee met this was officially
made known by the chairman. who
thereupon, upon motion, appointed a
committee To invite MIR. Moncure and
Mr.. Iowson before the committee in or
Ger 10 ascertain whether il was their de-
sire To have the nomination made low the
committee. When they appeared MIR
MOncure Immediately stated that ha
would submit his claims unqualifiedlv TO
the committee, while Mr.. Towson
acquiesced upon condition that the suc-
cessiul candidate before the committee
should make the defeated candidate his
deputy, IN the event of election. and di
vide all profits of the Office equally with
MN. Both gentlemen Were informed
that the committee could only make the
nomination upon an unconditional
agreement between the candidates. and
that the matter OF deputy was one the
com go nlttee mad no authority to act upon.
Ihe chairman then pOintedly asked the
claims to the committee with this nm
derstanding. Both gentlemen replied
IN the affirmative, and the matter
was again fully explained to them
50 that there could be no misunderstand-
ing. Mr.. Towson not only agreed To
submit his claims to the committee. but
pledged himself to support Mr. Moncure
II the latter received the nomination. and
was literally applauded for his expressed
loyalty. The chairman then informed
the candidates that the COMMITTEES was
prepared to make the nomination and
requested them TO withdraw while the
vore was being taken. After Mr.. Mon
cure had been nominated, a committee
was appointed to inforIl Mr.. Moncure
and Mr.. Towson of the result. and botb
appeared before the committee and in
their presence the nomination of Mr..
Moncure was made unanimous upon
motion oi Mr.. Thompson Briggs, seconded
by Capt. d. NJ. Lee, both of whom had
voted for Mr.. Towson.
X. II. l.. Chichester, Chairman
II. II. Shacklette,
C. j. Henry,
T. s. Briggs,
Thos. Wallace,
j. F. Cliff,
F. ID. MoDcure,
ID. NJ. Lee,
W. T. Peyton,
X. NJ. Jones.
The above statement by the Demo
cratic County Committee is a correct
statement OF what transpired at the
committee meeting referred to therein.
and | will add that after had been nom
mated not only personally offered Mr.
TOwson the deputyship, but sent numer-
Gus messages to him by mutual friends.
all of which he declined because did not
sccede to his demands. which and my
friends considered exorbitant, namely,
that in the event of my election should
l. l. r-lI