The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-11-01
LETTER FROM REV.
Up. n. CRlSM0ND
In Reply To Mr.. S. P. Powell

out one. =. I. ONSiis Pe'A "ANS " S.c
I and little L statement in your col
umns and refers to me In such way
as to require some notice.
"Of all sad words of tongue or
pen.
The saddcst or these it might
have been
S. p. Powell is sore. very sore.
indeed, but he is beaten neverthe-
ess. As he seems to feel that he
has been terribly wronged CD, and
is lis iMputations and insinuations
have been replied TO (other than
chose which refer directly to my
self will only notice his direct
,efcrrace 20 ne. lie was beaten by
a vote o. Is to 81 instead of tas
ne claimsl vote of 5S 10 81. !
nave the record. and the written
word mast stand Powell is es-
sric,od because | say that he haC
said hc would not oppose Colonel
3layGcs for county chairman. He
lid tell mC so: he also told Mr.. 5
|. Bagge,t so and he told COlcno'
Blas Gcs so. and am advised by
ruthul lips that he told others the
same tllng. powOi's statement be
ore the Republican mass meeting
IN S>p.,a'er 1@th lest WAS rot re
sarlrd ~ Me and also by some CT
IFS friends IS a denial Cf that fact.
~; ~, b is declarations as 10 this
his lc,tor to The Free Lance. was
1 tp il confession of having said
50. V ny did he approach Colonel
}layGcs ANA ask him If he OBJ
would Z. a candidate for the place?
Nh, sid ne apprcach Nh Baggett
md .h-a myself and ask each one
u us as 10 whether Blaydes would
5e "a candidate If his mind was
made up TO oppose Blaydes any
low2 What special thing was II
hat made him halt when he con-
cmp.atod his own candidacy and
SIX Will Col Blaydes be candi-
date! Did not these inquiries mean
if they meant anything that if
3lal les is a candidate. then ! Will
lot ie? Why was he trying 10 get
)la,Jcs out of the way If his mind
nd Conscience did not carry the
'0nVi~ ion az that time that he
would not oppose Blavdes? Nei-
hel BlaydCs. Basgett or CrismOno
iOugat Powell about this, but Pow
n scuglt them and each Of them
10 different times and the inquiry
O cn-h one vas. xviii Col BlaydCs
III aird can and will say that Pow
lis position WAS this. with Blaydes
gut e. ere way. can run with i'm
push. y; Ni.h him in the way
csun-' consistently ruR Why
Because have laid upon myself
The special embargo not TO oppose
him When he made his state
men. in the meeting Baggett ana
Blaydes- and some of Powells
friends with whom l talked recog-
nized in that statement a virtual
confession Of guilt as to the charge
made. and no demurrer was nee
essary then when the plea OF guilt
" was there entered and Powell put
himself upon the judgment of pub
lie opinion The truth as to this
has beer fastened on Powell. II
now. and will always environ him
and. like BanquOs ghost, haunt
him to the end; and the more he
shall seek 20 rid himself of it, the
closer Will r. cling to his skirts
and like
Aunt Gemima plaster.
The more ne tries 10 pull II OIL
The more will stick the faster.
Mr.. Powell did wrong He is a
Young man but not without some
experience. and he should learn and
profit bv the truth that Life is
real. IKE is earnest and that a
man % be hOnored and respected
must be high anG honorable in all
his dealings and make his word
when once sDOken-irreyocable
This is a shell-anchor that will hold
him safe whether In deep wafer or
on the shoals; whether in victory
or defeat. Powell better had de-
clined under the circumstances be-
ing a candidate and had the @stceIi
Of all. than TO have been candi-
date and suffer defeat and then
lose the confidence OF those who
would have otherwise always been
his friends. After hearing what
Mr.. Powell told me and others about
his intention not 10 oppose Blaydes'
and two DAYS before the meeting
hearing that he vas canvassing Tor
chairman such was my confidence
nd fsith in him that | stoutly
maintained that ii could not be
o. and since nc has disrcsarded
What conceive 10 be IN honora-
de obligation on him. ] will know
in the future what position TO take
in relation 10 Mr.. Powell; and fur
her. if Mr. Powell means to say
hat I misconceived his meaning
when ne talked TO me about this
natter he "WILFULLI AND PCR-
POSELY MISUNDERSTOOD both
hy positive and intelligent concep-
ion of his declaration not 10 OPP
)ose Col. Blaydes for chairman. II
anybody except Mr.. Powell Is re-
ponsible for not having a witness
when he spoke to me about this
natter fail to see it. but even in
ne case where he had the witness
hat fact in on way contravenes or
destroys the truth OF Mr.. Baggett s
statement, or vitiates its harmony
Nth both my and Col Blaydes
statement. but ratifies and makes
10Th substantially and positively cor
rect. If Powell had made his state
nent TO only one of the three,
namely. Blaydes, Crismond or Bag
,ett, there might be the possibility
If q misconceptlon of his (POwelfs)
meaning, but when three men, and
,ach one approached by Powell him
elf at different times. say plainly
md substantially the same thing as
o Powell's purpose in this matter,
here can be no doubt about it,
| md Powell ought to be lawyer
enough to know that when issue
is Joined between witnesses of the
same character the law places the
ruth where the evidence prepon-
| 1erates. Mr.. Powell is sore because
ne was beaten and disappointed. He
expected by quiet and cunning STRAIT
egy TO leap into the Craftsmanship
~ sudden overwhelming vote
rom Livingston district, but
Slaydes is man of too much
native shrewdness and perceptivt
intelligence for such manipulation
and he met Powell at Phillippi and
gave him a signal defeat. and Pow
ell became disaffected, disappointed
and sore. It's all couched in these