Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-03-27


leading papers did not 'blindly follow, -
but had the same opinion of Judge Rhea
as the wise ones. having known a good
deal about him before he was placed by
the completely of human affairs in the
uncomfortable and strange situation of
having his friends, so-called, desert
him when he needed them most.
Justice is the same, let the Judge be
in what situation he will" Surely
The News Leader, which is so Just and
clever always, will agree that the
Southwestern Democrats know more
about their politicians and lawyers and
that the latter know more about each
other than those in another section of
the country know about them.
"Other voices more worthy than my
own" will probably enter the lists for
Judge Rhea and the Southwestern
papers, but so much ''brains and char
acter" as are known to have been on
Judge Rhea's side in this section should
surely carry weight in your opinion.
Christiansburg, Va. H.
Seribes. Pharisees. HypOcrites.
We learn from Bible history that
there once lived class of people who
were particularly noted for their out
ward observance of the law. They
spent much time in making personal
demonstration of particular methods
of observing the laws. They were of
ten seen in public places and their
prayers were heard at all times. Every
thing was unclean that did not have
their endorsement. No man was con-
sidered worthy who did not come into
their class. They walked on the other
side of the street from the common
and the unworthy. They were de-
finitely described as 'Scribes and Phar-
isees.''
The above described class still exists
and they are big and little; they have
large and high sounding voices; they
control great newspapers and call at
tention to themselves and their ideas in
large display type.
This same class was once meek. re-
firing and clothed in great humility.
They saw righteousness in bygone
days in different light from that in
which they seeit now. They were al
ways active in the rear of the battle
and with sweet voices encouraged
those in the forefront. They patted
the generals and privates on the back.
encouraging them to fight the dreaded
enemy and use all means whether fair
orfoul and whispered 'the end justi-
fies the means.''
The war is over now and the past
has been forgotten or for convenient
reasons, ignored.
Is it possible that they have forgot
ten that the Legislative halls of old Vir-
ginia once surrounded by many whose
faces were little less black than their
hearts and men whose hatred for the
white man of this country was only
measured by their capacity to show it?
What is known as the black belt of
Virginia suffered most in those times
and there was scarcely a county in this
unfortunate portion of Old Virginia
which was not governed in part by
negroes and foreigners. The county of
Prince Edward had fourteen negro Off |
GERS at one time, two of whom were
members Of the board of supervisors. |
In those days ministers of the gospel
thought they were serving God and |
their country when they contributed of |
the meagre means to the carrying on of |
war against those who were the ene-
mics of all that was near and dear to us. |
have seen at the polls a minister of |
the gospel who remained throughout
the day with a six-shOoter buckled |
around his waist. This same minister
had shouldered the musket and carried it |
four years in defence of his country.
Men then thought it not robbery. nor
thought they were thieves nor that
they were unworthy of the confidence
of their fellow man when they took
back that which they had been robbed
of. Some of the brave officers in the
forefront of battle then were Barbour.
Martin, Hunton, Withers, Daniel.
Mckinney, Hundley, Swanson, Mon
tague, Mann, Flood, Rhea and others
too numerous to mention. And now
comes to the front the ''bomb proof re-
serves" with flying banners and noisy
demonstrations, proclaiming, 1--WE are
the custodians of public morals, kneel
at our feet and learn of US what is good
and pure and upright make way
Tor the elect. 7" Bring forward these
old soldiers and try them for crimes
committed IN the past and under rules |
and regulations that we lay down"
Convict and disgrace them. Virginia
has been saved. Turn her over to us.
She is safe only in our hands. We and
God will save the Commonwealth.
Woe unto you scribes, pharisees.
hypoSrltes: old Democrat, in Farm
vile Herald.
Loses Subscriber.
EDITOR RICHMOND EVENING JOURNAL:
After reading your paper of 26th
and 9th inst, l am surprised and fully
convinced of your open fight against
the confirmation of the appointment of
the Hon. w. F. Rhea. You show that
you are taking the Republicans part in
every column of your paper, as you
print every thing there is against Mr..
Rhea. If you lived down in the 9th
District, and see the plans, and the
men that fix those plans in the Repub-
hcan party, surely you would not op-
pose your own party in a matter so i'm
portant. Your paper is your own, but
your subscriber has right to look for
you to support your own party in a
matter wherein your party is right. as