Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1908-05-02
An Open Letter of N. b. Wescott.
l.. D. Teackle Quinby, Esq,
Onancock, Va,

Onancock, Va,
Dear Sir:-I have observed closely
the articles which have appeared
recently in the County papers between
Mr.. Rue and yourself with reference
to the recent judgeship contest. mas
much as you have espoused my cause
1 wish to thank you and express to
you my deep appreciation of your
support and loyalty and to commend
You for ignoring personalities in your
reply to Mr.. Rew's communication.
Since Mr.. Rev, particularly in his
last communication has seen Mt to
declare to the public that his opposl-
ton to me grew out of firm convic-
ton that he was rejecting the wishes
of a great majority of his constituents
and that this was his sole reason for
tis opposition, l feel impelled TO state
a fact not known to the public ana
possibly not known to you. On March
18th. after Mr.. Rew's return from
Hampton, Virginia, to see Mr.. hous-
ton, l determined to get some frlends
to see him in my behalf. Along with
others, l requested Mr.. James H.
Miles, resident of Metompkin Dis
trict, and a gentleman whose charac-
ter cannot be questioned, and a sup
porter of Mr.. Rew's in former con-
tests, to see Mr.. Rev and request him
to support me. On Monday, March
23rd., | received a letter from MI.
Miles saving that he had seen MI.
Rev and that if l would see him,
Rev, at once and pledge him, Rev,
that I would retain DR.. J. ii. Ayres,
of Accomac, Virginia, in his present
position of Examiner of Records that
Mr.. Rev would support me Loyalty l
entertained for DR.. Ayres only the
highest regard. There were reasons
for my wishing to manifest to him
my personal esteem and it would not
have occurred to me to remove him
had l been elected Judge and, yet,
notwithstanding this attitude on my
part, so exalted was my conception
of what a Judge should be and so firm
was my conviction then, and | have
seen no reason since to change my
mind, that no man was worthy OF
that high position who would ascend
the bench pledged as to any official
act, l preferred to risk defeat without
Mr.. Rew's support to success with 1t
coupled with pledge to him, or any
other mortal, as to what my course
would be on the bench. | did not see
Mr.. Rev and make the pledge. did
not secure his support. l have no
cause now, though defeated, to re-
greet it. preferred defeat to making
a pledge as to my course on the bench
and am now content to remain in the
future as l have in the past private
in the ranks. The public will now see
that Mr.. Rev, Notwithstanding his
claim that Mr.. Mears was the over
whel1ning choice of the people of Ac-
comack, was willing to disregard that
wish if l would agree to pledge my
self to retain DR.. Ayres in his present
position.
Since the date of that letter l have
seen Mr.. Miles and had him embody
/ the result of that interview in an af-
idavit which l herewith append to this
letter. You are at liberty to use this
letter as you see fit. Publish 1t or not
but want the reading public, for
whose wishes Mr.. Rev is now so So
licitous, to know the facts and see
how far Mr.. Rev was, in his opposi-
ton to me, controlled by that devo-
ton to the wishes of his constituents
and how far he was actuated by what
he considered the welfare of his friend.
Respectfully,
n. B. Wescott.
Mappsburg, Va, 4-29-OS.