The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-11-09

candidates who seek their saffrages. The resi-
dcnce of Mr.. I.lthrop in this County, and hs
former political connection with the National
Republican party, seemed to render public
meeting the most app opriate means Of present.
ing the facts To the people upon Il responsibility
that could not be questioned.
The facts now submitted. The people
are desired 10 weigh them deliberately and re-
member then. at the Polls.
The COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of the above meeting
were first published in handbill at SPRING
held. After it was printed, the Committee
received the annexed letter from Mr.. Lath-
roP, which they published in the las; Spring
field Republican, together with the remarks
which precede it.
The following letter was sent to rs bv MIR.
Lathrop yesterday. Nov 4ih) We deem it
our duty, inasnuch as it was withou, doubt
written tor publication, to lay il before he pub.
| lie. We can not, however, permit il to PASS
| without comment.
After the receipt OF previous note of thu
same date iram Mr. L., in which he said, Z"
nEst acithh0id my reply until am permitted 10
hare a rieao Of Ike achoie ground we did not
expect to be honorcd with another com
inun;caton. We considered the correspondence
as Terminated by his own suggestion But it
seems that MIR. l.. did not consider it, His
object was nat yet attained for although he
had found pretext for evadng the cali that
had been made upon him. he had not yet hoen
afforded an opportunity of bringing that prelext
before the public, and Of endeavorina TO mvsti
| fy the question al issue. We have however.
no objection to his arguing his own case before
| the people.
MIR. l.. speaks of ane, and menace and
| threats, with as much confidence as it there had
been any foundation for his insinuations. He
knows that there has not and he prespmes too
mnch upon the creduhty ct the public, when he
makes the intlmaton. tie was assured by The
COMMITTEE at their interview with him. thai
the gentlemen who we're active at the county
meeting, expressed the most entire personaI re-.
spect for him, and he remark ed in reply TINT he
had no doubt of it. In addition to this. Mr. L.
knows, or might know, if he would take the
trouble to inquire, that many Of these gentle
men were those who had supported him for all
the numerous important political stations h.
has ever held. How misplaced, then, and ride
ulous, is this affectaton about threats, secret
condemnation, and personal attack :"
Mr.. L. now fully declines 10 give a COPY of
his Anti Masonic letter, and he places his re-
fusal upon several distinct grounds
The first ground is broad denial of "the
right" OF any person. or collection of persons
q 10 call for it," Upon this subject, the public
are already in possession of sufficient facts,
comprised in the statement of the committee,
to be able to form correct judgment. If assur-
ances reiterated, unqualified and roIuntary,"
by Mr.. l.. himself that the letter should be pub
hshcd do not give the right, then, indeed, VIC
may look in vain for it.
The second ground of refusal grows out of
The fact, that the Committee did not communi-
n hIn all ha L.. Il.
adopted at the county meeting. The cores
pondencc between Mr.. L. and the Committee
on that subject speaks for itself 1t shows that
The resolution which was communicated to him
was the only one achich referred 10 the latter
IN question and yet Mr.. L. says it was sap
parent from the answer that all the resolutions
had reference TO the same subject" The thing
wanted was his letter. and that alone was asked
for. The meeting did not want his sentiments
upon the subjects contained in the other reseu-
tons, and II they did, the letter contained them,
and by giving that, he would therefore answer
every object. But why shonld he be so anxious
to get sight at something else than this reso-
luton! Was it not that he might talk about
something else, and evade the direct call there
in made? He now refuses to give copy of
the letter because he does not know what may
) be in the other resolutions, and he intmates
that IT upon examining them, he should find
any thing offensive IN that case he would not
give it,-so that either way he would have ar
rived at the same result for who can doubt
that an Imagination that finds menace threats,
and e1ecutiOnerS" in convention of his friends
would be apt to find personal insult lurking
In mere abstract proposition
: But Mr.. l.. ought not now to pretend that his
refusal to give copy was caused by our neg
isct to ate the particular contents of the 9th.
or resolutions. In a former letter dated Nov.
Sd, he stated that "he had prepared a reply,"
TO our flrst communication, and it appears plain
; ly from the tenor Of his other notes. that this
reply was prepared before it occurred to him to
ask II there were other resolutions and of course
before he was informed that there were any.
. NOW we put 1t 10 Mr.. Lathrop to say, whether
In that reply he had consented to give us the
copy requested. He had then decided wheth-
er TO give it or not-and if he had decided NOT
to give it, with what grace can he now say, that
no refuses upon ground that was not then in
his thoughts' Is not this then an after thought
and pretext'
Mr. L. makes many professions of what he
would have done, if he had been called upon BIZ
indivlduals-but it is remarkable that he does
not intimate that he would have given the copy
desired
One other remark, and we leave Mr. LIS.
present letter before the tribunal Of the people.
AT the close of the paragraph which denies the
J right to call for any letter, he adds,-" espsci-
those to mh0m 1t addressed" Mr. L.
knew that the Anti Masonic organ at Boston
had stated that the letter had never been re-
ceived. Does he not know whether il was re-
celved or not Has he not had SUBSEQUENT
correspondence with the body to whom the let
} ter was addressed and finally has he not him
self withdraUn this very letter from that body
Why then does he now come before the public,
and thus attempt to give strength to the asser-
ton that 1t was not received
We ask the public TO consider all the facts
now spread before thom, and make up their
judgment.
: f.; :.. 5 s:':"'' Committee
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Nov 3, 1881.
Afcssrs j. D'oight, G. ashmua, and Simon SAM
kborn, Esquires.
Gentlemen-Your favor Of the Cd inst, which
you were pleased to !put into my hands yester-
asy, containing resolution Of meeting of
National Republicans of Hampden County,
holden at Springfield on Tuesday evening last,
, requesting for publication n copy Of my first
letter to the Anti Masonic State Committee in
, answer TO their notification Of my nomination.
has received all tho consideration which tho
time and other circumstances connected with
! the application would permit
Ths resolution purports to have been adopted
by gentlemen with whom d" have heretofore uni
iormly acted and agreed in our National and State
politics." In reply to your request, permit me to