The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-09-16
SONS OF TEMPERANCE.
THE OLATHE MEETING.

THE OLATHE MEETING.
Editor of the Leavenscorh Times: In
the Lawrence daily Tribune, is
sued August Both last, correspondent
of that paper pretends to give report
of the meetings held in Olathe on Sat-
urday, August 9th. In his report of
the Black Bob settlers meeting, refer
ring to q speech made by myself, that
correspondent, who has since taken ed
itorial charge of the Tribune, says:
"Never since the days when he was
kicked from an official position for
bungling rascality, and hence into reti-
racy, had he enjoyed such a refreshing
season, ETC." This unmanly attack up
on my private character was instigated
by Sidney Clarke, who said, upon the
train that carried him to that meeting,
that he intended to give me hell and
was but the concentration and express
sion Of a most malicious and dastardly
TRADE of abuse, INDUCED in by the ex-
emplary George II. Hoyt, at Clarke's
meeting on the evening of the same
day. For year and half have rest
ed patiently under false and malicious
charge of official misconduct, preferred
by Sidney Clarke, and have refrained
from asserting and proving its false
hood, because of my unwillingness to
trouble the people of Kansas with a
personal matter. But when in appeal
ing to the people for denomination to
Congress, Sidney Clarke prompts such
an attack upon a citizen whose only Of
tense against him is the exercise of an
unbought and unpurchaseable choice
between candidates, the people will |
hear patiently vindicaiion of private
character.
BY previous invitation of the settlers
upon the Black Bob lands, attended |
their meeting on the afternoon of last |
Saturday, and addressed them, after |
Sidney Clarke, member of the Con-
gress of the United States for three
terms, had ANONYMOUSLY declined a
joint discussion of his Congressional
record on matters of vital moment to
the citizens composing the meeting,
with q farmer settler, upon terms which
were wholly favorable to Mr.. Clarke.
In my remarks to the settlers / confin-
ed myself to a review of Clarke's Con-
gresssonal record, and his manifest eff
fort to cover up the defalcation of John
Speer matters most clearly involved in
the canvass, which concern the honor
and integrity of the Republican party.
At a subsequent meeting in the evening
of the same day Hoyt, in the presence
of Clarke, with his evident sanction to
carry out his threat made on the train,
and to his great delight, stated to the
public that had been removed from
the Office of United States District At
torney for the District of Kansas, be-
cause of corrupt settlement / had
made, or attempted to make, of a claim
against G. 9. Hutchinson, eX-Ottawa
Indian Agent, and because of my cor
ruptly conspiring with said Hutchinson
to defraud the Government and the OF
ia Indians out of SAL 600; and he fur
ther stated that Sidney Clarke had pro-
cured my removal. 1t is true that
Clarke procured my removal and upon
the charge stated but the truth or falls
ity of the charge will better appear
from Clarke's own statement than from
anything can say.
The order for my suspension from Of
flee was dated May 18th, 1869. 1 have
in my possession letter written by Sid
ney Clarke to @. q. Hutchinson forward
ed through the mail under his frank,
and which can be inspected by any one
doubling, which is in words and figures
as follows:
"WAsmNGToN, May "a, 1869.
Friend Hutchinson
Yours of the 10th instant is at hand.
Yes, will help you all can. have
done nothing that you would not ap-
prove in my fight on Riggs. Riggs is a
rascal. This you have occasion to
know. He is not true to his profession
or to anybody. l have caught him in
half q dozen dishonest tricks, and con-
victed him of all of them before the
Attorney General. Riggs goes out of
Office in disgrace.
Neither yourself or your bondsmen
will have any reason to complain of my
action.
Command me at all times as your
friend. got dispatch from Speer
asking me to help you. This was not
necessary. / trust 1 shall always be
willing to help my friends.
Yours truly,
SIDNEY CLARKE.
&. 9. HUTCHINSON, ESQ.,"
BY a comparison of dates it will APP
pear that this letter was written twelve
days after my suspension from office
had been procured. 1t was evidently
written in response to an appeal from
Hutchinson for help. If the charges
preferred against me by Clarke were
true Hutchinson was the chief swindler
and i was his alder and abettor. Sid
ney Clarke promises aid to this swind-
ler-"all the aid in his power'-and au-
thorizes him TO command him at all
times as his friend, etc. He himself
characterizes the fight on the Hutchin-
son settlement, which settlement had
made, as "my fight on Riggs" But in
V1CW OI Int
lately made in regard to the crimes of
the man who is now, and was then,
Sidney Clarke's chief supporter, and
who before that time had been an Off
Ger in responsible trust under the Gov
ernment; and in view of the palpable
efforts of Mr.. Clarke to cover up these
crimes, l take comfort in believing that
"my fight on Riggs" was matter of
greater moment to our member of Con-
than nhtacfinn which
ed to the Hutchinson settlement.
1t Mr.. Hutchinson was guilty as
charged, Clarke's letter was a crime
against the government.
If Hutchinson was so innocent that
the letter to him. was proper, my remo-
val was base prostitution of high po-
litical power.
Ny complete vindication in the mat
tiers charged against me can be found in
the official investigation and report OF
Superintendent Enoch Hoag, to whom
the alleged charges of corruption in the
making of the Hutchinson settlement
was referred for investigation, and In
the petition of the male members of the
Ottawa tribe to their Superintendent
and the government, circulated by their
Chief in person, and signed in January
1870, by them all save one, requesting
that the settlement of their affairs
which 1 had made, might be ratified by
the government. / have in my office
full authenticated copies of all paper:
pertaining to this matter, and might
quote therefrom to show the malice
with which i was pursued. But my
sole purpose in this communication wa:
to set out in its true light by the publ
cation of Mr.. Clarke's letter, the infa
my of his attack upon the character o
citizen who dares oppose him.
Very respectfully yours,
SAM'I, A RIGGS.