The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-15


Editor The Roanoke Times:
Your clever humor reminding ono Of England )
matchless Thackeray. mingled with the force and
grace of EulWer. and the patbos Of Dickens, have
long been the magnet that caused to daily
read your editorials; first IN the News Leader
Of Richmond now Of this The Roanoke Times
BGt / must confess to a feeling of disappornt-
ment Ia your political views the senatorial
question You cannot avoid seeing to what nm
extreme measure the Martin clique with their
"stea1a roller process drive refnorselessly over
all who do not speak the language of their
tribe"
Possibly from purely partisan political
standpoint this may be regarded as orthodox
But suppose We Ga back TO the time when
our lanented and beloved FItzhugh Lee was q
candidate for this distinguished honor ana look
carefully into the conditions that placed Mir.
Martin in the senate ard hamillated Virginia
distinguished hero before the world.
This county Of 6otetourt instructed Its dele
gate for General Lee. but through persuasions.
the instructions were finally "Ithdrstwf not
Withstandtug t1lree-fonrths OF the democratic
voters, aye nine tentha, were for General Lee
After the election petition sent to the
various precincts asking for signatures instruct
tin. without any reference whatever, to Cen
eral Lee, and by this surreptftous process, Eote-
tourt vas placed IN the Martin column. At the
investigation which followed known 70 all Ntr-
GINA, the Botetourt delegate acknowledged re-
ceiVlng four hundred and fifty dollars before his
election This. my fellow countrymen, was the
first time and the only time In its history that
a Virginia legislature WAS ever known to be
Since that memorable occasion I have three
times aspired 10 political honors but the bane-
ful influence Of this machine bound clique have
through convention nlanipuations. thwmrted me
On the first two occasions Republicans were
elected III this once strong Democratic county
and senatorial district
The last defeat, for nomination. was at Y~in-
castle on the Sth OF July. mention OF which has
already been made in your columns.
1t Is THE custom Of orators and writers
TO exhaust the vocabulary OF adjectives In
pralsing the heroism and sef-sacrifce OF tt
Confederate soldier, but let one Of them aspire
he tag of Narfi lie
collar, H. will b. ruttAessy east aside.
f. Y. BARLEY Of Botetourt and his band
emulate the history of Brain do Bots Guilbert
and his followers In the treatment of Cedric the
Saxon, ana right hero let tell Sir Brain dc
isois and MS quartet. who SO 'eav@lserlg hafnil-
lated me On the Sth of July that like the Old
Saxon, / can dehanuy say. The blood of Here
ward In ii gse vsias of@fsodxio@
A few mora months and / will pass the age
figures allotted. to mankind therefore cannot
expect to again enter the arena Of politics but
wish to that my love and devotion to the
memory of the Lees of national fame Will live
through all life. survive all sorrow and remain
steadfaSt to tho end
After the foregoing lines were written / have
seen the letter Of Col. X, a. Ayers in your issue
Of the 10th inst, also Times Dispatch OF same
date.
He gives thoroughly partisan opinion from
his point OF view. but the anti machine follow
ers equally that the election Of Mr.
Martin was crooked affair and the fact tina,
MFR. Ayers changed over to the Martin faction
after the defeat of General Lee. smacks OF ar
invitation ITO come over and play with II
back yard
If MIR. Ayers has forgotten the proceedings
OF that investigation committee he must no,
think that every else has. And since that
memorable occasion Virginia has been under the
malignant bands Of q Martin office holding trust
When MIR. Ayers makes gratuitious fling
at all Democrats who aspire to public office, IN
tmatine that they defeated because their
feiiow Democrats do not place the same esti-
fnhte upon them What they place upon etheim.
selves" ! feel justified in -resenting his imputa-
ton to the extent Of saying to him that / pre-
fer to remain loyal to our brave old hero than
to refresh myself the Flesh pots Of Egypt
Mr. Ayers exeaims with heroic vehemence
THERE Is NO RING! THERE is NO RING
RULE, etc.
But my dear Colonel Ayers. let me tell you
that those who have been ruthlessly crushed by
the remorseless wheels Of this Martin machine
are better judges than yon are.
PHILIP FRANCIS BROWN
Blue Ridge Springs. vs., Aug. TO- 1911