Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-07-14
MANN AS JUDGE
His Election by a keadjuster
Legislature

| Ills EieCtiOu ny hehuJuStei
Legislature
Light was thrown upon the
election of william Hodges Manr
as Judge of the County Court OF
Nottoway by the Readju.ter Leg
islature by letter received few
days ago in Richmond by Col.
James Msnn, Judge Mann's cam
paign manager, from George K.
Smith, Democratic treasurer OF
Lunenburg County.
Mr.. Smith was the Readjustei
Democratic member OF the Legis-
lature who nominated Judge Mann.
He says in his letter that Judge
Mann had the support of the bar
association and prominent Read
| juster and Funder Democrats,
that the members of the Legisla-
ture from Nottoway County were
Republicans, ore a negro and the
other a white man, and both op.
posed Judge Mann and nominated
Republican for judge in caucus.
Mr.. Smith says he was requested
by the white Democrats of Motto
way to nominate Judge Mann for
reelection and he did go.
The letter which sheds a new
light upon the political career oil
Judge Mann, is interesting be
cause Of the fact that Judge
Mann's election as judge by the
Readjuster Legislature has been
referred to in the present guberna'
torial campaign and because many
persons in Virginia have often
wondered what conditions brought
the election about.
Mr.. Smith, in part, says:
II was O Democrat then, as j
have been ever since, but was elect.
ed to the House az Readjuster
and entered the Readjuster eau.
Gus. The delegate elected from
Nottoway was negro Republican,
Archer Scott, and the Senator
from thet county was white Re.
publican, B. +. Williams, both OF
whom were Readjusters and mem.
bers of the caucus. There were
also twelve other negroes elected to
that Legislature as Readjusters.
when the election of judge fol
the County of Nottoway came up
in caucus the delegate and senator
from Nottoway both opposed the
election OF Judge Mann and pro-
posed to nominate j. NJ. Morton, b
Republican, aud so did all the Re-
publicans in the caucus. as Judge
Mann mad always opposed the
Republicans politically and bao
voted against Williams and Scott
in the previous election. Judge
Mann had been judge Of Motto
way County for ten years, having
been twice elected by Demo
cratic Legislatures He was en-
dorsed by the bar Of his county,
and there was a delegation Of re
preventative white men, both Fun
ders and Readjusrers, from MOTTO
way then in Richmond TO urge
his reelection.
81 was requested by them t.
nominate him in the caucus, and,
as knew him we'll, and knew thai
he had been an able and efficient
judge.I grady consented TO do so.
He was nominated by the caucus,
over the protest of the negroes ana
Repubhcaus,and when the election
came up in the House and Senate,
[ requested Delegate Scott ano
Senator Williams, from Nottoway,
to out Lin in nomination in tnen
respective hocses, but both refused
TO 90 80, and i then requested Sen
ator Wilcox, Readjusler Demo
crat, to nominate him In the Sen
ate. He aid so, and his Domina'
ton was seconded by Hon. William
Writ Henry of Richmond, Fun.
der Democrat.
IL nominated him in the House
| conferred with the Funder Den o.
Gratis Of both the Senate AND House
before Judge Mann was nominated
by the caucus, and his nomination
met with their hearty approval,
and they supported him when the
vote was taken in the House ana
Senate"