▁and ▁confront ▁him . ▁ ▁Mur der ▁of ▁Sol omon ▁Sh arp ▁In ▁Frank fort ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 5 , ▁Sh arp ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁a ▁bitter ▁political ▁battle ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Old ▁Court - New ▁Court ▁controvers y . ▁He ▁identified ▁with ▁the ▁New ▁Court , ▁or ▁Rel ief ▁party , ▁which ▁promoted ▁a ▁legisl ative ▁ag enda ▁favor able ▁to ▁deb t ors . ▁In ▁opposition ▁was ▁the ▁Old ▁Court , ▁or ▁Anti - Rel ief ▁party , ▁which ▁worked ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁rights ▁of ▁credit ors ▁to ▁collect ▁deb ts . ▁Sh arp ▁had ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁state ' s ▁att orney ▁general ▁under ▁New ▁Court ▁govern ors ▁John ▁Ada ir , ▁whose ▁term ▁last ed ▁until ▁August ▁ 1 8 2 4 , ▁and ▁Joseph ▁Des ha , ▁who ▁succeeded ▁him ▁in ▁office . ▁The ▁New ▁Court ▁party ' s ▁power ▁was ▁beginning ▁to ▁w ane . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 5 , ▁Sh arp ▁res igned ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁a ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁Kentucky ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives . ▁During ▁the ▁he ated ▁campaign , ▁oppon ents ▁raised ▁the ▁issue ▁of ▁his ▁alleg ed ▁s edu ction ▁of ▁Anna ▁Co oke . ▁Old ▁Court ▁part isan ▁John ▁U . ▁War ing ▁had ▁hand b ills ▁distributed ▁that ▁alleg ed ▁that ▁Sh arp ▁had ▁denied ▁pat ern ity ▁of ▁Co oke ' s ▁il leg it imate ▁child ▁because ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁mul atto ▁and ▁likely ▁father ed ▁by ▁a ▁Co oke ▁family ▁slave