Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1911-01-13
ioO2--A CONTRAST-10lO

was waged in the Ninth District be-
tween Judge VIM. f. Rhea and the
late Col. Capmbel Slemp, father of
the present congressman, C.. Bascom
Slemp. The fight was fierce from the
beginning, each party contcsting
every inch of ground The usual and
customary charges of fraud were
made by the Republicans against the
Democratic machine - The Demo-
Gratis charged, and offered to prove,
the State authorities issuing the
statement, that the Republicans used
a campaign fund of $4,000 to de-
feat Judge Rhea. There were charges
and counter charges. When the cleo
ton was over and the votes counted.
the face of the returns showed
Slemp's election in the district by
about $50 votes.
Immediately following this an
nouncemcnt came the news that great
Irregularities were discovered in. the
elections held in Wythc, Scott, Wash
ington and Tazewell counties. In two
precincts in Wythc, Austinvile and
Pattison, Mendoza, in Washington,
Liberty Hill in Tazewell, the returns
were held up. 1t was shown that in
each of these precincts in these coun-
ties, the registration and voting lists
were not regular, and that the cleo
tions were illegal. To throw out these
precincts would give Judge Rhea the
election by safe majority in the
District. The Democrats the ma
chine'-had in their power to throw
out these precincts and give Judge
Rhea his certificate. Upon investiga-
ton Judge Rhea found, that, while
there had been Irregularities in these
counties, and that he had good
grounds for a contest, these irregu-
larities were purely technical. and
that, while the bosses" in these
precincts may have manipulated the
voting list so as to give Slemp the
majority, the voters themselves were
honest, and intended to vote for Mr..
Slemp, and that he was elected by
majority of the peoples votes, though
not strictly according to law. Mr..
Rhea issued statement under date
of Nov. 10, 1902, stating that should
the board of canvassers, under the
circumstances, give him certificate
of election he would decline to ac-
cept it, that he would not accent an
election certificate upon mere tech
nicalities.
In 1910, eight years afterwards,
hot campaign was waged in this
same district between Hon. Henry C.
Stuart, Democratic and Hon. C. b.
Slemp, son of the former congress
man. Stuart was defeated by 217
votes in the District. AS before,
charges of serious irregularities in
the voting and registration lists were
discovered. In Smyth county so Sc
rious were these charges that the ar
rest and trial of the Republican Off
clal who made out the list resulted in
his dismissal from office. To throw out
the votes of this county would give
Mr.. Stuart the certificate of election
by safe majority. Strictly, accord
ing to law, these votes, it is said,
could be all thrown out, but the can
vassers have not so decided to do. and
Mr.. Slemp will receive and accent.
we presume, his certificate of cleo
ton and ask no questions.
And, so, it seems, the Democrats
in the Ninth District have lost out
in two campaigns because of "tech- !
They do not now hold
the district, and have not held it for |
eight years past because they declined |
to enforce the law, strictly according
to the letter. They are the victims.
Tor dupes, which, of technicalities.
Mr.. Slemp has not. so far as we have
seen or heard, expressed any les.tan
~ in accepting 4 certificate of cleo
ion which, haSSsui'is~ c eetion law been
enforced according to the letter,
would have gone to his opponent.
Query: /! law-;ny LAWS not
; be en- re =! strictly according to
la..